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Recently we have changed our method of measuring noise levels. We have built a system inside a Lian Li chassis with no case fans and have used a fanless cooler on our CPU. We are using a heatpipe based passive power supply and an Intel SSD to keep noise levels to a minimum. The motherboard is also passively cooled. This gives us a build with completely passive cooling and it means we can measure noise of just the graphics card inside the system when we run looped 3dMark tests. Ambient noise in the room is around 20-25dBa. We measure from a distance of around 1 meter from the chassis and 4 foot from the ground to mirror a real world situation.
Why do this? Well this means we can eliminate secondary noise pollution in the test room and concentrate on only the video card. It also brings us slightly closer to industry standards, such as DIN 45635.
We load the card with FurMark.
KitGuru noise guide
10dBA – Normal Breathing/Rustling Leaves
20-25dBA – Whisper
30dBA – High Quality Computer fan
40dBA – A Bubbling Brook, or a Refridgerator
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
Cooler performance is excellent, and even when gaming is barely audible. A huge improvement over the reference design.
This is more like it. good overclocks too. I need an upgrade in the next few months, but I might opt for the GTX560
Seems like a good card, depending on the price point they achieve. they seem to have another XXX out with a single fan design.
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-194-XF&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1752
Dual fans are always the way to go. anyone ever released a card with three fans ?
mmm so it will be over £200 then? its right into the 560 price zone, tough call
DOnt think any company has released a mainstream card with a three fan design, although I know arctic cooling had the exteme cooler on sale, was reviewed here. it had three fans.
I really like that return to idle bit in the cooling section. sometimes the crap coolers ive noticed can take well over a minute to sort the temps out.
I thought XFX had lost the plot after reading that Black Edition review at the weekend. no more like a black edition that my kettle. this is a lot better.
Its either this or the 560……. ill probably opt for nvidia. prefer the drivers
Im still getting over that 6970 card from Asus, everything pales in comparison. 🙂
my mate garry pointed me to this today, if they can get it under £200 quid id jump all over it, but I cant see that happening
Well I just bought the hD6870 flex, and have two screens coming soon, all for £600 🙂 really excited, but this card looks good too.
great looking card, love the dual fan setup. wish AMD would adopt that idea, we have to wait months after the release to see them. sucks for early adopters
This range doesnt impress me to be perfectly honest. they are good cards but I expected so much more from AMD when they were released. prefer nvidia all round.
Very nice, but ive entered the 460 competition, would prefer it !