Okay - Decision time!

[PGHammer]

I'm torn between two HD7850 2 GB cards:

1. HIS HD7850 IceQ-X - http://microcenter.com/product/3878...50_IceQ_X_2048MB_GDDR5_PCIe_30_x16_Video_Card

2. MSI HD7850 TwinFrozr - http://microcenter.com/product/3877...win_Frozr_2048MB_GDDR5_PCIe_30_x16_Video_Card

The spread between them is $10.

The main reason the HIS gets the edge is due to reported issues that some folks have had with the MSI (the spread is small enough to discount the price difference, oddly enough) - neither card is as oversized as the HIS IceQ Turbo (which was culled for that reason).

Which is the better buy?

 

[rumartinez89]

I would spend a little more and get a 7870.
This one is the oversized cooler from HIS but it is only $10 more after rebate and should be about 20% faster before overclocking. Also since it is from amazon, you will be supporting [H].

 

[raghu78]

you can get a HD 7870 from us ncix for USD 220 (190 after mail in rebate)

PCS+ HD 7870 Vortex II (1150 mhz)
http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=79640
http://www.powercolor.com/us/products_features.asp?id=412#Specification

The vortex II is 28.5 cm long. so check if it will fit in your case

PCS+ HD 7870 (1000 mhz)
http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=79571
http://www.powercolor.com/us/products_features.asp?id=397#Specification

This normal pcs+ card is 24.2 cm long. also you need a quality 450w PSU with 32A on +12v rail. even though your psu is 600w check the amps on +12v rail.

 

[rumartinez89]

I think that is the fastest factory OC 7870, not a bad price either.

 

[stinger5150]

Both cards are nice but i would pick the MSI nothing like having two fans that run quiet than one that will ramp up when things get warm......

 

[PGHammer]

you can get a HD 7870 from us ncix for USD 220 (190 after mail in rebate)

PCS+ HD 7870 Vortex II (1150 mhz)
http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=79640
http://www.powercolor.com/us/products_features.asp?id=412#Specification

The vortex II is 28.5 cm long. so check if it will fit in your case

PCS+ HD 7870 (1000 mhz)
http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=79571
http://www.powercolor.com/us/products_features.asp?id=397#Specification

This normal pcs+ card is 24.2 cm long. also you need a quality 450w PSU with 32A on +12v rail. even though your psu is 600w check the amps on +12v rail.

My Diablotek (both EL and the DA, which replaced it) has 40A on the +12V rail (hence why I'm looking at only one).

My case is an ATX mid-tower (old-school - dates back to 2004 - it was the original home to my ASUS P4C800-E Deluxe; my concern with length has to do with airflow management). I have the HD7870 on Amazon (posted earlier in the thread) as a backup choice (though the sheer size of the cooler and impacts on systemwide airflow is what caused me to boot the HD7850 version, which uses the same cooler).

 

[PGHammer]

Both cards are nice but i would pick the MSI nothing like having two fans that run quiet than one that will ramp up when things get warm......

What I have against the MSI is not the cooler itself, but possibly having to imediately reseat it due to overapplication/underapplication of thermal compound prior to use (that is a big complaint here on [H] itself) - as I pointed out, the MSI is actually in the same PRICE/size ballpark as my other choices. Basically, it's QA/QC - not price - that is the TF's bugbear.

 

[Scheibler1]

I'be had two MSI twin Frozrs. One needed the thermal paste reapplied and the other one was fine. Even if you do need to reapply the paste its super easy, literally just 4 screws. You will however need spare thermal paste, some alcohol and q-tips, and a tiny screwdriver(i used eyeglass screwdrivers from the dollar store)

 

[Scheibler1]

I'd go for the MSI due to the 3 year transferable warranty.

 

[rumartinez89]

My Diablotek (both EL and the DA, which replaced it) has 40A on the +12V rail (hence why I'm looking at only one).

My case is an ATX mid-tower (old-school - dates back to 2004 - it was the original home to my ASUS P4C800-E Deluxe; my concern with length has to do with airflow management). I have the HD7870 on Amazon (posted earlier in the thread) as a backup choice (though the sheer size of the cooler and impacts on systemwide airflow is what caused me to boot the HD7850 version, which uses the same cooler).

It is a radial fan so it should exhaust all air out of the case but like you said it is massive. The vortex II linked above is the fastest 7870 you can get from the factory and has a great cooler.

 

[Spidey329]

Not sure what your budget is, but you can get a 7870LE (essentially it's a 7930) for $209/shipped right now. It's based on the same chips as the 79xx series. Comes with Tomb Raider and Bioshock.

Check the hot deals section.

 

[PGHammer]

I would spend a little more and get a 7870.
This one is the oversized cooler from HIS but it is only $10 more after rebate and should be about 20% faster before overclocking. Also since it is from amazon, you will be supporting [H].

Little has indeed become the case - even at MicroCenter, the HD7870 is now little more than the HD7850 (in the case of the MSI models, the spread is all of - yeeks - $20USD in-store).

http://microcenter.com/product/3877...win_Frozr_2048MB_GDDR5_PCIe_30_x16_Video_Card (MSI HD7850)

http://microcenter.com/product/4096...HD7870_OC_2048MB_GDDR5_PCIe_30_x16_Video_Card (MSI HD7870)

http://www.amazon.com/MSI-DisplayPo...98422&sr=1-1&keywords=msi+radeon+hd+7870+hawk (MSI HD7870 HAWK @ Amazon)

I didn't expect to this sort of pricing for at least another six months (when non-OEM HD8K product hit shelves) and not for HD78xx until 2014 at the earliest.