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PowerColor LCS HD6970 Review

Introduction and Technical Specifications

Published: 22nd April 2011 | Source: PowerColor | Price: £359.33 | Author:

Introduction

Back when we first got our hands on the HD6970 from AMD we found it to be a good performing card, but intolerably noisy and hot. To be one or the other is not good, but acceptable. To be both isn't so fancy.

Of course there are two major ways to be cool and quiet. Either have a third-party cooler with a much better design and array of fans or, as is the case here, put the whole thing into a watercooled loop.

Watercooling has moved a long way from the early days and with non-conductive liquids and much higher quality fittings it's no longer the scary upgrade it once was. The major problem is the voiding of your warranty should you choose to fit a waterblock to your graphics card.

PowerColor have helpfully got around those problems by fitting a full-cover EK water-block to their HD6970 to give us the LCS HD6970 and that's what we're taking a look at today.

Technical Specifications

Beneath that Acetal top beats a standard HD6970 overclocked just shy of the 940MHz that we find on the PowerColor PCS+. If there is one thing that the watercooling should ensure it's much greater overclocking headroom than we saw on the PCS+.

Time to get up close and personal with the LCS.

Most Recent Comments

22-04-2011, 05:24:11

tinytomlogan

Today we take a look at the latest in PowerColor's Graphics Card range, the LCS HD6970. Factory-fitted waterblock Sir?



Continue ReadingQuote

22-04-2011, 05:40:02

SieB

I must admit i'm impressed. After the first review of the 6970 with an air cooler the 6970 seemed pointless but this version is definietly worth the money especially after looking at the performance results.

Quote

22-04-2011, 05:40:56

dugdiamond

scrum-dilidy-umptiousQuote

22-04-2011, 05:52:26

Karlos_the_n00b

Always liked the look of this. Watercooling without the warranty voiding.

Hope you get to do a review of the 6990 version when its released.Quote

22-04-2011, 09:42:58

MxFScotch

Yeah just tweaking my xfx 6970 that I put a xspc razor block on a few days ago. Sitting at 950mhz and 1425 on the ram amazing what watercooling can do. This card running heaven never breaches 53 Degrees. That's in loop with one 360 rad and a 950 cpu @ 4.0 ghz.Quote

22-04-2011, 10:35:15

Mark26

Would love one of these too add too my rig Quote

22-04-2011, 13:13:58

Zeals

Personally I would prefer a waterblock that completely covers the card, even though they won't really change the performance it will look nicer imo.Quote

22-04-2011, 14:31:42

wotevajjjj

who wrote this ? there's no-one next to authorQuote

22-04-2011, 18:31:41

Karlos_the_n00b

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeals Personally I would prefer a waterblock that completely covers the card, even though they won't really change the performance it will look nicer imo.

I agree, but remember in most cases you won't actually see the waterblock once it's mounted to the mobo. The back you will see however and that's completely covered.

The 6990 version though does have a full waterblock that completely covers the card.

http://www.nordichardware.com/news/71-graphics/42908-powercolor-shows-water-cooled-hd-6990-and-hd-6950-vortex-2.html

Sorry I keep harping on about the 6990. Just really looking forward to that one.Quote

28-04-2011, 00:17:06

Godsmack

Why it still dual slots card? they should make it one slot card.Quote

28-04-2011, 04:18:15

jonowee

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godsmack Why it still dual slots card? they should make it one slot card.

You did read the full review right?Quote

28-04-2011, 07:28:45

Karlos_the_n00b

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godsmack Why it still dual slots card? they should make it one slot card.

It's basically PowerColors PCS+ card with a waterblock fitted instead of a cooler. To redesign the PCB so all the sockets on the back span over one slot would just cost too much when you consider how many of these cards there actually going to sell.

I actually welcome this card and really hope we see more cards being sold with waterblocks, hopefully bellow the £300 mark, but at the moment with only the real enthusiasts using watercooling its hard to know how cost effective cards like this are.Quote

28-04-2011, 12:13:14

Godsmack

I didn't read the full review I watched the benches.

I didn't know that the redesign will coast too much. But I think if they make it one slot card it will sell more.Quote

29-04-2011, 05:10:08

MxFScotch

Not enough to justify redesigning PCB to wack off that top dvi port.Quote

07-05-2012, 14:41:09

Mike & Kazri

Will a Razor 6970 waterblock fit the 6950?Quote

Reply

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