Mid-Range AMD Graphics Card Round-Up (HIS 7770 GHz / HIS 7850 / Sapphire 7850)

AMD has affirmed its position in the mid-range graphics market with the successful Radeon HD 77xx and 78xx GPUs. With so many individual graphics cards to choose from, how do you decide which is best? Cooler, factory overclock, VRAM and display outputs are all valid reasons for picking one card over another.

Which mid-range AMD graphics card do you buy? Is 2GB of VRAM worth the extra cost, in comparison to 1GB models? How do current generation models compare to previous generation cards? We aim to answer these questions by pushing a 1GB and 2GB 7850, a 7770 GHz Edition, and a competitively priced option from AMD's HD 6000 series – the 6870 – through our barrage of tests.

So which of these mid-range AMD cards is worthy of our recommendation? Read on to find out.

HIS supplies the HD 7770 IceQ X Turbo 1GB graphics card in the company's trademark blue and white box.

Disappointingly, the most important information – the factory overclocked card's core and memory frequencies – are absent. Another irritating point is the fact that HIS states the cooler's fan as “9.2cm”. This is incorrect; the fan is actually 8.6cm, as also pointed out by the product's webpage.

HIS really needs to make its packaging more informative. Customers in a shop aren't going to pay extra for a card which they don't know is factory overclocked and they're going to be annoyed when they notice the fan is smaller than stated.

HIS supplies a simple bundle which consists of a DVI-VGA adapter, a case sticker, a driver CD, HIS iTurbo software and some installation instructions.

The HD 7770 IceQ X Turbo (product code: H777QNT1G2M) utilises HIS' IceQ X cooler which uses a 86mm fan to blow air directly onto the GPU and heatsink.

Lower noise, in comparison to blower-style heatsinks, is a benefit of the centre-mounted fan, but a large amount of the GPU's heat is going to be dumped into one's chassis. This shouldn't be too much of a problem with the efficient Cape Verde GPU, but it could cause some headaches for small form factor users.

HIS continues to use an aqua blue PCB for its graphics cards. While the majority of users prefer black PCBs, the aqua blue colour isn't quite as bad as some of the competitors' options (yes we're looking at you red PCB companies).

A single CrossFire connector allows the HIS HD 7770 IceQ X Turbo graphics card to be paired up with another HD 7700 series model. Users will have to hope that the other card is supplied with a CrossFire bridge, though.

The IceQ X heatsink is a dual slot model. A pair of 6mm heatpipes exits the cooler's shroud, but shouldn't cause interference in anything larger than a moderately-sized case.

HIS' IceQ X Turbo graphics card requires just one 6-pin PCI-E power connector.

According to HIS, the recommended minimum power supply requirement is 500W. When coupled with an efficient system, we would have no worries using this card with a high quality unit that offers around 400W of power output, such as Seasonic's excellent G Series 360W.

A single ventilation slot should allow some of the hot air to escape from the rear of the card, rather than be dumped back into the chassis.

Graphics card outputs:

• 2x Mini DisplayPort
• 1x HDMI
• 1x Dual Link DVI-I

HIS uses a reference HD 7770 PCB with the only difference being the omission of the 4-pin fan header.

Four of Elpida's W2032BBBG-50-F memory chips are used to provide 1GB of VRAM. These GDDR5 chips are capable of a 5000MHz frequency.

A pair of direct contact heatpipes extracts heat from the efficient Cape Verde GPU and allows it to be dissipated by a large, densely-packed fin array.

The 519g HIS 7770 IceQ X Turbo graphics card measures in at 218mm, or 207mm to the PCB's edge, meaning that interference is kept to a minimum.

Out-of-the-box operating frequencies for the 7770 GHz Edition IceQ X Turbo 1GB graphics card are: 1100MHz Core and 1200MHz Memory.

The HIS 7850 IceQ 2GB graphics card's box is equally as uninformative as the 7770's version. HIS doesn't state the card's operational frequencies on the box, although this isn't as much of a problem for a card which isn't factory overclocked.

The HIS 7580 IceQ 2GB graphics card's bundle consists of a DVI-VGA adapter, CrossFire cable, case sticker, drivers CD, HIS iTurbo software and installation guides.

HIS implements its standard IceQ cooler on the 2GB 7850 graphics card (product code: H785Q2G2M). The cooler uses a 57mm leaf-blower fan to draw air into the shroud, force it through the large heatsink, and allow it to be expelled out of the case.

This cooler design is likely to be noisier than the open-fan alternative, but it should result in improved heat extraction performance.

