The Radeon 7850 is an overclocking beast

[tijsva]

Performed a surgery on my Sapphire 7850 OC today

Didn't want to put effort in finding out which chip becomes hot while stressing the card so I figured why not put a heatsink on almost every chip :sneaky:

I'm all ready for 1,3V, now I need to figure out how... :'(

 

[tijsva]

The additional heatsinks do seem to have effect on my card.

Have been gaming all day now at 1200 core / 1400 memory with 1,2v. If I can't get 1,3V working then I think this is a nice 24/7 setup

 

[Face2Face]

Did you pay full price for that 7970 AC cooler? seems like a lot of money to spend on a 7850 overclock.. just curious.

 

[Shinjo]

The Asus direct cu 2 is a beast. My card is reference; I didn't think the Asus was worth $40 extra.

Asus direct cu is decet. but Gigabyte R7850OC and Sapphire Radeon HD7850 have lower temp with similar performance output from hardware.info review. I may pick one out of them.

http://uk.hardware.info/reviews/285...0--7870-round-up-cooling-and-noise-production

 

[tijsva]

Did you pay full price for that 7970 AC cooler? seems like a lot of money to spend on a 7850 overclock.. just curious.

Nope, bought it second-hand It still is a pretty expensive cooler but it cools like crazy and is very silent. I'm hoping to be able to use it on my next videocard as well, if it fits tho..

 

[Face2Face]

Nope, bought it second-hand It still is a pretty expensive cooler but it cools like crazy and is very silent. I'm hoping to be able to use it on my next videocard as well, if it fits tho..

Cool, I would love to have that cooler, but I can't justify the price right now. Nice card and OC BTW!

 

[tijsva]

Thanks :thumbsup: I've bought the 7970 Xtreme for the same price as a new arctic twin turbo II would cost me, so I figured why bother if it is 4 months old, it performs way better...

 

[Remobz]

I bought this one from amazon and it arrived today. However, it was not the OC version of the 7850.

http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7850-Twin-Frozr-2GD5.html

How high can I go to reach the OC version specs with this card while being at a safe and cool level?


Oh and I am upgrading from a Geforce 210 512 meg card so this is all new to me.

 

[tijsva]

Well, the OC version of this card runs at 900Mhz core so thats easy to achieve (40Mhz overclock). You can however reach much higher clocks with this card

I tried the MSI 7850 OC edition and this card would'nt run 1200 core stable, then I swapped it for an asus v2 which had a stock voltage of 1.21v to run 1050mhz max (which is very bad) and now running a Sapphire 7850 OC which seem to perform pretty decent.

Just give it a go, I would suggest raising the core to 1000Mhz and gently work your way up (without touching the voltage or memory).

 

[netzz3d]

i would go the with the 7850 or 7870

 

[newschool]

Well, the OC version of this card runs at 900Mhz core so thats easy to achieve (40Mhz overclock). You can however reach much higher clocks with this card

I tried the MSI 7850 OC edition and this card would'nt run 1200 core stable, then I swapped it for an asus v2 which had a stock voltage of 1.21v to run 1050mhz max (which is very bad) and now running a Sapphire 7850 OC which seem to perform pretty decent.

Just give it a go, I would suggest raising the core to 1000Mhz and gently work your way up (without touching the voltage or memory).

So out of the few 7850 versions out there, you would recommend the Sapphire?

 

[tijsva]

I would go with a Sapphire (OC) card again if I needed to choose.

-The ASIC quality on the Sapphire on my card is 81,5 % (or even a bit higher, I'm not on my pc now) where as the MSI wouldn`t go higher than 78%, and the ASUS was somewhere around 71%. (Some cards with low ASIC quality however clock pretty good so this doesn't have to be a reason for bad oc's)
- Stock voltage on the ASUS v2 was ridiculously high (1,21v), MSI was between 1,1 and 1,15. The MSI wasn't a terrible overclocker but needed 1,2v to run 1140mhz stable. 1200mhz was a no go even at higher voltages and a cranked up fan speed. ASUS maxed out at 1050mhz (1,225v). The Sapphire had the lowest voltage at stock, IIRC 1,08 or so.. Also it performes better in oc'ing then the other cards I tested. Only the memory would go higher on te other cards, but this has proven to got less effect than a decent core overclock.

