ASUS EAH6970 Review

Conclusion

We could go on testing endless reams of games, but as we’ve already tested three HD6970s and there isn’t a noticeable difference between any of them then we’re sure that at this festive time of year your time is too precious to see multiple graphs that all lead to the same conclusion.

So what conclusion are we to draw?

Firstly that AMD have absolutely nailed their production run of the HD6970 GPUs. From the basic reference model we’ve tested through to this Voltage Tweak BIOS model from ASUS, all of them perform almost identically.

Secondly, and disappointingly, the normally outstanding Voltage Tweak BIOS that ASUS supply their cards with is unnecessary here. Usually it manages to give us much higher clock speeds than are otherwise obtainable, or stabilise ones that other cards are slightly flaky at.

Yet here on the HD6970, even with the ASUS SmartDoctor software in place, the limit of the GPU Core slider remains at 950MHz. A level achievable easily on the stock cards.

The long and short of it is that if you’re in the market for a HD6970 then the ASUS model is as good as any other. The defining factor in your choice will probably be either brand loyalty, or the available bundle. It hasn’t got a bundle of any sorts to tempt you, which could count against it.

Alternatively though it is an ASUS card, which means the quality of the packaging and after-sales service are up there with the best, and for many that can be enough to get you to loosen your wallet.

   

Thanks to ASUS for providing the HD6970 EAH for review. Discuss in our forums.