The HIS 7850 IceQ 2GB graphics card features an aqua blue PCB. We said it previously about the HIS 7770 GHz Edition IceQ X Turbo graphics card, but as this model is sitting in a higher market space, the omission of a black PCB is likely to have higher consequences.

For some odd reason which we really can't explain, HIS decided that its IceQ cooler was required to be larger than the standard dual slot form factor. The cylindrical air intake above the 57mm leaf-blower fan forces the cooler's overall form factor 10mm past the two slot limit.

This is an irritating and somewhat needless design choice. It limits multi-card possibilities for users with motherboards that feature dual-spaced PCI-E x16 slots.

Users not interested in placing a graphics card in the slot below the HIS 7850 IceQ can use an expansion card up to 160mm in length before hitting the interference area, although this figure could be lessened slightly when factoring in PCB sag. An expansion card such as the Creative Sound Blaster Z should fit without problems.

Due to the 7850 IceQ's 818g weight and heavy fin array, HIS has used a solid metal support bar to minimise the effects of PCB sag and to distribute the cooler's weight more evenly. This is a good idea which we wish more graphics card manufacturers would use.

The HIS 7850 IceQ 2GB graphics card uses a pair of 6-pin PCI-E power connectors, as opposed to the single port that AMD's reference design uses. HIS claims that the extra connector, in addition to a beefed-up – 8 phase – power design and 2Oz copper PCB, should provide the Pitcairn GPU with more voltage and better overclocking capabilities.

Due to the blower's widened air intake, the power connectors are made slightly more awkward to reach when attaching the cables.

A single CrossFire connector allows the HIS 7850 IceQ 2GB graphics card to be paired with another AMD HD 7800 series model. If paired with a 1GB or 4GB variant, both cards will operate at the lowest available VRAM quantity.

A vented PCI slot allows hot to escape the IceQ cooler's shroud. A slight gap between the edge of the shroud and the vented PCI slot may cause some hot air to spill back into the chassis.

Graphics card outputs:

• 2x Mini DisplayPort
• 1x HDMI
• 1x Dual Link DVI-I

With its enhanced power design, the HIS 7850 IceQ 2GB graphics card's PCB resembles that of the AMD HD 7870's reference design. An additional power phase and 6-pin PCI-E connector are the main, and possibly only, differences from the reference AMD HD 7850 PCB.

Eight Elpida W2032BBBG-50-F memory chips are used to provide 2GB of VRAM. These GDDR5 chips are rated for a frequency of 5000MHz.

HIS has ensured that its IceQ cooler uses a solid design to offer good heat extraction performance. A copper base removes heat from the Pitcairn GPU, allowing it to be transferred to the densely-packed, but quite small, fin array by two 6mm and two 8mm heatpipes.

The 57mm blower-style fan is powered by a 4-pin PWM VGA fan header.

We are pleased to see that HIS isn't ignoring the fact that memory chips also require some form of cooling. Two thermal strips allow the memory chips to offload their heat to the IceQ cooler.

The 818g HIS 7850 IceQ 2GB graphics card measures in at 280mm, or 238mm to the PCB's edge, meaning that interference with HDD cages is a possibility for mid-tower users.

We can understand the fact that HIS wanted to put a great emphasis on cooling performance, but extending the cooler's length by 42mm, not to mention its oversized form factor, increases the possibility of interference problems being encountered.

Out-of-the-box operating frequencies for the 7850 IceQ 2GB graphics card are: 860MHz Core and 1200MHz Memory.

Sapphire's 7850 Dual-X 1GB graphics card is supplied in a dark box which features the Sapphire military Woman holding what appears to be an M16 assault rifle.

We think that the box should make more of a fuss about the card's Dual-X cooling solution so that potential purchasers can see that the model is custom cooled.

The 7850 Dual-X 1GB graphics card's bundle consists of a DVI-VGA adapter, a CrossFire bridge, a molex to 6-pin PCI-E power cable, a drivers CD, a case sticker and written material.

The Sapphire 7850 Dual-X 1GB features, unsurprisingly, Sapphire's Dual-X cooling solution. The open-fan design will blow hot air directly into the chassis, but should do so while maintaining quieter operation than a leaf-blower design.

Sapphire uses an aqua blue PCB which possesses a colour very similar to that of HIS' models. As with the HIS cards, a black PCB would be preferable.

The Sapphire 7850 Dual-X 1GB graphics card is a dual slot model. With the open-shroud design that is employed by the Dual-X heatsink, it is fair to assume that a percentage of the warm air will end up returning to the case's internal area.

