What is the operating temperature of the asus 7850 2gb. Appearance and dimensions

AMD's new line of graphics cards in the middle segment are still leading the way compared to the old green camp graphics solutions. Why isn't Nvidia launching new graphics cards in the mid-range? It is very strange, perhaps they are selling their stock of previous generation video cards. It is not known what this is connected with, but we will not stray far from the topic. Before that I have already tested the video card Radeon HD 7850but from the manufacturer Gigabyte. It turned out to be very successful in terms of price / performance. Today I will consider the same model, but from ASUS with a cooling system DirectCU II.

How will this model show in tests at nominal frequencies and in overclocking? We will see this later, but now I will tell you more about its characteristics and about itself.

Specifications:

Graphics core: Pitcairn PRO
Interface: PCI Express x16 3.0
Technological process: 28nm
GPU frequency: 870MHz
Memory frequency (physical (effective)): (1210 (4840)) MHz
Video memory bus width: 256bit
The amount of video memory: 2048MB
Video memory type: GDDR5
Number of universal processors: 1024
Number of texture units: 64
The number of ROP units: 32
The need for additional food: 6-pin
Interfaces: DVI, HDMI, mini Display Port x2
Recommended power supply: 500W
Graphics card length: 257mm

The video card has no factory overclocking. But don't be discouraged by those who can't overclock. Have ASUS is there some more TOP version with good factory overclocking. It won't be difficult for me to overclock it a bit and test it.

Packaging and equipment

Packaging ASUS is standard for their video cards, they changed the design only for the new line of the green camp, it is strange that the red camp was not touched. On the front side, a warrior in armor on a horse is still depicted, and the red background corresponds to the color of the cards Radeon.


On the reverse side, we see a description of the cooling system, about a proprietary utility for monitoring and overclocking a video card GPU Tweak, as well as what interfaces are present on this video adapter. Note that for a small video card, which has a board length of only 210mm, the box is not small. Even comparing, with a box from Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670which I tested in the last review, it is the same size with it. ASUS does not skimp on such things.


The package bundle of the video card is quite standard:
CD with drivers and utilities
Installation and operating instructions
CrossFire Bridge
DVI to VGA adapter
There is not enough, perhaps, an adapter for additional power supply, since people buying this video card may not change the power supply unit due to the low power consumption of the card, namely 150W, and this adapter would be useful to some.

Appearance, design

The video card has a proprietary cooling system DirectCU II from ASUS... There is nothing special and new, except that the length of the CO is more than the printed circuit board itself by almost 50 mm, which is not very good. The cooling system has three heatpipes with direct tube contact technology with the GPU. Everything was done with high quality and no complaints can be made.



The printed circuit board is made in black, which is usual for ASUS... The arrangement of all elements is repeated, as is the case with, so I will not repeat myself. Also, 8 Hynix memory chips were wired at a frequency of 1200 MHz, 256 MB each. The power supply system has remained the same, namely in a 4 + 1 phase scheme.



The video card needs additional power in the form of one six-pin connector from the power supply. The connector itself is in a slightly off-standard location. Due to the longer length of the cooling system, it is problematic to connect the connector to this connector, so the engineers from ASUS took care of a kind of extension cord that allows you to connect the connector without any problems. Again, the TDP is only 150W, and AMD Zero Core technology can reduce power consumption to a paltry few watts in idle mode.



The presence of a connector for connecting a CrossFire bridge allows you to connect up to two video cards. Also, the motherboards of the latest generations of ASUS graphics solutions have a stiffener to protect the video card from all kinds of kinks.

For displaying images on the screen, the video card has the following interfaces:
DVI
HDMI
Mini DisplayPort x2
All interfaces are located on one slot, while the other has a hole for hot air to escape outside the case.

Testing

Testing was carried out on the following configuration:
CPU based computer Intel Core i5-2500K
CPU Intel Core i5-2500K @ 4.5GHz (1.256V) + Cooler IceHammer IH-4500 (Thermalright TY-140)
Mat. Pay ASRock Extreme3 \u200b\u200bGen3
RAM Kingston HyperX Red Limited Edition 1333MHz (8-8-8-21)
HDD x2 Seagate ST3250310AS (250GB, 7200RPM, SATA-II) in Raid 0
Power Supply Chieftec CFT-700-14CS
Housing Cooler Master CM690 II Advanced (Replaced stock fans with Thermalright X-Silentconnected to Zalman ZM-MFC1 Plus)
Monitor ASUS VE247H 1920x1080 (23.6 ')
operating system Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit, DirectX 11
Drivers AMD Catalyst 12.4, NVIDIA 301.42 WHQL, VSync off.

Programs and games that were used when testing video cards:

3DMark 11
3DMark Vantage - Performance settings, Extreme.
Dirt2 - Ultra High settings.
Dirt3 - Ultra High settings.
Metro 2033 - Super High settings.
Battlefield 3 - Ultra settings.
Grand theft auto 4 - High-Ultra settings, draw distance 100%.
FurMark 1.9.0 - to warm up the video card.
Fraps 3.4.5 - for measuring FPS in games.

Overclocking

Overclocking was carried out without raising the voltage. The frequencies of the graphics core and video memory were raised. Total was raised by + 180 / 240MHz by kernel and memory, respectively. At the same time, the video card worked stably and there were no problems. At the same time, the temperature regime did not increase much, you will learn about it below during the testing itself.

Test results

As usual, in the beginning I will provide you with comparison graphs of synthetic tests.





In a slight overclocking, this video card becomes at the level of the Radeon HD 7870, which costs about 2.5-3.5 thousand more. Very good for the middle segment. Let's see how this card will behave in gaming applications.






In gaming applications, the situation is even better. In overclocking, the video card slightly outperforms its older brother from the 7800 series. Well, I think this is a decent result with a little overclocking. Now let's take a look at how the temperature regime has changed during overclocking, in comparison with the standard frequencies.


In Auto mode, the fans accelerated to 2500rpm, which is 45%, while not making unnecessary noise at the system unit level. And in 100% mode, the fan speed reached 4200 rpm, but at this speed, average noise was noticeable against the background of the entire system unit. The cooling system in action also shows excellent results.

