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For our review today we are using one of KitGuru’s strongest systems, featuring an Intel Core i7 970 processor clocked to 4.33ghz with a Noctua NH D14 Cooler.
Our testing will take place across various sections. We will be running some basic benchmarks first to get an overview of the performance for a user with a single screen.
We will follow this up some 3 screen (5760×1080) and 4 screen (7680×1080) testing at super high resolutions.
With two of these cards you could theoretically power 12 screens, although for gaming demands we would recommend either 3 or 4 maximum.
PowerColor HD6870 Eyefinity 6 Edition in CrossfireX
Main Hardware Test System:
Processor: Core i7 970 @ 4.33ghz
Cooling: Coolit Vantage
Motherboard: MSI X58A-GD65 (MS-7522)
Chassis: Thermaltake Level 10
Power Supply: OCZ ZX 1250W
Memory: 6GB GSkill Performance Gaming ram @ 902.9 MHz (2:10) @ 7-8-7-24
Storage: Kingston SSDNow V+ 512GB Gen 2 SSD (Storage) / Crucial RealSSD C300 256GB (OS boot)
Camera: Nikon D300S and R1C1 Kit
Monitors: Dell Ultrasharp U2410 (A00)
Iiyama ProLite E2472HDD x2
Iiyama Prolite B2712HDS
Other graphics cards (single screen comparisons):
Nvidia GTX590
Nvidia GTX580
Zotac GTX580 AMP! Edition
Nvidia GTX570
XFX HD5970 Black Edition 4GB (QuadFireX)
AMD HD6990
AMD HD6970
AMD HD6950
AMD HD6850
AMD HD6790
AMD HD5870
AMD HD5850
Sapphire HD5770 Vapor X Edition (860mhz core)
MSI N560GTX Ti Twin Frozr II
nVidia GTX570
nVidia GTX 550 ti (900/1026)
nVidia GTX460 OC (715/900)
Software:
Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit
Unigine Heaven Benchmark
3DMark Vantage
3DMark 11
HQV Benchmark
Catalyst 11.4 Driver
Fraps Professional
Steam Client
FurMark
Cyberlink PowerDVD 10 Ultra
Cyberlink Media Espresso
Forceware 266.58 WHQL
Technical Monitoring and Test Equipment:
Keithley Integra unit
Thermal Diodes
Raytek Laser Temp Gun 3i LSRC/MT4 Mini Temp
Extech digital sound level meter & SkyTronic DSL 2 Digital Sound Level Meter
Games:
Alien V Predator
Metro 2033
Tom Clancy HAWX 2
Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 2
Colin McRae Dirt 2
F1 2010
Dead Space 2
Just Cause 2
Lost Planet 2
Mafia 2
Assassins Creed Brotherhood
Total War: Shogun 2
All the latest BIOS updates and drivers are used during testing. We perform under real world conditions, meaning KitGuru tests all games across five closely matched runs and average out the results to get an accurate median figure.
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.