A single 6-pin PCI-E power connector supplies the Sapphire 7850 Dual-X 1GB graphics card. Mounted at the edge of the PCB, rather than the side, the power connector is very easy to access, but it does increase the clearance requirement by about an inch.

A single CrossFire connector allows the Sapphire 7850 Dual-X 1GB graphics card to be paired with another AMD HD 7800 series model. If paired with a 2GB or 4GB variant, both cards will operate at the lowest available VRAM quantity (which will be 1GB).

Half of a vented PCI slot allows a small amount of hot air to escape from the cooler's heatsink area.

Graphics card outputs:

• 1x DisplayPort
• 1x HDMI
• 2x DVI-I (1x Dual Link & 1x Single Link)

Sapphire uses a non-reference PCB layout which sees the Pitcairn GPU and Elpida memory chips pushed further to the board's right side. Although this is technically a non-reference design, its layout shows resemblances to PCBs that many board manufacturers have opted to use.

Sapphire's 7850 Dual-X graphics card used the same 7 phase power design that is present on the reference HD 7850.

Eight Elpida W1032BBBG-50-F memory chips are used to provide 1GB of VRAM. These GDDR5 chips are rated for a frequency of 5000MHz. The chips' only difference to those used by HIS is the fact that they are part of a 1GB set, rather than a 2GB set.

A large copper base plate and a pair of 6mm copper heatpipes transfer heat away from the Pitcairn GPU to a modestly-sized fin array where the pair of fans can dissipate it.

The 497g Sapphire 7850 Dual-X 1GB graphics card measures in at 206mm. We are pleased to see that Sapphire's cooler has stuck to the PCB's length, rather than extend past the 206mm limit.

Out-of-the-box operating frequencies for the 7850 Dual-X 1GB graphics card are: 860MHz Core and 1200MHz Memory.

To test these graphics cards, we put them in a gaming-class system which consists of an Intel Core i5 3570K processor overclocked to 4.2GHz, 8GB of 2133MHz memory from Patriot, and a solid state drive.

We used the latest, non-beta – AMD Catalyst 13.1 – drivers as we encountered some undesirable stability issues when testing with the 13.2 Beta 7 drivers.

All cards use the same test system and software configuration, making the results accurate and directly comparable.

Test System:

• Processor: Intel Core i5 3570K @ 4.2GHz.
• Motherboard: Asus P8Z77-V.
• Memory: 8GB Patriot Viper 3 IEM Limited Edition 2133MHz.
• Case: NZXT Phantom.
• Case Fans: 1x 120mm 1900 RPM Scythe Kaze Jyuni (front intake), 1x 120mm NZXT (side intake), 1x 120mm NZXT (rear exhaust), 1x 200mm NZXT (roof exhaust).
• CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus.
• Power supply: Seasonic Platinum 1000W.
• Storage drives: 128GB Kingston V100 (OS), 1TB Samsung F3, 300GB Western Digital Caviar.
• Monitor: BenQ G2222HDL 1920×1080.

Comparison Graphics Cards:

• XFX Radeon HD 6870 Black Edition 1GB @ Stock HD 6870 frequencies (900 MHz Core / 1050 MHz Memory)
• HIS HD 7770 GHz Edition IceQ X Turbo 1GB (1100MHz Core / 1200MHz Memory)
• HIS HD 7850 IceQ 2GB (860MHz Core / 1200MHz Memory)
• Sapphire HD 7850 Dual-X 1GB (860MHz Core / 1200MHz Memory)

Software Suite:

• 3DMark Vantage
• 3DMark 11
• 3DMark
• Unigine Heaven
• Ungine Valley
• Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
• Fraps
• GPU-Z
• Steam
• Origin
• FurMark
• AMD Catalyst 13.1

Games:

• Battlefield 3 (located on SSD)
• Crysis 2 (located on SSD)
• Metro 2033 (located Samsung F3 HDD)
• Hitman: Absolution (located Samsung F3 HDD)
• Sleeping Dogs (located Samsung F3 HDD)
• Dirt 3 (located Samsung F3 HDD)

Some game descriptions are edited from Wikipedia.

Futuremark released 3DMark Vantage, on April 28, 2008. It is a benchmark based upon DirectX 10. This is the first edition where the feature-restricted, free of charge version could not be used any number of times. 1280×1024 resolution was used with performance settings.

Sapphire's 7850 Dual-X graphics card takes an early, albeit very narrow, lead of 1.1% in 3DMark Vantage. This is quite surprising, given the card's 1GB frame buffer as opposed to the HIS 7850 IceQ's 2GB, but the very small 1.1% difference could be attributed to errors in the benchmark and testing procedure.