Output

This product is a very profitable purchase for gamers who have a small amount for a video card and still want to play games at maximum settings. The video card shows excellent results for the middle segment, while outperforming rivals from the green camp of the previous generation. But overclockers may also be interested in this video adapter, since a lot can be squeezed out of this model. With my slight overclocking, I got a video card of the level Radeon HD 7870which I think is a very good result. With more overclocking, it is possible to achieve the level Radeon HD 7950, or just catch up with her. I advise to take this product to those people who want not to spend too much, but at the same time will get good performance in modern games.
Pros:
Efficient cooling system
Good performance
High overclocking potential
Minuses:
They just don't exist.

The review was made by Alexander "honnete" Yemets.

ASUS graphics accelerators have always held a special position in the customer ratings. Some people like the brand itself, while others expect superior quality. In fact, the price of the company's video cards includes the cost of not only the brand itself, but also long-term warranty obligations, and much more.

For example, unlike second-tier manufacturers, the first class implies not only an exclusive cooling system, but also its own PCB design, as well as software for overclocking and monitoring the card's health. The differences, as you know, are significant, the only question is whether it is worth the overpayment. The answer to it will be given only by the summary testing of HD 7850 video cards provided for testing by our partner Regard.

Packaging and delivery set

ASUS HD 7850-DC-1GD5 is the youngest model in the HD 7850 series by ASUS. Only 1 GB of memory, no overclocking. In the first case, nothing can be fixed, but overclocking yourself is easy.

Inside the box is:

• ASUS HD 7850-DC-1GD5 video card;
• CD with drivers and software;
• Instructions for the video card;
• Adapter DVI -\u003e VGA;
• CrossFireX bridge.

Appearance and dimensions

Model	A, mm	B, mm	C, mm	D, mm	A1, mm	B1, mm	C1, mm
AMD HD 7850 v1	240	98	34	63	248	98	38
AMD HD 7850 v2	198	98	34	67	198	98	38
Sapphire HD 7850 OC	198	98	35	74	210	102	41
HIS 7850 IceQ X Turbo X	198	98	34	86	219	113	39
Gigabyte GV-R785OC-1GD	198	98	34	96	225	109	38
XFX R7850 Core Edition	198	98	34	67	198	98	38
PowerColor AX7850 2GBD5-DHV2	198	98	34	88	202	105	41
ASUS HD 7850-DC-1GD5	215	98	35	76	251	109	40

AND - the length of the printed circuit board, excluding the cooling system and the bracket for the video output ports.
AT - PCB width, excluding PCI-E pins and cooling system.
FROM - height from the horizontal plane of the printed circuit board to the level of the upper surface of the cooling system.
D - diameter of the fan / s along the outer radius.

A1 - the length of the printed circuit board, taking into account the cooling system (if it goes beyond the printed circuit board) to the strip of the video output ports.
IN 1 - the width of the printed circuit board, excluding the PCI-E contacts, but with the measurement of the cooling system (if it goes beyond the printed circuit board).
C1 - height, taking into account the rear plate (if any) / radiator mounting screws to the level of the upper surface of the cooling system. If it is below the height of the rear bar of the video output ports, then the height to the top of the bar is measured.

The design of the ASUS model does not belong to either the first or the second reference revisions, but entirely the brainchild of the company's engineers. A long shroud hides a simple-to-configure cooling system with one small fan. The dimensions of the card are such that they easily overlap any other analogs.

Although there is one legacy detail - the rear panel of video outputs: DVI-D, DisplayPort, HDMI, VGA, DVI-I. It is strange that the designers did not modify the costs of their own BIOS version and design, and at the moment the monitor is turned off, the fan continues to work. A reinforcing plate can be noted as a pleasant detail, although the weight of the video card is small.

Printed circuit board

There are two types of non-reference graphics cards. The first one is the improvement of the reference product, it is inherent in such manufacturers as ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, Sapphire. But just don't fall for this bait. The importance of the brand does not always indicate an improvement in the physical properties of the card, it happens and vice versa. Therefore, without a complete disassembly, it is impossible to say whether the card is an improved version, or, conversely, saved somewhere.

The second type is with a simplified circuitry, when the coils and power elements are either replaced by cheaper analogs, or the number of phases is reduced. Such options are also found among the models of industry leaders, but more often second-class brands use this method. In the case of ASUS HD 7850-DC-1GD5, the company did not save money, but decided to adapt the card elements to partner components.

On the right side of the video card there are two power systems - PLL and memory. Both are equipped with simple PWM controllers.

The APW 7165A PWM controllers are elementary, they lack support for the I2C protocol and do not support any voltage levers.

On the left side, the power phases of the GPU are vertically lined up in the amount of six pieces. All components have been replaced compared to the reference design versions, including coils, capacitors and power transistors. Each phase pair works with a uP driver.

According to ASUS standards, only the ASP product could become the PWM control controller. The company has long been using chips from this company, not only in video cards, but also on motherboards.

And as always, the cover bears its own name, which directly refers to the ASUS label - "VRM Digi +". The ASP1215A PWM controller supports the I2C protocol, which automatically provides the user with the ability to adjust the voltage by software.

Ultimately, the user benefits from a complete replacement of all parts of the power system. Excessive heating of the PWM controller will not bother you anymore, the maximum temperature barely reaches 90 ° C.

Another unspoken problem lies in compatible overclocking programs. Due to the low prevalence of the controller, a voltmod can only be made using the ASUS utility. At the same time, the maximum frequency of the graphics core is limited to 1050 MHz, which is clearly not enough for convincing overclocking. And if you remember the history of achievements, then the choice of the company's programmers looks strange - "only 1050 MHz ???"

But, despite the fact that the choice is small, there is a way out of the slippery situation. To change the voltage, we use the proprietary ASUS utility, and then turn on a third-party program and change the frequency in it. As a result, both the voltage and the frequency change, but it is inconvenient to do it.