This ofcourse is a relatively unfair comparison to say all newer ASUS cards suck balls at overclocking, and all Sapphires perform well....

 

[markuk37]

I have recently got the Sapphire OC 7850, ASIC quality is 75.5%

Stock voltage 1.138v (default core 920mhz) with highest stable core 1100mhz @ stock voltage (currently running on this setting).

The best I can get is 1175mhz on the core with 1.220v.

With voltage maxed at 1.25v, 1200mhz is not stable.

This is with +20% power in CCC and 1350 on the memory.

 

[tijsva]

Does your card run hot when stressed?

 

[markuk37]

Temp wise my card is good, the cooler on the Sapphire does a good job.

The highest temperature I have noted during benchmarking using 3mark11 & Unigine Heaven 3.0 is 57 Celsius.

I just ran an extreme stress test using the settings I had, it crashed after 10 minutes so have just downclocked the core to 1050mhz.

With core 1050 / memory 1450, 15 minute burn-in benchmark using Furmark, temperature was 60 Celsius, maximum during the test was 62. This was with auto fan settings which maxed at 54%.

A bit disappointed I couldn't achieve 1200mhz the core, as a lot of people have done, seems I have got one of the poorer gpu's with a lower ASIC quality that just won't do those speeds. I guess that is just the luck of the GPU lottery. Still happy with the overall performance, and an extra 130mhz on top of the factory overclock without touching voltage, and stable enough to run the most extreme stress test is a nice bonus.

Anybody pushing the powerslider in CCC above 20%? My slider goes to +50% but haven't tried any setting other than +20.

 

[tijsva]

I'm currently at 30%.

 

[3DVagabond]

Temp wise my card is good, the cooler on the Sapphire does a good job.

The highest temperature I have noted during benchmarking using 3mark11 & Unigine Heaven 3.0 is 57 Celsius.

I just ran an extreme stress test using the settings I had, it crashed after 10 minutes so have just downclocked the core to 1050mhz.

With core 1050 / memory 1450, 15 minute burn-in benchmark using Furmark, temperature was 60 Celsius, maximum during the test was 62. This was with auto fan settings which maxed at 54%.

A bit disappointed I couldn't achieve 1200mhz the core, as a lot of people have done, seems I have got one of the poorer gpu's with a lower ASIC quality that just won't do those speeds. I guess that is just the luck of the GPU lottery. Still happy with the overall performance, and an extra 130mhz on top of the factory overclock without touching voltage, and stable enough to run the most extreme stress test is a nice bonus.

Anybody pushing the powerslider in CCC above 20%? My slider goes to +50% but haven't tried any setting other than +20.

Lower asic doesn't mean poorer O/C'ing. It might mean that you need more voltage. I don't think too many are getting 1200MHz+ on stock voltage.

AFAIK the slider in CCC just sets the TDP in software before the card will start throttling. I'd push it all the way up if I was trying to O/C the card. That chip can handle a lot more voltage safely than you are giving it.

 

[imported_paulc871]

What's the best price I can get a 7850 2gb for?

 

[markuk37]

Lower asic doesn't mean poorer O/C'ing. It might mean that you need more voltage.

That's how I understand it, but doesn't that equate to the same thing if certain components are limited by how much voltage they can handle.

That chip can handle a lot more voltage safely than you are giving it.

It's the voltage regulator modules I'm more worried about. I tried with the maximum voltage of 1.225 and it couldn't do 1200mhz. I reckon it could do 1200+ but to try that would need the voltage unlocked to 1.3v, and I don't feel comfortable pushing it above 1.25v.

AFAIK the slider in CCC just sets the TDP in software before the card will start throttling. I'd push it all the way up if I was trying to O/C the card.

Well just tried again and it can't do 1200mhz, not without pushing voltage past the current maximum limit. I tried with power slider settings all the way up to +50%, with an aggressive fan profile, and it would not complete one run of Heaven benchmark. I reckon I could get quite close to 1200, but 1200 is too much.