HIS' overclocked 7770 GHz Edition graphics card struggles to keep pace with AMD's mid-range king of 2011, the HD 6870.

3DMark 11 is designed for testing DirectX 11 hardware running on Windows 7 and Windows Vista the benchmark includes six all new benchmark tests that make extensive use of all the new features in DirectX 11 including tessellation, compute shaders and multi-threading.

After running the tests 3DMark gives your system a score with larger numbers indicating better performance. Trusted by gamers worldwide to give accurate and unbiased results, 3DMark 11 is the best way to test DirectX 11 under game-like loads.

If you want to learn more about this benchmark, or to buy it yourself, head over to this page.

Futuremark's synthetic benchmarks clearly prefer Sapphire's 1GB 7850 over HIS' 2GB competitor. The 1GB Sapphire Dual-X model takes another narrow lead, but as with 3DMark Vantage, the very slim – 0.9% – difference is likely to be related to the benchmark's accuracy.

3DMark 11's more up-to-date testing parameters allow HIS' 7770 IceQ X Turbo to compete more closely to AMD's previous-generation HD 6870.

3DMark is Futuremark's latest benchmark. It can be used to benchmark and compare everything from mobile devices, such as smart phones, tablets and laptops, to high-end gaming systems. The benchmark is available for Windows, Windows RT Android and iOS.

With 3 separate tests, each of which is intended to be used alongside a specific classification of hardware, 3DMark is a very versatile benchmark. Ice Storm is intended to be used with mobile devices, Cloud Gate is good for use with laptops and home PCs, and Fire Strike can be used to push the performance of gaming PCs.

We used the ‘Fire Strike' benchmark which is designed to be used on gaming PCs. We opted for the Normal setting, NOT the Extreme mode.

3DMark gives Sapphire's 1GB 7850 Dual-X a straight set of victories in Futuremark's testing suite, although none of them with a greater performance difference than 1.3%. We were a little surprised by this, but numerous retests confirmed our findings.

This performance benefit may be related to a lower latency for Sapphire's 1 gigabyte of VRAM, in comparison to the HIS 7850 IceQ's 2 gigabytes. The most probable reason for the performance difference of 0.9-1.3% is the accuracy and systematic errors of Futuremark's benchmarks. Errors are inevitable occurrences with any and every piece of testing equipment, so that isn't to say that the 3DMark benchmarks are inaccurate; they are not.

The 7770 IceQ X Turbo slips off the 6870's pace a little when contesting 3DMark's demanding Fire Strike benchmark. The 7770 IceQ X Turbo's performance deficit is 6.3%.

Unigine provides an interesting way to test hardware. It can be easily adapted to various projects due to its elaborated software design and flexible toolset. A lot of their customers claim that they have never seen such extremely-effective code, which is so easy to understand.

Heaven Benchmark is a DirectX 11 GPU benchmark based on advanced Unigine engine from Unigine Corp. It reveals the enchanting magic of floating islands with a tiny village hidden in the cloudy skies. Interactive mode provides emerging experience of exploring the intricate world of steampunk.

Efficient and well-architected framework makes Unigine highly scalable:

• Multiple API (DirectX 9 / DirectX 10 / DirectX 11 / OpenGL) render
• Cross-platform: MS Windows (XP, Vista, Windows 7) / Linux
• Full support of 32bit and 64bit systems
• Multicore CPU support
• Little / big endian support (ready for game consoles)
• Powerful C++ API
• Comprehensive performance profiling system
• Flexible XML-based data structures

We use the following settings: 1920×1080 resolution. Anti Aliasing: off. Anisotrophy: 4, Tessellation: Normal. Shaders: High. Stereo 3D: Disabled. API: Direct X 11.

Unigine's Heaven benchmark shows more of the same; Sapphire's 1GB 7850 is slightly faster than HIS' 2GB version, albeit by just 1.3%.

The performance deficit of HIS' overclocked 7770 GHz Edition increases to 9.7%, in comparison to the Radeon HD 6870.

Valley Benchmark is a new GPU stress-testing tool from the developers of the very popular and highly acclaimed Heaven Benchmark. The forest-covered valley surrounded by vast mountains amazes with its scale from a bird’s-eye view and is extremely detailed down to every leaf and flower petal. This non-synthetic benchmark powered by the state-of-the art UNIGINE Engine showcases a comprehensive set of cutting-edge graphics technologies with a dynamic environment and fully interactive modes available to the end user.

We use the following settings: API: DirectX 11. Quality: High. Stereo 3D: Disabled. Monitors: Single. Anti Aliasing: x2. Resolution: 1920×1080.

