MSI GeForce GTX 780 Lightning Pictured

[Yeoman]

With the new/revamped coolers for the 7xx series cards, the Twin Frozr IV has routinely caught my eye. The black & red/yellow colour scheme works well, but its not too ostentatious and the shroud is pretty subtle and shows off the cooler nicely. I guess I'd say it has a high level of 'finesse', all the parts work together well and aren't trying to hard (the shroud isn't trying to look like a space ship for example).

With the above card, I don't quite understand the yellow fan. None of the other Gaming/lightning cards feature coloured fans (apart from a bit on the stickers), so the lack of consistency seems a bit daft there.

 

[radrok]

Would love a Titan on this PCB...

 

[Fluffmeister]

With the new/revamped coolers for the 7xx series cards, the Twin Frozr IV has routinely caught my eye. The black & red/yellow colour scheme works well, but its not too ostentatious and the shroud is pretty subtle and shows off the cooler nicely. I guess I'd say it has a high level of 'finesse', all the parts work together well and aren't trying to hard (the shroud isn't trying to look like a space ship for example).

With the above card, I don't quite understand the yellow fan. None of the other Gaming/lightning cards feature coloured fans (apart from a bit on the stickers), so the lack of consistency seems a bit daft there.

Seriously? The Twin Frozr IV? Compared to the reference Titan cooler you think it's pretty subtle and offers a bit more 'finesse'? I guess you are right it doesn't look like a space ship, it actually looks like a huge heatsink with two giant fans stuck on it.

Come on, it's a great cooler, but compared to the tightly packaged elegance of the 690 and Titan the Twin Frozr is as generic as it gets for graphics cards.

But yes, pretty colours and all that.

 

[Yeoman]

Hmm. Having another look. I like 690 better than the titan. They look okay, I just think that it's not the prodigal son every reviewer makes it out to be. And you're right, the Twin Frozr is mostly heatsink and fan...but since that's the whole point of a cooler. I think it can add to the aesthetic value of a cooler to see that kinda stuff. Makes it look a bit more "phoarr" hehe

I think perhaps I find blower coolers generally look a bit dull. But, I don't know what the shroud is made out of, but I still feel it looks 'cheap' somehow, like an the back of a tv remote. XD

 

[The Terrible Puddle]

More pictures of the ugly bastard.

 

[MxPhenom 216]

The nividia titan ref cooler is the ugliest one I've seen to date. I do not understand the fascination with it. It looks like cheap plastic and has never made me think "oh, that looks like a powerful cooler". Admittedly the MSI cooler above is pretty standard, and the lightning colour scheme hasn't transferred very gracefully, but I've yet to see a 780/titan cooler that looked worse than the nvidia, and as they all excel when it comes to cooling performance anyway...

it's not even plastic. it's all metal except for the plexi glass used as a window for the heat sink fins.

 

[Yeoman]

I said it looked cheap and plastic, not that it was (for the price I'd hope not).

Like the above images (thx puddle), the cooler looks really nice, the shroud looks a little 'cheap' in comparison, but it can be down to the photography or rendering style. The glossy highlights on the above image don't give an impression of quality materials for the shroud.

Looks like a really capable cooler mind, shame about the fan, and the yellow highlights on the shroud kinda suck too imo.

 

[cedrac18]

And that's fine, and you know what floats my boat. Do you have any examples of cards you find particularly aesthetically pleasing? I'd be interested to see.

I know the question was not directed at me but i find these two cards pretty pleasing