The tests were performed in a controlled air conditioned room with temperatures maintained at a constant 24c – 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.
The Asus HD7790 Direct CU II cooler is excellent, maintaining load temperatures under 60c when gaming. That said, the Sapphire cooler performs a little better, dropping temperatures by an additional 6c.