Unigine's Valley benchmark gives each 7850 a result which is close enough to call the lead a tie. The 0.3% performance difference is well within the recording error of Unigine's Valley software, given that the results are displayed to one decimal place.

The HIS 7770 GHz Edition IceQ X Turbo is left trailing the pack by a considerable margin. On the other hand, it is expected to do so, given its intentionally lower position in the performance tree.

According to EA, Battlefield 3 garnered 3 million pre-orders by the day of its release. It is unknown at present whether these figures are worldwide or just for the US. The pre-order total makes it “the biggest first-person shooter launch in EA history”, according to the publisher. The engine is beautiful on the PC and very demanding of the partnering hardware.

We used the game's demanding ‘Ultra' setting to push today's gaming hardware.

The 7850 cards offer identical performance in Battlefield 3. We were quite surprised to see Sapphire's 1GB card's minimum frame rates keep pace with HIS' 2GB version, especially considering the fact that Battlefield 3 can chomp well over a gigabyte of VRAM at 1080P.

HIS' 7770 GHz Edition IceQ X Turbo does an admirable job at keeping pace with the 6870. There is a difference of 8% between each card's minimum frame rates.

Released in March 2011, Crysis 2 was the highly-anticipated sequel to Crytek's triumphant predecessor. The CryEngine 3 game engine is able to deliver stunning visuals of New York's urban scenery as well as the intense conflict. Those stunning visuals and intense battles demand powerful PC hardware.

We used the game's second most demanding – ‘Extreme' – setting to offer an intense challenge for the gaming hardware while also making playable frame rates a possibility. We are also utilising the DX11 and High Res Textures pack as well as the latest patch – 1.9.

The demanding and diverse environment of Crysis 2's Time Square map allows the HIS 7850 IceQ graphics card to make good use of its 2 gigabytes of frame buffer. Sapphire's 1GB 7850 manages to match the HIS card's average performance, but its minimum frame rates are 21.4% lower.

HIS' 7770 IceQ X Turbo has a tough time rendering playable frame rates at Crysis 2's Extreme image quality. For gaming use with the HIS 7770 card, we would turn down the image quality settings to render more playable frame rates.

DiRT 3 was released in 2011 and has received a lot of praise from gamers and reviewers across the globe. It is the second most recent iteration of the Colin McRae Rally series, despite Codemasters dropping the Colin McRae branding. It supports DirectX 11 which enhances detail and brings a number of other visual enhancements to the gaming experience.

Sapphire's 1GB 7850 takes a narrow victory over HIS' 2GB variant in Dirt 3. This victory is somewhat false, though, as the 1 FPS difference comes about via our rounding of Dirt 3's benchmark result. Dirt 3's real world performance on each 7850 is almost identical.

Dirt 3's lower intensity, in comparison to Battlefield 3 and Crysis 2, allows the HIS 7770 GHz Edition IceQ X Turbo to achieve perfectly playable frame rates at 1920×1080 while nipping at the heels of AMD's 6870.

Hitman: Absolution is an action-adventure stealth game developed by IO Interactive and published by Square Enix. It is the fifth entry in the Hitman game series, and runs on IO Interactive’s proprietary Glacier 2 game engine. Before release the developers conveyed that Absolution would be easier to play and more accessible, while still retaining hardcore aspects of the franchise.

The 2GB VRAM of HIS' 7850 IceQ allows it to outperform Sapphire's 1GB competitor in Hitman Absolution.

Hitman Absolution is a demanding task for HIS' 7770 IceQ X Turbo; the 6870 manages 38% better performance for average frame rates.

Metro 2033 is a first-person shooter video game with survival horror elements, based on the novel Metro 2033 by Russian author Dmitry Glukhovsky. The game is played from the perspective of Artyom, the player-character. The story takes place in post-apocalyptic Moscow, mostly inside the metro system, but occasionally missions bring the player above-ground.

We used the game's ‘High' setting to offer an intense challenge for the gaming hardware while also making playable frame rates a possibility.

Continuing the switching, Sapphire's 1GB 7850 jumps back to the top spot. Metro 2033 clearly doesn't favour the HIS 7850 IceQ's increased frame buffer.

HIS' 7770 card is, on average, 17.3% slower than AMD's 6870.

Sleeping Dogs started development as an original title, but was announced in 2009 as True Crime: Hong Kong, the third instalment and a reboot of the True Crime series. As a result of the game’s high development budget and delays, it was cancelled by Activision Blizzard in 2011. Six months later, it was announced that Square Enix had picked up the publishing rights to the game, but the game was renamed Sleeping Dogs in 2012 since Square Enix did not purchase the True Crime name rights.

