Non stock GPU cooler delay

[Chaoticlusts]

I've pretty much made up my mind on a 6950 (was damn close to settling on it when the unlock articles came out and that just sold me) one thing is though there's a distinct possibility i'll go X-Fire either when I buy it or a little later (depending on exact budget)...which obviously presents a problem with the reference cooler...

I've never paid attention to the delay between a reference card and custom built coolers in the past so I was wondering if there was a somewhat standard delay time before they come out or if it's pretty much random?

alternatively I could buy one soonish and one down the track with the different cooler which would probably avoid the problem entirely...

But yeah anyway was looking at upgrading in Feb/March (mebbe get the graphics card early if anything comes out about amd stopping the unlocks) so would it be reasonable to expect non reference 6950's by then?

 

[betasub]

Provided AMD are supplying them with sufficient chips, it's really down the board-partners. After keeping such close control of Cayman's release (stock/reference only), it may take a few more weeks for non-reference designs to hit retailers. But PowerColor have already announced a "custom design", so ASUS, MSI, Sapphire and XFX are sure to follow soon:

http://www.techpowerup.com/137172/P...gn-Radeon-HD-6970-HD-6950-Graphics-Cards.html

 

[Chaoticlusts]

Thanx for the response and link

well just saw a review (granted tiny review but still) of a non stock model from MSI which sounds really good so sounds like we'll have them very early in the new year, thinking about it now (I was a little heavily medicated when I wrote the OP ) there should be a ton shown off at CES

the real thing I want to know is if these 'slightly' newer cards will still be unlockable to 6970's....if they are I might grab my first card early before I do my whole upgrade (will do the whole system likely when G3 SSD's launch theoretically sometime in the first quarter of 2011...I hope ) it'll be an awesome jump from my 8800gtx which is getting a wee bit long in the tooth...hell if they aren't I might jump straight on and get two stock 6950's that are unlock-able while I can ^_^

*edit* should probably link said review http://tbreak.com/tech/2010/12/msi-r6950-twin-frozr-ii-review/

 

[betasub]

Thanks for the link to the MSI 6950 - can't see if either the PowerColor or MSI have the BIOS switch that makes a bad flash low-risk.

But I'm also interested in the card length: I want to run a shorter 6950 in crossfire with my reference 6950 in order to maintain air-flow to the reference card's single fan/inlet.

 

[Chaoticlusts]

yeah the bios part is a worry for me too plus the added bit that amd is revisiting the PCB so it's very possible cards will start filtering in soon that won't unlock at all...it's a huge toss up wether to go with reference design to be sure it'll unlock or hope the non reference ones will still be able to unlock

I'm strongly considering buying one reference 6950 when the stores reopen after the new years holidays and then if I do decide to go X-Fire either the second one could be non reference or alternatively I could make sure I get a motherboard that allows them to be spaced (that will reduce my choices of motherboards quite a bit though)

they do seem absolutely fine (the reference design) as long as there's a space between them

*edit* I doubt you'd see them too much shorter... the non reference designs still have to use amd's PCB and looking at the pic's of the 6950's the cooler itself only add's a small amount to length..so unless your case is *just* too small I doubt there's anything to be gained via that, the main difference is height since the cooler on the 6950's is so tall the 3rd party ones (well the two i've seen) are a lot thinner so more airflow

oh and one last thing that could be an issue when considering non reference designs.....there's no garentee these things will come out at a reasonable price....it's possible they could be priced so close to the reference 6970 as to almost ruin the fun of getting a 6950 and turning it into a 6970

argh so many complications >_<