Overclocking: Gaming Performance

Since both of our retail cards reached the same overclock, for the purpose of our graphs we’re simply listing the same number for both cards. In turn both cards are listed so that anyone flipping through the graphs without reading the accompanying text can still see both cards.

With our overclocks in hand, the core clock difference between these overclocked cards and the 7950 starts to get ridiculous. At 1200MHz for the 7870s, this is a massive 50% core clock advantage on the 7950; the overclocked 7870s have 50% more frontend and ROP performance compared to AMD’s next card up at stock, furthering the gap caused by this effect.

The end result is that more often than not, the overclocked 7870s can meet or beat the stock 7950. Even the 7970’s lead is uncomfortably narrow at times, such as in Battlefield 3 at 1920. Ultimately if you liked the 7950’s stock performance it’s possible to get something similar for upwards of $80 less if you don’t mind some overclocking, and chance is on your side.

Overclocking: Power, Temp, & Noise Final Words
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  • Zebo - Monday, March 19, 2012 - link

    I wish they were mistaken on the price.
  • LuxZg - Monday, March 19, 2012 - link

    They were actually... not that it helps much ;->
  • Jephph - Monday, March 19, 2012 - link

    Don't worry, they fixed it.

    "Numerous times before we’ve seen loud & cool cards, but it’s rare to come across a quiet and quiet card.

    Now, it's not loud and quiet, It's just quiet and quiet.
  • doylecc - Monday, March 19, 2012 - link

    "but it’s rare to come across a quiet and quiet card."

    Perhaps we should try "cool and quiet", yes?

    "In spite of the large blower on the card and the temperatures we’ve seen, the IceQ Turbo well for itself,"

    Perhaps "...the IceQ Turbo does well for itself."

    Thanks for a very interesting article. I would also like to see an AMD OC v. Nvidia OC article.
  • nitrousoxide - Monday, March 19, 2012 - link

    "A loud and quiet card" --> "a quiet and quiet card"

    Gosh I just can't help laughing...
  • LuxZg - Monday, March 19, 2012 - link

    "OCCT on the other hand finally sees every card jump up above 50C, with both cards tying or beating the reference 7870 by a fraction of a degree."

    Aren't you talking about noise here? And not temperature? Tsk tsk ;)
  • Death666Angel - Monday, March 19, 2012 - link

    Especially in the OC section! I don't know how many people are looking at 7970 and 7870 cards, but I for one do like to know how much extra performance that money gives me, especially compared to 7870 OC'ed.
    As for the cards, they are good enough, but I hate seeing these anaemic factory memory overclocks or no overclocks at all.
    Two more things: Is there a chance you will add your OC results to bench in the future? And can you explain why the 7950 beats the 7970 in min. frames Crysis? Doesn't make sense to me. :-)
  • Ryan Smith - Monday, March 19, 2012 - link

    The 7950 only beats the 7970 in Crysis when you use the launch numbers for the 7970. It's been taken care of.
  • Creig - Monday, March 19, 2012 - link

    "Idle noise levels are consistent. Both cards are ever so marginally quitter than the reference 7870 at idle."

    Nobody likes a video card that's a quitter. But I'm sure they'd love one that's quieter.
  • Roland00Address - Monday, March 19, 2012 - link

    I am curious how crossfire 7800 series cards compare to the 7900 series cards

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