Sapphire's 1GB 7850 retains its top spot, albeit by a barely noticeable – 1 FPS – advantage.

HIS' overclocked 7770 GHz Edition graphics card continues to fight with AMD's higher-end 6870.

The tests were performed in a controlled environment with the temperature maintained at a constant 20°C.

Idle temperatures were measured after sitting at the desktop for 15 minutes. Load measurements were acquired by running FurMark for 15 minutes. As these are gaming graphics cards, we also decided to measure the temperatures while playing Battlefield 3.

We allowed the graphics cards' coolers to operate at their default – ‘auto' – settings.

As expected, HIS' 7850 IceQ features the most capable cooler. The IceQ cooler's blower-style and four heatpipes are able to efficiently and rapidly remove heat from the Pitcairn GPU.

HIS' IceQ X cooler used on the company's 7770 IceQ X Turbo provides slightly disappointing performance, allowing the efficient Cape Verde GPU to reach 65°C – higher than the Pitcairn GPU on both 7850 cards.

We recorded the graphics cards' fan speeds during each test scenario, allowing us to emulate the noise output with an adjusted system.

To eliminate the main contributors of noise interference, we disconnected the case and CPU cooler fans.  This gives us a system that can accurately reproduce the noise output of the graphics cards' coolers alone. We manually input the previously-recorded fan speed values and measured the acoustic output for each scenario.

We measure at a distance of 1 metre from the closed chassis and 4 foot from the ground to mirror a real world situation. We allowed the graphics cards' coolers to operate at their default – ‘auto' – settings.

Please refer to our KitGuru noise guide for a comparison between the noise levels of these components and everyday scenarios.

KitGuru noise guide
10dBA – Normal Breathing/Rustling Leaves
20-25dBA – Whisper
30dBA – High Quality Computer fan
40dBA – A Bubbling Brook, or a Refrigerator
50dBA – Normal Conversation
60dBA – Laughter
70dBA – Vacuum Cleaner or Hairdryer
80dBA – City Traffic or a Garbage Disposal
90dBA – Motorcycle or Lawnmower
100dBA – MP3 player at maximum output
110dBA – Orchestra
120dBA – Front row rock concert/Jet Engine
130dBA – Threshold of Pain
140dBA – Military Jet takeoff/Gunshot (close range)
160dBA – Instant Perforation of eardrum

Both open-fan coolers take first and second place in the acoustics competition. Sapphire has the quietest cooler, even though the Dual-X fans' speeds were 5% higher than the speed of HIS' IceQ X fan (as a percentage of each cooler's respective maximum fan speed).

The HIS IceQ cooler used on the 7850 IceQ is surprisingly quiet, given its blower-style design.

We measured the power consumption of our entire test system at the wall while loading the graphics card using FurMark. We also measured the power consumption with the system idling at the Windows desktop. As these are gaming graphics cards, we also decided to measure the power consumption while playing Battlefield 3.

As expected, HIS' 7770 GHz Edition IceQ X Turbo graphics card shows the lowest power consumption numbers. With the 7770 installed, our system's gaming power consumption didn't even surpass the 200W mark. Low power consumption levels such as those exhibited by HIS' 7770 GHz Edition IceQ X Turbo graphics card make it a great option for gaming HTPCs.

HIS' enhanced power delivery components clearly do their job by providing power more efficiently than the reference configuration used on Sapphire's card. The increased power consumption by Sapphire's 7850 Dual-X is also related to its additional fan.

We used HIS' own iTurbo software to increase the 7770 GHz Edition IceQ X Turbo graphics card's core and memory frequencies after raising the board's power control setting to +20%. Voltages were kept at their default levels.

FurMark's GPU Burn-in mode was used to verify stability, along with Crysis 2.

HIS' 7770 GHz Edition IceQ X Turbo graphics card features a factory overclock which puts it above the 7770 GHz Edition's reference frequency by 10%. The memory is also factory overclocked by 75MHz, to a value of 1200MHz.

Our highest and most beneficial overclock came via a setting of 1100MHz core frequency and 1475MHz memory frequency. We did manage to push the core to 1150MHz, but this reduced the headroom for our memory overclocking and had a negative impact on gaming performance.

The almost 23% increase in memory frequency was very pleasing, especially given that Elpida's W2032BBBG-50-F memory chips don't feature the overclocking headroom that the earlier HD 7000 series cards' Hynix chips do.

We were pleased to obtain an increase in gaming performance, even though our core clock remained at 1100MHz.

