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We have changed our method of measuring noise levels. We have built a system inside a Lian Li chassis with no case fans and have used a fanless cooler on our CPU. We are using a heatpipe based passive power supply and an Intel SSD to keep noise levels to a minimum. The motherboard is also passively cooled. This gives us a build with completely passive cooling and it means we can measure noise of just the graphics card inside the system when we run looped 3dMark tests. Ambient noise in the room is around 20-25dBa. We measure from a distance of around 1 meter from the chassis and 4 foot from the ground to mirror a real world situation.
Why do this? Well this means we can eliminate secondary noise pollution in the test room and concentrate on only the video card. It also brings us slightly closer to industry standards, such as DIN 45635.
KitGuru noise guide
10dBA – Normal Breathing/Rustling Leaves
20-25dBA – Whisper
30dBA – High Quality Computer fan
40dBA – A Bubbling Brook, or a Refridgerator
50dBA – Normal Conversation
60dBA – Laughter
70dBA – Vacuum Cleaner or Hairdryer
80dBA – City Traffic or a Garbage Disposal
90dBA – Motorcycle or Lawnmower
100dBA – MP3 player at maximum output
110dBA – Orchestra
120dBA – Front row rock concert/Jet Engine
130dBA – Threshold of Pain
140dBA – Military Jet takeoff/Gunshot (close range)
160dBA – Instant Perforation of eardrum
The Custom Powercolor cooler is good and much quieter than the reference design. It hovers between 34 and 35 dBa when gaming.
Damn this is a seriously sexy HD6870, really loved that article, wish I could afford the panels. 🙁
Thats a hell of a card, the HD6870 doesnt get much attention, but its a good pricepoint normally. quite affordable.
I need to get another 6850 for my system, hopefully in August 🙂
Good boards, but powercolor dont have a good warranty system in the UK, always worth pointing out I think.
6 mini displayports, very nice. Wish they would supply six mini displayport screens in the box with it :p
How many people have 3 or 4 screens though? its rather hardcore, even for this audience, I would say.
they should make a 6970 version of this card too, thats wicked
The 6870 is a good card, but I opted for the 560 as I will never use more than one screen at home and I got a good deal on one at the time.
regardless these are good boards, and if I had a bigger desk or more money I would have gotten two 6850s or 6870s
The 6 series is really good for CFx. the scaling always impresses me. shame it needs driver profiles though. wish AMD could crack an ‘all in one dual card profile’. my biggest problem with it, that sometimes AMD take a month to add a profile and id have the game beaten by then.
Im afraid if I was opting for 4 screens id get two 6970’s.