Hardware Sapphire ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 Atomic

I wonder how it would do if you mounted the CPU block to the case.... It clearly isnt doing any good for the CPU which would be better air cooled with this loop, and with the heat dissipating into the metal of the case. Might bring down the temps on the GPU even more. The temps were pretty low on the GPU, but yeah just not a good system to include the CPU in.

 

Sapphire list the the life expactancy of the card at 50,000 hrs - over five years, so it doesn;t look like there'll ever be a need to refill.

With the CPU temps so high we really didn't want to risk it. While we're sure you could push the card a little higher, the resulting increased thermal output would have put our CPU in danger, and as it;s our only one, we weren't going to risk it.

 

I've posted this image before, but hey

http://www.overclock.net/water-cooling/389157-watercool-de-released-heatkiller-series-block.html

 

So... taking a $500 card, overclocking it, and slapping a WC loop and rad on it suddenly justifies $700? Could I get it for $625 without the ridiculous e-peen enhancements like the metal case?

 

When will these companies LEARN!

They just CANNOT produce anything even close to what you can do if you buy the individual parts yourself for a water cooled loop.

(US dollars so sorry)

Pump: $50
Tubing: $20
CPU block: $75
Rez: $30
GPU block: $75
Radiator(+fan & fan speed controller): $100

Look at that! a fully functional water cooled loop for around ~$350

~400 - 500 if you include shipping! (and may need a second gpu block!)

So now you spend 500 bucks US, and you have a fully usable loop that not only works AMAZING (compared to the mass produced crap) but as long as you buy it at the beginning of a new format cycle (CPU / GPU mounting style) you can still upgrade your system without having to worry about upgrading your loop.

Hell, for a 100-250 (US) you can upgrade the loops key parts to work with your new CPU / GPU mounting setups


These companies will never learn, offer the water cooling community a setup with quick disconnects, the ability to buy an upgrade kit every few years, and you have a easily marketable product to that niche.

 

'£575 is a whole pc in the land of real people.

No sane person will ever pay £575 for a graphics card

sorry amd/ati but no way ever ever

 

Are there any plans on doing a review of the Sapphire ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 Atomic...in Crossfire?!

 

I would, but a: I have not met many who would consider me sane, b: for 575£ it would have to be a very big improvement over the performance, cooling, power consumption of the 400£ 4870x2, not just a 4870x2 with a el cheapo wc strapped on and priced like it would be proper wc.