PowerColor HD 7850 SCS3 passive 1 GB

[W1zzard]

PowerColor's HD 7850 SCS3 is a fanless implementation of the HD 7850, which means that it does not emit any noise while offering enough performance for serious gaming in full HD. With a price increase of $25 over the reference design, it's not too expensive either.

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[Frick]

Huh, nice with passive cooling. I would rather see a passive 7770 though.

 

[W1zzard]

Huh, nice with passive cooling. I would rather see a passive 7770 though.

why?

 

[Frick]

why?

Because those are almost in my price range.

 

[W1zzard]

Because those are almost in my price range.

 

[etayorius]

Very nice card.

 

[newtekie1]

In the review you mention that it is $25 over the Reference 1GB design, but in the table it is $25 over the 2GB card. If that is really the case, then this card just isn't worth the money.

 

[W1zzard]

In the review you mention that it is $25 over the Reference 1GB design, but in the table it is $25 over the 2GB card. If that is really the case, then this card just isn't worth the money.

2 GB is $180. fixing the table

 

[m1dg3t]

Not a bad lil' card! I wonder how cool it would be with a slow/quiet fan? Pun intended

 

[newtekie1]

2 GB is $180. fixing the table

Ah, I still don't think it is worth the price premium. If they stayed at 2GB and asked for $15 more OK, but to be $15 more and only have 1GB isn't worth it.

 

[W1zzard]

Ah, I still don't think it is worth the price premium. If they stayed at 2GB and asked for $15 more OK, but to be $15 more and only have 1GB isn't worth it.

maybe not to you. but if someone wants absolutely no noise he's willing to pay up. have you seen the price premiums on low-noise stuff?

 

[m1dg3t]

maybe not to you. but if someone wants absolutely no noise he's willing to pay up. have you seen the price premiums on low-noise stuff?

+1. Free market at work

 

[OneCool]

I doubt they have Elpida chips.I have those on my 7850 and it doesnt get close to the overclock you got.It might top out at about 1275 on mine.

 

[W1zzard]

I doubt they have Elpida chips.I have those on my 7850 and it doesnt get close to the overclock you got.It might top out at about 1275 on mine.

Samsung and Hynix get 1600 - 1800 MHz. Who do you suggest makes the chips on the SCS3 ?

 

[JDG1980]

This is certainly an interesting offering. I suspect it would do very well in a Silverstone FT02 or RV03 case - in those enclosures, it would be getting direct airflow from a 180mm intake fan and would therefore be actively cooled for "free", with no extra noise over what the case itself provides. The fin direction looks correct, too - parallel to the long side of the card.

I would be interested to see how this compares to a stock 7850 with an Arctic Accelero S1 Plus fanless cooler installed. That cooler fits the 7850, though they claim that it requires the "turbo module" (a 120mm fan) to work properly. But I bet that in a case with good airflow, like the aforementioned Silverstones, it would be fine without it. Comparisons of temperature between the aftermarket solution and the Powercolor SCS3 would be informative. The Accelero S1 Plus only costs about $35, so you wouldn't be paying that much more of a premium - though you would probably void your warranty. You could also elect to upgrade a 2GB 7850 card.

 

[OneCool]

I was thinking Hynix myself.... maybe not.I guess the heatsinks could give it more.

 

[m&m's]

I think that the chips are Elpida, like on the Club3D HD 7850 1GB or XFX HD 7850 1GB. My guest is that all HD 7850 that have 1GB are Elpida chips.

 

[newtekie1]

maybe not to you. but if someone wants absolutely no noise he's willing to pay up. have you seen the price premiums on low-noise stuff?

It isn't really the upcharge for silence that makes this card not worth it, it is also the cutting back of RAM. RAM is cheap, the difference between the 1GB version and the 2GB version of the reference design is $10 to the consumer. So if they are making people pay an upcharge for silence, give them all the bells and whistles with it, don't cheap out and only put 1GB of RAM on the card.

 

[spixel]

PowerColor's HD 7850 SCS3 doesn't produce any noise because it is passively cooled and, as such, fanless

Even coil noise?

The increased idle power consumption is a deal breaker for me.. I value noise levels AND low power consumption

It would also be helpful if you mentioned how the card was tested, I.E the case, speed of fans, how many and location. For all we know you could have pointed a 5,000rpm fan in front of it to get these temperatures!

 

[EpicShweetness]

This is certainly an interesting offering. I suspect it would do very well in a Silverstone FT02 or RV03 case - in those enclosures, it would be getting direct airflow from a 180mm intake fan and would therefore be actively cooled for "free", with no extra noise over what the case itself provides. The fin direction looks correct, too - parallel to the long side of the card.

OR in a BTX format case like an old Aspire case I got (replaced) from my office computer. A fan up top with a motherboard rotate

Huh, nice with passive cooling. I would rather see a passive 7770 though.

OR a 7790, since the power consumption is a fraction more (2-5w)

I can't understand a card like this as it's power consumption, which translates into heat, is to high to have a system with a couple slow fans (including the powersupply) in a case. In the same part having the fan noise from a usually smaller fan on a VGA missing helps with over all noise.

 

[LAN_deRf_HA]

Why would you put a big vanity plate like that on a passive cooler?

 

[Baum]

@LAN_deRf_HA: to block airflow and give stupid kiddos something to brag about?

honestly thats not how its done right ^^

and if you go passive and charge premium do it right! 2GB and some copper = 35USD more and every one is happyier

 

[Asuka26x]

Good. powercolour isnt that bad but their hd6800 coolers were disaster.