The Pitcairn processor with an area of \u200b\u200b~ 212 mm 2 is placed on a textolite substrate on the 26th week of 2012. It contains 2800 million transistors and is made using a 28 nm process technology. Its silicon crystal is protected by a metal frame only around the perimeter.

Eight Hynix memory chips are soldered at the front and labeled H5GQ1H24BFR. They are designed for frequencies up to 1250 MHz (effective frequency 5000 MHz), the bus width is 256 bits.

The final formula for the power phases is 6 + 1 + 1 (GPU / MEM / PLL).

There are diagnostic diodes under the power connector, signaling the correctness and presence of voltage.

In the absence of power, the red diode lights up, when it is connected - green.

The nominal frequencies of ASUS HD 7850-DC-1GD5 are 860 MHz for the graphics core and 4800 MHz for the memory.

Cooling system

The design of the ASUS product includes four parts: a heatsink with a fan, a cover, a reinforcing side plate and a heatsink for the power system. The heatsink with a shroud is shifted to the end of the card, which adds extra centimeters to its length. Above the heat dissipator of the power system, the shape of the casing narrows, thereby directing air through its fins.

After removing the main part, the power radiator and the amplifier plate become available to the eye. However, specifically for this model, the latter is more of a tribute to fashion than a necessary tool. But the first part is very important. Six rows of transistors noticeably heat up and to say that they do not need a radiator is like saying nothing. It should be noted that such a solution is not widespread among HD 7850 video cards, usually manufacturers do not put a separate element on the power supply. Apparently, ASUS tested, checked and installed.

Typically, one of four cooling design approaches is used for GPUs.

• The first is a single fan located not above the power system, or partially above it. There is no power supply radiator. In this form, the heating is quite high, especially if the fan has a large diameter and low rpm, and the main radiator is strewn with many closely spaced fins.
• The second is one fan, installed in the same way as in the first case, but the power system is equipped with a heatsink. This is the approach used in the case of the ASUS HD 7850-DC-1GD5 video card.
• The third one is two fans, a power system without a heatsink.
• The last, fourth, is never found on HD 7850 video cards. A pair of fans and a radiator on the power circuits.

Let's see what is hiding under the casing.

A small heatsink with an aluminum insert at its base and two heat pipes emanating from the middle. A scheme of direct contact between the tube and the heat source is used, and the tubes are flattened to increase the area.

Test stand

ASUS HD 7850-DC-1GD5 was tested with the following configuration:

• Motherboard: MSI Z77A-GD65 (Intel Z77, LGA 1155);
• Processor: Intel Core i7-3770K 4700 MHz (100 MHz x 47, 1.35 V) or 1600 MHz when measuring the noise of the cooling system;
• Cooling system: water cooling system;
• Thermal interface: Arctic Cooling MX-2;
• RAM: Corsair DDR3 1600 MHz, 4 modules x 4 GB, (7-8-7-20-1T, 1.65 V);
• Hard Drive: Crucial M4 (CT128M4SSD2) 128GB
• Power supply unit: Enermax REVOMAX 1250 W;
• Audio card: ASUS Xonar HDAV 1.3;
• Operating system: Microsoft Windows 7 x64 SP1;
• AMD driver version: Catalyst 12.11 plus latest CAP.

List of used instrumentation and instruments

• Sound level meter: Center 320;
• Multimeter: Fluke 289;
• Electricity tariff: E305EMG;
• Microphone: Philips SBC ME570.

Testing tools and methodology

The following conditions were used to measure temperature and noise correctly. The room inside which the automatic climate control system is located. In this case, the temperature level was set at 24 ° C +/- 1 ° C. Four sensors monitored the accuracy of compliance with the specified parameters, one of which was located 5 cm from the fan of the video card cooling system and was the leading one. It was used for the main correction of the room temperature.

The noise was measured at a distance of 50 cm from the video card. The background level was made. The sound and video recording of the cooling system was made at a distance of ~ 10 cm from the fan. The first 5-10 seconds without a load in idle mode, then 100% load was switched on using the Furmark program. The highest noise level is reached at the end of the audio recording. The temperature regime and noise were determined in advance so that during the recording of the audio track you could hear exactly the maximum noise. In the process of watching videos, you can highlight the timbre and nature of the sounds emitted by the cooling system. I warn you that the sound on them is heavily embellished, that is, it feels stronger than it actually is.

The level of electricity consumption during idle time was estimated according to the indications of the E305EMG tariffifier immediately after the operating system was loaded. The values \u200b\u200bdisplayed on the graph correspond to the minimum achieved figures from the device. Under load, the video cards were tested with Furmark. After 10-15 minutes, the temperature and fan speed reached their theoretical maximum, after which the data were entered into the table.

The temperature of the power circuits was measured by installing a thermal sensor in the space between the radiator and the thermal pad in the most loaded place.

The nuances that arose during the testing process, I will try to explain in detail as they arise.

Graphics Cards Series Radeon HD 7850 at the moment they are, perhaps, the most interesting proposal for assembling an optimal gaming configuration. Progressive architecture, high performance, very moderate power consumption and, as a result, requirements for the power supply. And if you add to this list the excellent scalability, amazing overclocking potential, as well as pleasant retail prices after the official price reduction, then this solution with a GPU from AMD now looks like an offer that cannot be refused. In turn, video card manufacturers support the interest of potential owners by offering updated and improved modifications of proven solutions. ASUS HD7850-DC2T-2GD5-V2 - this is the name given to the upgraded version of the adapter, which is now the flagship of the ASUS line of devices based on the Pitcairn Pro chip.

As it should be for TOP-versions of video cards from ASUS, this model is notable for the fact that it has a frequency formula changed by the manufacturer. In particular, the graphics processor has been seriously accelerated, which operates at a symbolic 1000 MHz instead of 860 MHz recommended for reference models. The memory frequency has also been increased - from 4800 to 5000 MHz.

The adapter is based on the 28nm Pitcairn Pro chip, which contains 1024 compute units. In the line of modern graphics solutions, the Radeon HD 7850 is the most affordable model, which uses a high-speed 256-bit memory bus. When bundled with high-frequency GDDR5 memory, the bandwidth between the GPU and RAM is 160 GB / s.

