Powercolor HD6950 PCS+ 2GB Review (Vortex II Edition)

The tests were performed in a controlled air conditioned room with temperatures maintained at a constant 25c – a comfortable environment for the majority of people reading this.

Idle temperatures were measured after sitting at the desktop for 30 minutes. Load measurements were acquired by playing Crysis Warhead for 30 minutes and measuring the peak temperature. We also have included Furmark results, recording maximum temperatures throughout a 30 minute stress test. All fan settings were left on automatic.

When idle, the fans only spin at 22% and this rises to 59% under Furmark load. When gaming the temperatures never rise above 75c. We have no way to measure the rpm as the card doesn’t support a reading from both fans. We didn't notice much, if any difference from raising or lowering the fans.

Return to ambient is a feature we have recently added to our reviews … we measure the time it takes for a solution to return to idle temperatures, immediately after full load. The faster the time, the better the cooler – for example a Noctua NH D14 cooler will return an Intel processor to idle temperatures much faster than a reference cooler. This is a good indication of how quickly a heatsink can dissipate heat.

The Powercolor fan profile is very passive, and non aggressive, meaning that once the card reaches 60c fan speed drops considerably, lowering noise as soon as possible.

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