We used HIS' own iTurbo software to increase the 7850 IceQ graphics card's core and memory frequencies after raising the board's power control setting to +20%. Voltages were kept at their default levels.

FurMark's GPU Burn-in mode was used to verify stability, along with Crysis 2.

HIS' 7850 IceQ graphics card operates at the reference 7850 frequency of 860MHz core and 1200MHz memory.

The highest stable overclock that we managed to achieve was a core frequency of 980MHz and a memory speed of 1430MHz. We were disappointed by the fact that we couldn't push the core frequency past the 1GHz barrier, despite HIS' power delivery enhancements. It would seem that, being one of HIS' reference clocked models, the 7850 IceQ receives the GPUs which aren't binned for higher speeds – they'll go straight into the factory overclocked IceQ X and IceQ Turbo cards.

The same Elpida W2032BBBG-50-F memory chips that are used on the 7770 IceQ X Turbo topped out at 1430MHz on the 7850 IceQ. This is 180MHz past their rated frequency, so we can't be overly disappointed with this result.

Crysis 2's average frame rates received a noticeable boost when the HIS 7850 IceQ was overclocked.

We used Sapphire's Trixx software to increase the 7850 Dual-X graphics card's core and memory frequencies after raising the board's power control setting to +20%. Voltages were kept at their default levels.

FurMark's GPU Burn-in mode was used to verify stability, along with Crysis 2.

Sapphire's 7850 Dual-X 1GB graphics card operates at the reference 7850 frequency of 860MHz core and 1200MHz memory.

Core overclocking was very successful – we managed to storm past the 1GHz barrier. A maximum core frequency of 1110MHz left us very impressed by the Sapphire 7850 Dual-X 1GB graphics card's overclocking capabilities.

An increased memory speed was achievable, but the 12.5% boost to 1350MHz isn't as good as the 1475MHz and 1430MHz frequencies that the HIS 7770 IceQ X Turbo and HIS 7850 IceQ cards achieved, respectively. Perhaps the 1GB set of Elpida's W1032BBBG-50-F memory chips feature reduced overclocking headroom, in comparison to chips from the 2GB set which are found on both HIS cards.

A very noticeable performance increase is achieved by way of overclocking. The 27% jump in minimum frame rates can be the difference between a game being continuously playable and getting choppy at certain points.

HIS HD 7770 GHz Edition IceQ X Turbo 1GB Graphics card:

Thanks to a worthwhile factory overclock from HIS, the 7770 GHz Edition IceQ X Turbo is a card which has the muscle to offer playable frame rates for most of our tested games at a 1920×1080 resolution, albeit some with slightly reduced image quality settings.

We were slightly disappointed by the fact that we couldn't push the card's core frequency past the out-of-the-box value of 1100MHz, but this is forgivable for a card that is factory overclocked by 10%. Memory overclocking reaped worthy rewards; a frequency jump of almost 23% allowed us to obtain a performance boost of 9-11% in Crysis 2.

As far as design goes, the HIS 7770GHz Edition IceQ X Turbo's only real difference from a reference AMD 7770 is its cooler. The open-fan IceQ X cooler provided quiet operation and its heat dissipation performance was acceptable. HIS deserves credit for switching to its new IceQ cooler design; the modern versions are much better than the ugly and loud variants of old.

The very basic bundle that is supplied with HIS' factory overclocked, IceQ X Turbo edition of the 7770 card is disappointing. We would have liked at least a CrossFire bridge to be supplied, let alone some form of power adapter.

HIS' 7770 GHz Edition IceQ X Turbo graphics card doesn't seem to be available at the larger retailers, but we did find it for £104.87 from Systo UK. At this price, the HIS 7770 GHz Edition IceQ X Turbo 1GB graphics card is a tough purchase because many similarly-overclocked HD 7770 cards are available for under £100. Aria sells Gigabyte's Radeon 7770 OC for £95.99, and that card features a higher out-of-the-box memory frequency.

If HIS can improve the 7770 GHz Edition IceQ X Turbo graphics card's availability at under £100, it will be able to offer stiffer competition.

The HIS 7770 GHz Edition IceQ X Turbo 1GB graphics card showed good out-of-the-box performance, thanks to its factory-applied frequency boost, and good memory overclocking headroom. The card's IceQ X cooler is able to quietly keep the card cool, but it isn't anything out of the ordinary, in comparison to competing manufacturers' models.

Pros:

• Factory overclocked
• Good memory overclocking headroom
• Quiet cooler
• Attractive appearance

Cons:

• Basic bundle
• Priced higher than competing Radeon HD 7770 graphics cards

KitGuru says: An attractive card which features a worthwhile factory overclock and a quiet cooler, but is priced higher than its competitors.