The video card is equipped with 2 GB of memory, and in those modes that can be tough on the Radeon HD 7850, this amount can definitely come in handy. Looking closely at the $ 200 + adapter, with an eye to the fact that you will play with screen resolutions of 1920 × 1080 and higher, and the device is bought for more than one game season, it is logical to focus on modifications with 2 GB of RAM.

Design and layout

The second incarnation of a video card with the V2 index in the model name has a cooling system similar to that used in the adapters of the first revision. In this case, we are talking about one of the options DirectCU II.

The design is based on an aluminum radiator, which is connected by three heat pipes to an additional stacked block of plates, which increases the heat dissipation area. According to the general principle of coolers of the DirectCU family, the heat pipes are in direct contact with the GPU crystal, thereby increasing the heat transfer rate.

The design of the radiator is blown by two 80mm fans, while the one located in the central part has nine larger blades, while the additional one has 11. At first glance it may seem that the second fan is not working as efficiently as it could. However, the air flow generated by it blows well the heatsink fins and heat pipes that are in contact with the graphics chip.

The top of the cooler is covered with a black plastic casing, which is decorated with noticeable red "stripes".

This is where the similarities to the previous adapter end. The model of the second revision received an original printed circuit board instead of the reference one.

The power subsystem of ASUS HD7850-DC2T-2GD5-V2 is made according to an eight-phase scheme (6 + 2). In this case, the circuit uses components Super alloy power, and a digital controller is used to control the VRM parameters Digi +... The connector for additional power has moved from the trailing edge to the upper edge. A connector for connecting a CrossFire bridge is traditionally located here. For a system with a video card in question, the manufacturer recommends using a power supply unit with a power of 550 W or more, which is capable of providing 38A on the 12V line.

To increase the strength of the structure, the printed circuit board and the interface panel are connected by a metal bracket on which the company logo is placed.

The length of the printed circuit board is 215 mm, but the elements of the cooling system noticeably protrude beyond the PCB. Therefore, the total length of the adapter is quite impressive 275 mm... Of course, these are far from record dimensions for video cards, but before buying, you should first make sure that the device will take its place in the case without any surprises.

The interface panel contains four connectors. A pair of DVIs (DVI-I + DVI-D) plus full-format DisplayPort and HDMI. This configuration turns out to be the most practical and often demanded when connecting multiple monitors. Recall that the models of video cards Radeon HD 7850, based on the reference PCB, also offer four digital video outputs, two of them are made in the form of Mini-DisplayPort, as well as one HDMI and DVI.

Equipment

The scope of delivery is typical for devices of this class. Manual, CD with drivers, DVI to analog D-Sub adapter, and CrossFire bridge for combining two video cards in one system.

In work

Massive cooling systems do not always meet expectations, but in the case of ASUS HD7850-DC2T-2GD5-V2, the large cooler demonstrates good efficiency. In idle mode, the GPU only warmed up to 27 degrees, the gaming load raised the GPU temperature to 62 degrees, and the synthetic FurMark heated the chip to 66.

The figures themselves are very decent for devices of the Radeon HD 7850 line. However, in this situation, the imposingness of the active cooling system is more surprising. The fan speed, even under high load, barely exceeded 1000 rpm. This is exactly the case when such "modesty" beautifies and does not affect efficiency. The most remarkable thing about this situation is that the video card ultimately runs very quietly, regardless of the current mode. Good is not bad. In our opinion, such indicators fully justify the slightly increased dimensions of the used modification of the DirectCU II cooler.

Overclocking

As we have already mentioned, the frequency formula of the TOP version has been changed by the manufacturer. The chip is initially accelerated by 16.3%, memory - by 4.2%. This is no longer a formality necessary only to highlight the product, but quite significant values \u200b\u200bthat will provide a performance increase that goes far beyond the measurement error.

Of course, the potential of the video card does not end there. The Radeon HD 7850 is generally a very malleable material for enthusiastic experiences. After a series of experiments, the operating clock frequencies of the chip / memory were significantly increased. So, the GPU worked on 1170 MHz, and the memory remained stable for 5800 MHz.

Performance

According to the results of express testing, the factory-overclocked video card from ASUS turned out to be 10-15% faster than the device with the reference frequencies. The capabilities of the graphics card are well scalable, responsive to increased operating clock speeds of both the GPU and memory.

Additional forcing increased the difference to 26-33%, allowing ASUS HD7850-DC2T-2GD5-V2 in most cases to noticeably bypass the "high school student" Radeon HD 7870. In some situations, the adapter manages to catch up to the level of the Radeon HD 7950, which is based on the chip Tahiti and belongs to a different class of video cards.

The GeForce GTX 660 is a very difficult and inconvenient rival for the Radeon HD 7850. In stock form, the latter actually has little chances, but after overclocking the Pitcairn Pro device is able to compete on equal terms with the more expensive opponent from the NVIDIA camp. Both are very good choices for an optimal gaming system.

ASUS HD7850 DirectCU II TOP (HD7850-DC2T-2GD5-V2) video review

Outcome

ASUS HD7850-DC2T-2GD5-V2 Is an exemplary representative of mid-range graphics adapters. Practical results confirm that the modernization was not in vain started by the manufacturer. Is it expensive? Maybe, if you do not take into account how much a similar video card cost a few months ago. It fulfills its price even without additional overclocking. There is also an improved version with reference clock frequencies on sale - HD7850-DC2-2GD5-V2 , which is made on an identical PCB and is equipped with a DirectCU II cooling system. Are the chips used for forced modifications going through additional rigorous selection? This is more of a rhetorical question. If you want to try your luck, saving a little along the way, you can try to upgrade the stock version. If not, the TOP-modification provides guaranteed 1000/5000 MHz "out of the box" and moral satisfaction from buying the fastest solution in its class.

The ASUS HD 7850-DC2T-2GD5-V2 is the latest HD 7850 video card to be reviewed by our partner Regard. The V2 model practically does not differ from V1, except for the cooling system that has moved even further to the end. Whatever one may say, the updated version of the graphics accelerator, but there are not so many visible changes outside.

