XFX HD7770 Black Edition S Crossfire & HD7750 DD Review

There is no doubt in my mind that XFX and Sapphire are AMD's high grade partners. They consistently release compelling modified solutions which offer enhanced performance, lower temperatures and reduced noise levels when compared against the AMD reference cards.

The XFX HD7750 DD is a distinguished improvement next to the AMD reference card, as well as the lackluster HIS HD7750 iCooler which we reviewed on launch day. The HIS card disappointed me due to the half hearted cooler which is held in place by inadequate, plastic retention clips.

AMD's HD7750 is an ideal discrete solution for a media center, as it is capable of driving many modern game engines at reasonable resolutions with mid level image quality settings. It commands all the power it needs directly from the PCI e slot, runs cool and makes little noise. An appealing combination for this environment. Until a quality passive card is released this XFX HD7750 DD is the finest solution we have tested to date.

The XFX HD7770 Black Edition S is another attractively designed card, with dual fans, metal cooler and exemplary XFX build quality. We had some concerns initially when we noted the two small fans … as it could have had a negative impact on noise levels. Thankfully XFX have optimised the fan speeds directly in the BIOS which translates to lower than reference noise emissions. That said, the large single fan on the Sapphire HD7770 1GHZ OC Edition is more effective in this regard.

My main gripe with AMD's HD7770 design is the reduction in stream processors from 800 on the previous generation HD6770 to 640 on the latest HD7770 solution. Higher core clock speeds on the HD7770 can only help balance out this shader imbalance. In real world terms, this is why the HD7770 has a problem pulling away from the HD6790.

We can look at the HD7770 from two distinct angles. As a ‘single' card solution it really only appeals to me in regards to power consumption effectiveness. If you already own a HD6770 or HD6790 then the ‘trade up' is minor and I would find it hard to recommend. If you are looking for a new card then it makes more sense, but be sure to shop around for the best price online.

The second, more interesting angle, is when you pair the HD7770 in Crossfire. Doubling the stream processors to 1280 means that the solution has the power to handle major engines at high resolution with maxed out image quality settings. Our testing has shown that two XFX HD7770 Black Edition cards are regularly able to outperform both the GTX 580 and HD7950/7970. This really is a hell of an achievement.

XFX seem to be aware of the potential and are offering a Crossfire bundle deal with selected UK partners. This bundle includes two of the cards we reviewed today and a coupon for Battlefield 3 and Dirt 3. The bundle is targeted at £274.99 inc vat. This is £105 cheaper than a standard GTX580 and £171 less than a HD7970.

With the money saved, you could pick up a tasty new XFX power supply with plenty of cash left over for a night out on the town.

Both XFX HD7750 DD and HD7770 Black Edition deserve our worth buying award.

Pros:

• Excellent cooling solution.
• Fantastic design.
• In Crossfire, the overclocked HD7770's can beat more expensive, flagship hardware.

Cons:

• Not a huge step up from the previous generation.
• Reduced stream processing power undermines the high core clock speeds.

Kitguru says: Great cards from XFX, which is not really a surprise.

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