Sapphire HD6970 Battlefield 3 Flex Edition Review (Limited Edition)

There is doubt that this limited edition graphics card is something very special indeed. To coincide with the release of Battlefield 3, Sapphire have worked from the ground up to create a heavily customised HD6970.

Everything about AMD's reference design has been tweaked and enhanced. Sapphire have created a new PCB design with bios switch, allowing for a core speed increase to 930mhz. The Vapor X cooler really needs no introduction and maintains the high standards we would expect, delivering reduced temperatures and lower noise emissions. Our card had additional headroom, even when at the ‘boost' setting, achieving 960mhz core and 1500mhz (6,000mhz effective) from the GDDR5 memory.

Sapphire have included a comprehensive bundle which includes various cables. Everything you need to use this card with three screens in Eyefinity is included in the box, so it makes for a painfree upgrade if you have three large screens ready for a new system build – and you aren't tied into DisplayPort technology either. As we have seen today, the Sapphire HD6970 Battlefield 3 Flex Edition can power Battlefield 3 across three 24 inch screens @ 5760 resolution.

Pricing in the United Kingdom looks to be very favourable indeed. We were told that the card will retail for £310 inc vat, which is only £20 more than a reference card. When you factor in that Battlefield 3 alone costs £30, and you get FleX technology and the Vapor X cooler, it seems like a total no brainer to us. If you are in the market for a new HD6970 for multi screen gaming then this should be right at the top of your list. Just be sure to pick one up quickly, as this is a limited edition run.

Pros:

• FleX technology for painfree multiscreen gaming.
• Vapor X cooler is quiet and cool running.
• Dual Bios switch gives the card a speed boost.
• Works great with Sapphire TriXX overclocking software.
• Plenty of headroom, especially via the GDDR5 memory.
• Free copy of Battlefield 3.

Cons:

• Nothing.

Kitguru says: Another stellar card from Sapphire and one of the finest HD6970's we have reviewed to date.

Watch the interview with Sapphire's Bill Donnelly here and you can win this card over here !

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