And if you dig deeper and see how internal improvements (and V2 implies improvements) have changed the consumer characteristics of the product? Let's get down to business and consider carefully what modifications can significantly affect the capabilities of a video card.

Packaging and delivery set

The design of the ASUS HD 7850-DC2T-2GD5-V2 box uses a theme that has already been encountered in the design of ASUS GT640-1GD3-L and ASUS GTX 650 Ti-DC2O-1GD5.

Inside it is:

• ASUS HD 7850-DC2T-2GD5-V2 video card;
• CD with drivers and software;
• Instructions for the video card;
• Adapter DVI -\u003e VGA;
• CrossFireX bridge.

Appearance and dimensions

Model	A, mm	B, mm	C, mm	D, mm	A1, mm	B1, mm	C1, mm
AMD HD 7850 v1	240	98	34	63	248	98	38
AMD HD 7850 v2	198	98	34	67	198	98	38
Sapphire HD 7850 OC	198	98	35	74	210	102	41
HIS 7850 IceQ X Turbo X	198	98	34	86	219	113	39
Gigabyte GV-R785OC-1GD	198	98	34	96	225	109	38
XFX R7850 Core Edition	198	98	34	67	198	98	38
PowerColor AX7850 2GBD5-DHV2	198	98	34	88	202	105	41
ASUS HD 7850-DC-1GD5	215	98	35	76	251	109	40
ASUS HD 7850-DC2T-2GD5-V2	215	98	37	76	274	102	40

AND - the length of the printed circuit board, excluding the cooling system and the bracket for the video output ports.
AT - PCB width, excluding PCI-E pins and cooling system.
FROM - height from the horizontal plane of the printed circuit board to the level of the upper surface of the cooling system.
D - diameter of the fan / s along the outer radius.

A1 - the length of the printed circuit board, taking into account the cooling system (if it goes beyond the printed circuit board) to the strip of the video output ports.
IN 1 - the width of the printed circuit board, excluding the PCI-E contacts, but with the measurement of the cooling system (if it goes beyond the printed circuit board).
C1 - height, taking into account the rear plate (if any) / radiator mounting screws to the level of the upper surface of the cooling system. If it is below the height of the rear bar of the video output ports, then the height to the top of the bar is measured.

Indeed, it is not entirely clear why it was necessary to move the cooling system even further compared to the V1 version. Due to this, the length of the video card has reached the size of top solutions. Even sadder is the fact that the classic Radeon HD 7850 could be housed in HTPC cases, but in the case of the V2, this cannot be done.

The design of the ASUS HD 7850-DC2T-2GD5-V2 PCB does not belong to either the first or the second reference revisions, but is entirely the brainchild of the company's engineers. The long casing hides a typical ASUS heatsink that comes with a whole series of video cards. Only one detail replicates the reference circuitry - the rear video outputs panel, which houses two DVIs and one each DP and HDMI.

It would be logical to assume (which was confirmed during testing) that the fan will continue to work at the moment the monitor is turned off - the costs of its own BIOS version and design. Of the pleasant little things, we can note the reinforcing plate, although it does not carry a large functional load, it is rather a tribute to the ASUS corporate identity.

Printed circuit board

There are two types of non-reference graphics cards. The first one is the improvement of the reference product, it is inherent in such manufacturers as ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, Sapphire. But just don't fall for this bait. The importance of the brand does not always indicate an improvement in the physical properties of the card, it happens and vice versa. Therefore, without a complete disassembly, it is impossible to say whether the card is an improved version, or, conversely, saved somewhere.

The second type is with a simplified circuitry, when the coils and power elements are either replaced by cheaper analogs, or the number of phases is reduced. Such options are found among the models of industry leaders, but more often second-class brands use this method.

For comparison, above on the right is a photo of the recently tested ASUS HD 7850-DC-1GD5. At first glance, we have absolutely identical video cards, but it is worth taking a closer look. Specifically, the ASUS HD 7850-DC2T-2GD5-V2 uses the basic design of the ASUS HD 7850-DC-1GD5. But, oddly enough, after the version update, the accelerator lost the power unit radiator. Although, is it so strange if the number of power transistors decreased at the same time? Yes, that's right, pay more, get less.

Due to optimizations and calculations performed, ASUS engineers decided to reduce or, in other words, to slightly simplify the voltage converter. Standard methods were used: remove there, replace here. Ultimately, we will be missing a dozen amperes and a radiator. But if the disappearance of the heat dissipator is easily explained by the installation of a second fan above the power system, then a decrease in power will obviously not benefit overclocking.

On the right side of the video card there are two power systems - PLL and memory. Both are equipped with simple PWM controllers.

These are elementary PWM controllers APW 7165A, which lack support for the I2C protocol. They do not support any voltage control levers.

On the left side, the power phases of the GPU are vertically lined up, in the amount of six pieces. Each phase pair works with a uP driver.

The controlling PWM controller is ASP1215A. The company often uses the products of this company, not only in video cards, but also on motherboards.

The cover has its own name, which directly refers to ASUS - "VRM Digi +". The ASP1215A PWM controller supports the I2C protocol, which automatically provides the user with the ability to adjust the voltage by software.

As a result, after a partial simplification of the power supply system, the gain is not obvious.

It is worth recalling one feature of video cards created with the use of rare PWM controllers. In this situation, you have to use only ASUS 'own utility to change the voltage, which is inconvenient. And the reason lies in the low value of the GPU frequency limit. Only 1050 MHz in this version of the program. Everything would be fine, but only HD 7850 video cards. So you have to adjust to the current circumstances - set the voltage in ASUS GPU Tweak, and the frequency in TRIXX.

The Pitcairn processor with an area of \u200b\u200babout 212 mm 2 is placed on a textolite substrate in the 34th week of 2012. It contains 2800 million transistors and is made using a 28 nm process technology. Its silicon crystal is protected by a metal frame only around the perimeter.

Eight Hynix memory chips are soldered at the front and labeled H5GQ1H24BFR. They are designed for frequencies up to 1250 MHz (effective frequency 5000 MHz), the bus width is 256 bits.