HIS HD 7850 IceQ 2GB Graphics card:

Using enhanced power delivery components, the HIS 7850 IceQ 2GB graphics card is able to offer excellent power consumption figures and low operating temperatures.

Unfortunately, those enhanced power delivery components don't translate into good overclocking headroom. We were very disappointed to see the HIS 7850 IceQ's core frequency topping out at less than 1GHz – 980MHz to be precise. Memory overclocking was good, with the Elpida chips reaching 1430MHz.

With the HIS 7850 IceQ graphics card's overclocked frequencies of 980MHz core and 1430MHz memory, Crysis 2 saw a healthy boost in its average frame rates.

HIS has taken a gamble with the design of the 7850 IceQ graphics card. Its improved power delivery components will undoubtedly increase its price, as will the large IceQ cooler. While this gamble didn't pay off in terms of performance and overclocking headroom, the power components' extra efficiency does help the HIS 7850's IceQ cooler to maintain low temperatures at a desirable noise level.

Our biggest complaint comes from the needlessly-oversized IceQ cooler. The extra 10mm of air intake does little to improve cooling performance, but certainly has the potential to cause multi-card users headaches.

Another negative point for HIS' 7850 IceQ graphics card is the product line-up in which it is situated. HIS has so many identically named and indistinguishable cards in its product line that making the correct purchase based on a trip to the manufacturer's website isn't as easy as it should be.

Priced at £169.99 from OverclockersUK, the HIS 7850 IceQ graphics card is one of the more expensive reference-clocked 7850 cards on the market. Limited availability has again had a negative effect for HIS, as MSI, XFX, Sapphire and Gigabyte all have 2GB 7850 graphics cards available for less than £160 at Scan and Aria.

With an effective cooling solution and efficient power components, HIS' 7850 IceQ is a card which is let down by its current price and awkward form factor. Our sample's core overclocking headroom was also disappointing, but this could be the individual card, not the entire series.

Pros:

• High performance cooling solution
• Efficient power delivery components
• Good memory overclocking potential
• Good out-of-the-box performance

Cons:

• Priced higher than many competing Radeon HD 7850 graphics cards
• Cooler is larger than 2 slots
• Our sample had poor core overclocking potential

KitGuru says: While HIS has implemented an enhanced power delivery design and a high performance cooler, the 7850 IceQ's larger-than-dual-slot form factor and uncompetitive price tag steer it away from an award.

Sapphire HD 7850 Dual-X 1GB Graphics card:

Sapphire's 1GB Dual-X-equipped 7850 graphics card offers very good out-of-the-box performance which proves that 1GB of VRAM is still enough for today's mid-range cards, in many circumstances.

We were impressed by the 1GB card's ability to keep pace with the higher-priced 2GB variant from HIS. This gives an indication that many of today's games and benchmarks don't require an extra gigabyte of frame buffer on a mid-range card.

Overclocking potential of the Dual-X card was excellent. We were able to surpass the 1GHz core frequency barrier by 11%, reaching a maximum speed of 1110MHz. Memory overclocking didn't reveal figures that were as good as those that we obtained from the HIS cards, but 1350MHz is still a good overclock.

With a high memory and core frequency overclock, Sapphire's Dual-X 7850 was able to offer a large performance boost in Crysis 2.

The Sapphire 7850 Dual-X 1GB graphics card's design is very good. Sapphire uses a non-reference, but very popular, PCB design which shrinks the board's length to just 206mm. Instead of taking HIS' approach, Sapphire has designed the cooler around the PCB, meaning that it is a perfect fit and doesn't cause any interference issues.

Sapphire's Dual-X cooler does a very good job at quietly cooling the Pitcairn GPU. The dual fan unit's performance wasn't quite as good as that of HIS' IceQ model, but the noise output was lower. Rectangular in shape and black in appearance, Sapphire's use of the effective Dual-X cooler results in an attractive, non-interfering graphics card.

Priced at £134.99 from Amazon, Sapphire's Dual-X-equipped 1GB 7850 represents good value for money. It is amongst the cheapest 1GB 7850 cards available and comes equipped with an excellent dual fan cooler.

Pros:

• Excellent cooling solution
• Good out-of-the-box performance
• Very good overclocking potential.
• Non-intrusive design
• Attractive appearance

Cons:

• Tough competition at the £135 price point

KitGuru says: A competitively-priced graphics card which comes equipped with a high performance, low noise cooler and has good overclocking headroom.

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