Graphics Card Sapphire Toxic HD 7970 GHz Edition Review

Up-to-date facilities provided by graphics cards manufacturers allow customers to create various graphic configurations, including the activation of several monitors within a single card. Indeed, contemporary technical approaches transform traditional video adapters into video gurus. The latest development of Sapphire, a flagship model Toxic HD 7970 GHz Edition, offers up to 6 GB of GDDR5 memory and promotes for the activation of six monitors in Eyefinity. Such options exceed those integrated into a reference model, AMD Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition, and are able to ensure a dramatic increase in performance.

Technical Peculiarities

Sapphire decided to base its flagship model on GPU AMD Tahiti with an integrated delimiter which lowers the clock frequency on the overshoot of thermal threshold. Its standard frequency equals to 1050 MHz, nominal frequency – 1100 MHz; sill, this GPU features Lethal Boost options that increase the frequencies up to 1200 MHz. This graphics card is equipped with 6GB of GDDR5 memory type that works at 1500-1600 MHz frequencies. It employs 384-bit memory bus and features 307 Gb/sec bandwidth.

Upon the whole, Sapphire Toxic HD 7970 GHz Edition employs 12-layer printed circuit board that contains Mosfet capacitors (with DirectFET technology) and Black Diamond throttles. Power supply subsystem consists of two 8-contact sockets. Video interface panel is represented by a single dual-link DVI socket, one HDMI, one single-link DVI, and a couple of mini-DisplayPort sockets. The maximal TDP level approximates 320W. Cooling system is a brand development by Sapphire. It has been codenamed Sapphire Vapor-X. The cooler is distinguished by the availability of two 90 mm fans and a solid heatsink with four heat pipes.

The nominal delivery set contains brand software Driver CD Sapphire TriXX, DVI-to-VGA adapter, mini-DP-to-DP adapter, mini-DP-to-DVI active adapter, CrossFire bridge, HDMI 1.4a cable, and power supply cable 6-pin to 2x4-pin.

Layout

Sapphire Toxic HD 7970 GHz Edition contains a large heatsink that takes a lot of spacing on the board. It is intended at efficient colling of memory modules; four heat pipes dissipate heat from the key components of the adapter. VRM module is cooled by an aluminum frame which is located under the cooler's ribs. The rear part of the board is cooled by means of a cooling plate. Power regulator, Lethal Power Suite, operates under 8+1+1 scheme: eight phases are responsible for GPU, while the other phases – for memory.

Overclocking and Power Consumption

Overclocking process is realized due to a dedicated Lethal Boost option and a corresponding button of the graphics card. Once pressing this button, the customer needs to reboot the system; in its turn, the system will activate the settings from the second firmware to provide for higher frequencies and more intense fan rotational speed. On implementation of nominal settings, the frequency drops to 1050 MHz, in Lethal Boost mode GPU frequency fluctuates within the measures of 1100-1200 MHz, while in manual static mode frequency index shows stability at 1201 MHz during the whole operational cycle.

Power consumption logically increases with the increase of operational GPU frequencies. Hence, TDP level approximates 296W at nominal frequencies, 314W – at Lethal Boost frequencies, and 316W – at manual static frequency.

Temperature and Noise Level

There is one peculiar feature ascribed to Sapphire Toxic HD 7970 GHz Edition card: the temperature is low in Lethal Boost mode, while at nominal frequencies the temperature is higher. Such peculiarity is explained due to more intense fan operation and better cooling effect.
Noise level index alters in accordance with the loading and fan rotational speed:

— in standby mode when fan operates at 30%: 32.8 dB;
— moderate loading when fan operates at 50%: 46.8 dB;
— game loading in Lethal Boost mode when fan operates at 65%: more than 54 dB;
— full loading when fan operates at 73%: approximately 57.5 dB;
— full loading in Lethal Boost mode when fan operates at 80%: 65.5 db.