The final formula for the power phases is 6 + 1 + 1 (GPU / MEM / PLL).

There are diagnostic diodes under the power connector, signaling the correctness and presence of voltage.

In the absence of power, the red diode lights up, when it is connected - green.

The nominal frequencies of ASUS HD 7850-DC2T-2GD5-V2 are 1000 MHz for the graphics core and 5000 MHz for the memory.

Cooling system

Predictably, the second version received the cooling system used in the V1. Improvements or changes? Unfortunately no. Both inside and outside, this is an old design, which, however, is not bad at all.

CO consists of three parts: a radiator, a casing with fans, a reinforcing plate with the ASUS logo. The heatsink with a shroud is shifted to the end of the card, which significantly increases the length of the graphics accelerator.

All power circuits are cooled by the air flow coming from the fans. The decision is reasonable, since the manufacturer took into account that a pair of fans will completely cope with cooling the PCB and power transistors.

Typically, one of four approaches to designing cooling for video cards is used.

• The first is a single fan located not above the power system, or partially above it. There is no power supply radiator. In this form, the heating is quite high, especially if the fan has a large diameter and low rpm, and the main radiator is strewn with many closely spaced fins.
• The second is one fan, installed in the same way as in the first case, but the power system is equipped with a heatsink.
• The third one is two fans, a power system without a heatsink. This is the type used on the ASUS HD 7850-DC2T-2GD5-V2 video card.
• The last, fourth, is never found on HD 7850 video cards. A pair of fans and a radiator on the power circuits.

The main radiator is hidden under the casing.

It contains three heat pipes. This design, consisting of two parts and heat pipes passing through them, has been used by ASUS for a long time. In essence, it is a pair of radiators. The main part is made of aluminum, and the tubes are pressed into the grooves. To give a greater plane, they are closed into one piece and directly touch the heat source. The other part contains numerous clusters of ribs. And since the profiles of the two parts are different, ASUS uses different blade shapes for cooling.

Moreover, if you see the same casing and fans on two video cards, this does not automatically mean identical noise characteristics. The fact is that in version V2 ASUS engineers went beyond stupid cloning of the cooling system. They changed the speed indicators of the fans to quieter and lower rpms.

Asus HD7850 DirectCU II TOP 2048MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI-E
MSI R7870 TwinFrozr III 2048MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI-E
Powercolor HD7870 PCS + 2048MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI-E
The first material on Radeon HD 7850

Video accelerators should be different and for every wallet. If since the birth of 3D graphics in games we have seen one-time releases of new accelerators designed to deliver higher performance than their predecessors, and all such products had very high prices (by the standards of the late 90s of the last century), then by about 2002-2003 Over the years, manufacturers began to realize that the release of only top-end products, which gradually became more complex, and therefore more expensive, was becoming a utopia, and therefore they began to offer not only very expensive products on new cores (with a new architecture), but also cheaper ones. and, of course, not so highly productive. Well, the consumer himself will choose the accelerator that suits him.

So in this case, the new Radeon HD 7xxx family, AMD immediately tried to release a whole line in a short time: 79xx, 78xx, 77xx. There are six products in total. Not bad, in just three months! Yes, the segment of about $ 100 and below has not yet been covered, but the lower the price, the less users' needs for high-speed 3D graphics, as a rule: gamers for the most part do not use budget products. Therefore, there may be representatives of the previous generation Radeon HD 6xxx for a very long time, which in essence have support for all the necessary and modern innovations in the field of 3D.

Today our goal is the middle (which is even closer to the top) segment - the Radeon HD 78xx. We already talked about the 7870 in our basic material, but at that time we did not have a younger brother at our disposal - the 7850, and now for the first time we will tell you about it, as well as about other interesting and mass-produced novelties based on the Radeon HD 7870.

Boards

GPU: Radeon HD 7850 (Pitcairn) Interface: PCI Express x16 GPU frequency (ROPs): 975 MHz (nominal - 860 MHz) 1250 (5000) MHz (nominal - 1200 (4800) MHz) 256 bit 16/975 MHz (nominal - 16/860 MHz) 1024 64 (BLF / TLF / ANIS) Dimensions: 220 × 110 × 36 mm (the last figure is the maximum thickness of a video card) PCB color: the black 132/45/3 Watt Output jacks: CrossFire X (Hardware)
GPU: Radeon HD 7870 (Pitcairn) Interface: PCI Express x16 GPU frequency (ROPs): 1050 MHz (nominal - 1000 MHz) Memory frequency (physical (effective)): 1200 (4800) MHz (nominal - 1200 (4800) MHz) Memory bus width: 256 bit GPU Computing Units / Unit Frequency: 20/1050 MHz (nominal - 20/1000 MHz) Number of operations (ALU) per block: 64 Total number of operations (ALU): 1280 Texture units: 80 (BLF / TLF / ANIS) The number of rasterization units (ROP): 32 Dimensions: 245 × 110 × 36 mm (the last figure is the maximum thickness of a video card) PCB color: dark brown Power Consumption (Peak 3D / 2D / Sleep): 175/58/3 Watt Output jacks: 1 × DVI (Dual-Link / VGA), 1 × HDMI 1.4a, 2 × Mini-DisplayPort 1.2 Multiprocessor support: CrossFire X (Hardware)
GPU: Radeon HD 7870 (Pitcairn) Interface: PCI Express x16 GPU frequency (ROPs): 1100 MHz (nominal - 1000 MHz) Memory frequency (physical (effective)): 1225 (4900) MHz (nominal - 1200 (4800) MHz) Memory bus width: 256 bit GPU Computing Units / Unit Frequency: 20/1100 MHz (nominal - 20/1000 MHz) Number of operations (ALU) per block: 64 Total number of operations (ALU): 1280 Texture units: 80 (BLF / TLF / ANIS) The number of rasterization units (ROP): 32 Dimensions: 245 × 100 × 35 mm (the last figure is the maximum thickness of a video card) PCB color: the black Power Consumption (Peak 3D / 2D / Sleep): 180/58/3 Watt Output jacks: 1 × DVI (Dual-Link / HDMI), 1 × DVI (Single-Link / VGA), 1 × HDMI 1.4a, 2 × Mini-DisplayPort 1.2 Multiprocessor support: CrossFire X (Hardware)

