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Recently 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 Powercolor card is noticeably quieter than the reference design, especially when loaded under Furmark. The fan speeds are set automatically to never exceed 39%, and when gaming this is normally around 32-34% (and under 35 dBa).
Excellent, but I just wonder are they starting to encroach into the price sector planned out for the 6970? I hear it will be around 300 inc vat, so this could very well only be 60 less. which means it might not be quite the deal !
Well I wasnt expecting powercolor to be out first 🙂 nice board indeed. very impressive.
This is very sexy, worth it for the cooler alone, im not that bothered about the overclocks out of the box.
Nice cooler but bring on the 6970
Fucking sweet man. if I had the money right now id be all over this. Might wait for the 6970 tho and save a few more months !
Powercolor are kicking ass and taking names lately. They still have a ways to go before they get the acclaim that sapphire do, but I really like the company. never let me down yet
Weill be good to see how this handles against the black edition from XFX.
10 more sounds like a bargain to me. any ideas when this is out, soon I hope?
Cooler looks brilliant. Nothing really that awesome mind you, much like their last generation cooler.
I dont for the love of god see why anyone needs a GTX580 with the performance levels one of these generates at half the price. even on a 24 inch screen, its pointless.
Awesome review KG.
Well, this just hits the spot. im an nvidia lover however so ill not move, but tis nice to see competition.
Hey, nothing wrong with powercolor. its just idiots on the net who keep saying sapphire are the only make they will buy.
I had a powercolor card years ago and it died, they didnt replace it, and I gave up and swore never again. I think their UK support is poor, unless it has improved recently. im afraid its XFX or sapphire for me.
You know Kitguru, your benchmarks would be much readable if you used black or dark background. It just needs more contrast. This way they’re not very easy on the eyes.
Love the product from powercolor, I hope to see XFX and sapphires models soon.
Since you received word from PowerColor directly, may I ask if you could ask them when are they going to release the Radeon HD 6970 with the PCS+ cooler? Thanks.
In fact, I was going to purchase this very same card, until I heard of the new models being released (I didn’t know they were ready for launch), so I decided to wait a little just for a review on the (future, hope) PowerColor PCS+ 6970. Thanks again!