I currently have it set to +20% power, 1.220v, 1150 core / 1450 memory and it completed 3dmark 11 and looped Heaven but don't think it's 100% stable, I doubt it would complete the Furmark benchmark.

e2a: I have a 2nd monitor hooked up as well, I will have to try with that disabled. Also I will have to try again after uninstalling Lucid MVP, as although it is deactivated in taskbar it is still active.

 

[tijsva]

For some reason I find the current benchmarking tools unworthy to say the card is stable or not. I can run 1275mhz in furmark/3dmark/evga oc test/heaven but it would lockup instantly when playing cod bo 2.

 

[reallyscrued]

Just joined the club.

Grabbed a Gigabyte 7850 - 2 GB OC from Newegg for $184.99 (169.99 AR). If I can sell/trade the game voucher, successfully claim the rebate, and sell my old card (an HIS 4890 1 GB), this will be a substantial upgrade with a minimal cost. With the gaming vouchers and extreme overclockability, any 7850 from Newegg is currently a hot deal IMO.

I went with the Gigabyte against a lot of others' suggestions. From what I can tell from forums, the Gigabyte version has gotten a bad rap; some of it has to do with a cooler that rattles, others has to due with its non-reference PCB. I ultimately chose it because of:

1. Price, 2. Video Ports (HDMI, 2 Display Port, One DVI), 3. Solid Capacitors/Ferrite Core Chokes/Low RDS mosfets

I've had installed for about 6 hours now. My whole computer runs cooler, quieter, and my 12volt rail is closer to spec after removing the power hungry 4890. I can hear no rattling of fans (and even if I do, there's an easy mod to alleviate it), and I can play Battlefield 3 in Ultra @ 1080p with its stock overclock at 975 Mhz core. Man, is this sweet.

Benches to come soon.

 

[hoorah]

Just joined the club.

Grabbed a Gigabyte 7850 - 2 GB OC from Newegg for $184.99 (169.99 AR). If I can sell/trade the game voucher, successfully claim the rebate, and sell my old card (an HIS 4890 1 GB), this will be a substantial upgrade with a minimal cost. With the gaming vouchers and extreme overclockability, any 7850 from Newegg is currently a hot deal IMO.

I went with the Gigabyte against a lot of others' suggestions. From what I can tell from forums, the Gigabyte version has gotten a bad rap; some of it has to do with a cooler that rattles, others has to due with its non-reference PCB. I ultimately chose it because of:

1. Price, 2. Video Ports (HDMI, 2 Display Port, One DVI), 3. Solid Capacitors/Ferrite Core Chokes/Low RDS mosfets

I've had installed for about 6 hours now. My whole computer runs cooler, quieter, and my 12volt rail is closer to spec after removing the power hungry 4890. I can hear no rattling of fans (and even if I do, there's an easy mod to alleviate it), and I can play Battlefield 3 in Ultra @ 1080p with its stock overclock at 975 Mhz core. Man, is this sweet.

Benches to come soon.

I have my finger hovering over the 'place order' button on the same card. I 'try' to buy cards when they have them on shell shocker or weekly email deals, but this is still a good deal regardless. Hope it turns out to be a good purchase.

 

[kalrith]

I'm surprised how much the prices have stalled out. I bought the HIS IceQ 7870 with Sleeping Dogs for $200 AR last September, and I haven't seen a much better deal since then. There have been some low prices on the 7850 1GB, but I wouldn't recommend that.

The Powercolor 7850 2GB is $165 AR with FS (if you have shoprunner): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814131473

 

[raildogg]

I ordered a Radeon 7870 last week but cancelled it. I am very tempted to just get the Gigabyte 7850 OC but it has gone up by $10 since yesterday. The 7850 2GB is about $40-$50 cheaper than an average price of 7870. I don't think my aging PC will notice a difference between these two so maybe getting a 7850 will be a better value.

 

[hoorah]

I ordered a Radeon 7870 last week but cancelled it. I am very tempted to just get the Gigabyte 7850 OC but it has gone up by $10 since yesterday. The 7850 2GB is about $40-$50 cheaper than an average price of 7870. I don't think my aging PC will notice a difference between these two so maybe getting a 7850 will be a better value.

drats, you're right, it went up $10 today when I had finally made my decision to buy. oh well. I'll wait for the next sale but I think 7850 2GB is where the sweet spot is.