Asus HD7850 DirectCU II TOP 2048MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI-E

The card has 2048 MB of GDDR5 SDRAM located in 8 chips on the front side of the PCB. In conclusion, it makes sense to remind that all 7870 cards require additional power supply: two 6-pin connectors, and for the 7850 one such "tail" is enough. About cooling systems. MSI R7870 TwinFrozr III 2048MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI-E The third-generation TwinFrozr proprietary cooling system consists of three main parts: a main radiator, an auxiliary radiator-plate and a shroud. The main radiator, in turn, is, as it were, divided into two small ones united by heat pipes placed in the sole, with which the entire structure is pressed against the core. Everything is made of a copper alloy with a nickel sputtered coating, which, according to the developers, should provide a higher efficiency of heat dissipation. An auxiliary heat sink plate is used to cool memory chips and power transistors. The main radiator has 2 fans with special blades that provide more efficient air intake for sending it to the radiators. From above everything is closed with a branded casing. Despite the really high efficiency of CO, it is very noisy. Powercolor HD7870 PCS + 2048MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI-E Powercolor's PCS + cooling system is no less proprietary and familiar to readers. In this case, we see a single large radiator with copper pipes, above which a large-diameter fan is installed in the casing. The memory chips are not cooled. During long-term operation under load, a little noise is noticeable, but its level is not critical for most users. Asus HD7850 DirectCU II TOP 2048MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI-E Asus engineers have invented their own CO for a long time, which is called DirectCu. This device has several modifications and variations for cards of different levels and sizes. In this case, we see a smaller version of the well-known "three-story" device. It has a double heatsink (or rather, there are two of them, but they are interconnected by heat pipes), one of which has heat pipes pressed together as a sole (against which the core is pressed). Thus, the heat is carried over to the two parts of the radiator. The memory chips are not cooled. A massive casing with two high-quality fans is installed on top. Despite the fact that the whole design turned out to be very cumbersome, a video card with such a CO requires an entire slot in the system unit (due to the small thickness of the radiators). It is clear that due to the fact that the dimensions of the CO decreased, it was necessary to sacrifice the complete silence of the CO, and the fans during the load on the accelerator can rotate at frequencies up to 2500 rpm, which already makes them audible. We conducted a study of the temperature regime using the EVGA PrecisionX utility (by A. Nikolaychuk AKA Unwinder) and received the following results: Asus HD7850 DirectCU II TOP 2048MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI-E MSI R7870 TwinFrozr III 2048MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI-E Powercolor HD7870 PCS + 2048MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI-E In all three cases, after a 6-hour load, the core temperature does not exceed 75 degrees, which is very acceptable for such a level of video cards. Everything else about the noise, I have already said above. Now about the configuration. The basic package should include: a user manual, a CD with drivers and utilities, a CrossFire bridge and a Mini-DP to DP adapter. The next step is to consider the packages. We will no longer study the designs, since there is no particular interest in this, we will only touch upon the packaging of video cards: sometimes it happens that during transportation, cards dangle inside the boxes and can be damaged, especially if a large box with two dozen cards inside falls during loading or unloading (happens often). Asus HD7850 DirectCU II TOP 2048MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI-E The card is securely packed in a polyurethane foam compartment, so it certainly won't be damaged during transportation. MSI R7870 TwinFrozr III 2048MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI-E A similar packing method. Powercolor HD7870 PCS + 2048MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI-E The accelerator is rigidly placed in a compartment made of cardboard, plus it is additionally packed in a soft bag, so transportation is not terrible. Installation and drivers Test bench configuration: Intel Core i7-975 (Socket 1366) based computer intel Core i7-975 processor (3340 MHz); asus P6T Deluxe motherboard based on Intel X58 chipset; rAM 6 GB DDR3 SDRAM Corsair 1600 MHz; wD Caviar SE WD1600JD 160 GB SATA hard drive; enermax Platimax 1200 W power supply. operating system Windows 7 64-bit; DirectX 11; dell UltraSharp U3011 Monitor (30 ″); aMD Catalyst 12.4 drivers Nvidia version 301.24. VSync is disabled. Test results: performance comparison As a toolkit, we used: Far Cry 2 (Ubisoft) - DirectX 10.0, shaders 4.0 (HDR), for testing we used a utility from the game kit (Middle level). All settings are set to maximum quality. Unigine Tropics Benchmark 1.3 (Unigine) - DirectX 10.0,. Testing settings - High. by Unigine and personally Alexandra Zapryagaeva for helping me set up the benchmark. 3DMark 11 (FutureMark) - DirectX 11.0, test settings - Performance. Aliens vs. Predator (2010) (Rebellion / SEGA), DirectX 11.0, testing settings - Very High, launching the benchmark from the menu. Crysis Warhead (Crytek / EA), DirectX 10.0, (batch file and demo for launch), testing settings - Very High, Cargo level is used. Thanks to Nvidia for providing the licensed product. Formula 1 (2010) (Codemasters) - DirectX 11.0, test settings - Ultra High (benchmark run: formulaone.exe -benchmark example_benchmark.xml). Thanks to Nvidia for providing the licensed product. Unigine Heaven Benchmark 2.5 Pro (Unigine) - DirectX 11.0,. Testing settings - High. We would like to separately thank the team by Unigine and personally Alexander Zapryagaev and Denis Shergin for providing a benchmark and help in working settings. Colin McRae: DiRT2 (Codemasters) - DirectX 11.0, test settings - Ultra High (run the benchmark: dirt2.exe -benchmark example_benchmark.xml). Thanks to AMD for providing the licensed product. Metro 2033 (4A Games / THQ) - DirectX 11.0, test settings - Super High, PhysX disabled (running the benchmark in the game itself as a separate file). Just Cause 2 (Avalanche Studios / Eidos Interactive) - DirectX 10.0, testing settings - Super High (running the benchmark in the game itself in the