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Recently 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
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The Zotac AMP! is one of the quietest GTX460 cards we have tested, besting even the 34.4dB rating from the MSI 460GTX Cyclone. Another good reason this would make a good hybrid media/gaming card.
ah very nice indeed, seems like a good performance indeed.
Cant be bad to the pricing really, only $20 more than the reference 1GB version? like it
Seems like a good deal all round really considering – seems a bit hotter than most.
GTX460 is hard to beat right now, cheaper than HD5850 and close in performance 🙂
Very good card, and the pricing is excellent, was expecting it to be at least 50 bucks more.
I was pleasanty surprised to see the results. but the 460s are really good, I am sure they are selling tons of these now.
I like the colours, which sounds gay, but the orange fan and blackish PCB look well together. Good board, but There are so many video card reviews on tech sites now, they are all much of a bleh to me 🙂 the three screen sapphire one was cool last week.
The 460 deserves to sell well, they are good cards. they are a little power happy now though I see – around 190 watts. thats a lot of juice.
these would be great in SLI.
When are they available ? would be good to know release dates.
I would say this will sell well, considering the pricing on it. thats a hell of an overclock.
Has to be the fastest 460 on the market, without question.
wonder when the 450 is out, that should be good if they use similar technology.
Good review. amazing what you can buy in 2010 compared to 2007, for the same money. I think I paid teh same for my crappy GTS250.
Zardon, this must have been hard to write you are such an ati fanboy 🙂
Cant believe how small these cards are compared to the power they put out.
Well my comment seemed to vanish weirdly, but ill try again. (hate this code system for entering responses btw!).
Good review, but my main worry is with ATI releasing a new line soon this will be quickly outdated.
Good review, enjoyed it. one question. how hot does it get?
SkyDiver there is a page on temperatures near the end, have a look properly and see 🙂
I think the MSI card you reviewed last week looks nicer. this is quite an ugly looking card.
We need new cards im bored of all these already ! ATi get the new series out !
We need new ATI boards. the GTX460 is a great card but its really quite boring, we need new tech 🙂 480/470/465/460 —- snore.
Seems to be a really solid performer especially with such high overclocks. I wonder why they offer lifetime warranty in USA but only years in europe ?
Just wanted to pop on and say nice site, found it today, bookmarked.
Very good card from zotac, the fan looks very like the reference one.
Here is the fastest GTX460 card out there:
http://www.fudzilla.com/reviews/reviews/reviews/tgts-magic-makes-povs-gtx-460-the-fastest-gtx-u460-around
if they got the card down to 200 inc vat it would dominate sales.
the biggest issue i have with zotac is supply. they are always very poor in the regions around me. need to order them in internationally.
Good photos, the card is very attractive looking, not often we see manufacturers making good looking cards. I like the sapphire hd5670 ultimate, something really impressive looking about it.
The last card I bought from zotac died and it took me 2 months to get it replaced. no thanks.
well balanced and quiet by design, seems like a good combination. temps look a bit high to me.