settings). Thanks to Nvidia for providing the licensed product. All our explanations are aimed, as a rule, at beginners or inexperienced users who, however, want to upgrade their computer or simply assemble a new one. For those who do not understand at all what a kernel is, why there are so many processors in it, what threads are, and so on, it makes sense to familiarize yourself with our short guides on the families of modern video cards and processors on the basis of which they are produced. It should be noted the frequencies of operation, support for modern technologies (shaders), as well as the pipeline architecture. Now let's look at the tests. Unigine Tropics Benchmark Far cry 2 All permissions on one page, No AA, No AF All resolutions on one page, AA 4x + AF 16x Unigine Heaven Benchmark DirectX 11.0 All permissions on one page, No AA, No AF All resolutions on one page, AA 4x + AF 16x Aliens versus Predator (2010) All permissions on one page, No AA, No AF All resolutions on one page, AA 4x + AF 16x Crysis Warhead, Cargo All permissions on one page, No AA, No AF All resolutions on one page, AA 4x + AF 16x Formula 1 (2010) All permissions on one page, No AA, No AF All resolutions on one page, AA 4x + AF 16x 3DMark 11 Graphics Marks All permissions on one page, No AA, No AF All resolutions on one page, AA 4x + AF 16x Colin McRae: DiRT2 All permissions on one page, No AA, No AF All resolutions on one page, AA 4x + AF 16x Metro 2033 All permissions on one page, No AA, No AF All resolutions on one page, AA 4x + AF 16x Just Cause 2 All permissions on one page, No AA, No AF All resolutions on one page, AA 4x + AF 16x conclusions Let's start with the analysis Ranking accelerators site, which demonstrates to us the functionality of video cards relative to each other and is normalized by the weakest accelerator - Geforce GT 430 (that is, the combination of speed and functions of GT 430 is taken as 100%). Here is a selection from this rating. Rating of 3D accelerators website № Accelerator name Ranking site The rating is useful. Price 09 650 165 394 10 630 120 527 11 610 118 517 12 610 124 491 13 580 147 394 14 560 189 297 15 550 142 386 16 530 157 338 17 510 174 293 18 490 131 374 19 490 165 297 As we can see, the heavily overclocked 7870 (and we tested the Powercolor product exactly at these operating frequencies, and the card from MSI was able to work stably at close frequencies) took the leading position in the lineup, outperforming even the much more expensive 7950. At the same time, the overclocked one was no less decent The 7850 easily overpowered the more expensive rivals in the face of the Radeon HD 6970 and Geforce GTX 570, and the Asus product runs at just such high frequencies. And even if we look at the nominal frequencies of the Radeon HD 7850 (and today we are studying the Radeon HD 7850 for the first time), we will see that it lagged behind only the GTX 560 Ti 448, having a slightly higher price. Utility rating (features / price) № Accelerator name The rating is useful. Ranking site Price 12 HD 7850 2048MB, 1020/1020/5600 189 560 297 17 GTX 560 Ti 448 1280MB, 732/1464/3800 174 510 293 18 HD 7850 2048MB, 860/860/4800 165 490 297 19 HD 7870 2048MB, 1150/1150/5500 165 650 394 21 GTX 570 1280MB, 732/1464/3800 157 530 338 23 HD 7870 2048MB, 1000/1000/4800 147 580 394 24 HD 6970 2048MB, 880/880/5500 142 550 386 28 HD 6950 2048MB, 800/800/5000 131 490 374 30 GTX 580 1536MB, 775/1550/4000 124 610 491 31 HD 7950 3072MB, 800/800/5000 120 630 527 33 GTX 580 3072MB, 783/1566/4040 118 610 517 In terms of utility (in other words, in terms of performance and functionality from each invested dollar or ruble), the overclocked 7850 (that is, essentially a product from Asus) is among the leaders within the sample. The fully operational 7850 is in third place, and that is only because its price is too high, like a new item. Prices will stabilize soon and we will see the 7850 take the lead within the group. However, let's not forget that we conducted our research on the condition that the prices of the standard 7850 and those operating at higher frequencies are approximately equal. After all, not all ordinary 7850s will be able to accelerate this way. The older 7870 are literally following, nose to nose, and also bypass competitors in usefulness. Now let's go over the maps. Asus HD7850 DirectCU II TOP 2048MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI-E - an excellent version of a modern mid-range accelerator (or medium-high, if I may put it that way), increased operating frequencies and good CO give a chance to become one of the best among the Radeon HD 7850. One can also note the product's good overclocking capabilities. Powercolor HD7870 PCS + 2048MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI-E - a very interesting and advantageously different variant of the 7870 from the reference copies. In general, we have already written that the Radeon HD 7870 itself is a very interesting product that can easily catch up with and even bypass the more expensive 7950 when overclocked, and in this case we have just about such an instance. And the noise from the OS is not very critical. MSI R7870 TwinFrozr III 2048MB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI-E - to all appearances, according to its characteristics, it should be the best variant of the 7870, and even almost it is, the card has excellent overclocking potential, although the nominal frequency is raised a little. But the noise of the cooling system ... With such a fancy cooler ... It's a disappointment. As a result, we again have a scoring problem. However, the excellent overclocking potential outweighed the scales, and we decided to reward this product as well, but with a very big stretch. The final decision traditionally remains with our readers. We only give information about the products reviewed, but we do not make direct instructions on the choice of a particular product. I would like to once again say separately about the Radeon HD 7850 as a whole. AMD has an amazing 78xx series! If the 7870 is just a star, it can easily catch up with the more expensive 7950 (when overclocked), then the 7850 is a direct candidate for the most profitable accelerator, whose place is now actively occupied by the Radeon HD 6770, but after stabilization and falling prices for 78xx cards there is every chance that the 7850 will become a "people's accelerator" (unless there is a collision with AMD drivers again, since we have seen more than once how annoying mistakes and errors of programmers simply ruined excellent products from the Radeon series). The following cards received awards in the "Original Design" nomination (for May 2012):

HD 7870 - $ 142 ()