Search found 36 matches

by allwinner
Wed Feb 16, 2011 9:13 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Worth replacing MSI Cyclone cooler?
Replies: 14
Views: 6008

Re: Worth replacing MSI Cyclone cooler?

You could simply replace the fans with slightly larger slim fans that are controlled by either your motherboard or a fan controller. Alternatively, Accelero S1's fit on some GTX460's. You can then attach slim fans to the top card (b/c you won't have much room). You'll also need to purchase a longer ...
by allwinner
Wed Feb 16, 2011 8:29 pm
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: Asus E35M1-M Pro: AMD Fusion Motherboard
Replies: 84
Views: 59412

Re: Asus E35M1-M Pro: AMD Fusion Motherboard

Excellent review. I have been following the various previews of the bobcat variations with high hopes that they could meet my htpc and/or home server needs. The current iteration doesn't meet my htpc needs but it may serve as a worthwhile replacement for my whs. I have a few questions and comments. ...
by allwinner
Sat Jan 29, 2011 1:42 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey
Replies: 50
Views: 30218

Re: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey

What is the speed of the fan at idle without software adjustments? I'm getting the same minimum speed - 1070 RPM - but only barely, as it's at 27% now. Fortunately, the card is whisper-quiet up to 36%, so I'm not worried about idle fan speed even in summer. I'm aware of micro-stuttering having prev...
by allwinner
Sat Jan 29, 2011 9:55 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey
Replies: 50
Views: 30218

Re: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey

Do you have multi-display enabled? When using multiple monitors (or perhaps even having it enabled....I haven't tested either way), the card's downclock is less (300 300, iirc). I believe the standard single monitor downclock is 100/100 or 100/150 (I'm not in front of the PC with the 6850 at the mo...
by allwinner
Sat Jan 29, 2011 9:50 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey
Replies: 50
Views: 30218

Re: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey

(1) After flashing your card, please confirm that the voltage downclocks while in 2d mode (.945) and then switches to 1.006 for 3d mode. Yes, it does. (2) Fan control no longer works after flashing the bios? Your previous posts indicate you had no issues with fan control prior to the flashing. Soft...
by allwinner
Thu Jan 27, 2011 1:55 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey
Replies: 50
Views: 30218

Re: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey

I have already flashed my card. The only issue was that WinFlash hangs the PC after flashing, so you have to restart it. :shock: :) Other than that, it worked. I set 3D voltage to 1.00625V. Well, actually, I initially set it to 1.006, but if you reopen the BIOS after editing, you'll see that the ac...
by allwinner
Thu Jan 27, 2011 8:45 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey
Replies: 50
Views: 30218

Re: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey

Hey. Having the same issues with the Asus DirectCu as you have discussed in the last few posts. At 20% (and 25% actually) the fan wont go below 1800 RPM. Turning it further down in MSI Afterburner has no effect. Doesn't sound like a rare occurrence at least. Sounds like a card to avoid for those lo...
by allwinner
Wed Jan 26, 2011 10:34 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey
Replies: 50
Views: 30218

Re: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey

Allwinner, thank you so much for your help. I've tried all four of your suggestions, but unfortunately they didn't work. Even without Asus SmartDoctor installed, the fan was ~1900 at idle. Confirmed by MSI Afterburner tachometer and GPU-Z sensors tab. Also, tried clean windows install again and use...
by allwinner
Wed Jan 26, 2011 4:47 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey
Replies: 50
Views: 30218

Re: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey

As I posted on another site (of course: TRY AT YOUR OWN RISK): I also have an Asus EAH6850 which stays sufficiently cool idle that I would like to change the idle fan speed (now PWM 22%, 2049 RPM minimum) *** I tried changing the lower PMW fan setting from 22% to 15% (Duty cycle min %) using RBE ve...
by allwinner
Wed Jan 26, 2011 6:28 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey
Replies: 50
Views: 30218

Re: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey

According to that article, the Asus card idled at 1560 RPM (and that's at 38C, so it may be the actual hard limit). Nice catch. But it doesn't explain why Givorg's card will not go below 1900rpm. The article also states that the cards idled at the hard limit of 22% of max rpm. I think you will find...
by allwinner
Tue Jan 25, 2011 10:26 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey
Replies: 50
Views: 30218

Re: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey

The card will not lower the fan below 1000rpm (or 25%). This is the hard limit set in the bios. Don't you think the Asus card could simply have a different hard limit? I asked for the make of the card for this very reason. After learning the card, I discounted that possiblity b/c of the SPRC review...
by allwinner
Tue Jan 25, 2011 7:03 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey
Replies: 50
Views: 30218

Re: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey

Thanks for your suggestions! First, the video card is Asus EAH6850 DirectCU (the one that has a review here at SPCR). I've tried to lower the fan speed with AMD Overdrive down to lowest 20%, but it still stays at ~1900RPM. Whats interesting is that if I raise it to 100% (still in AMD Overdrive), th...
by allwinner
Tue Jan 25, 2011 12:06 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey
Replies: 50
Views: 30218

Re: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey

Were anyone able to lower the idle fan speeds below 1900RPM? Asus SmartDoctor cannot go below 22% fan speed. Also, at idle speeds (i.e. 2D mode), do you notice any whining noise from the GPU fan? Not sure if "whining" is a correct word, but there is some other sound in addition to the typical turbu...
by allwinner
Tue Jan 11, 2011 4:44 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Dilema Sapphire HD 6850 vs. MSI GTX 460 Hawk
Replies: 10
Views: 7312

Re: Dilema Sapphire HD 6850 vs. MSI GTX 460 Hawk

My own Google research has lead me to believe that the best silent graphic card at that performance level is the Gigabyte GTX 460 SOC. See this comparison . Unless I hear contradictory results, I'm planning to buy one this week for a silent gaming PC. However, if you're not planning to play any gam...
by allwinner
Tue Jan 11, 2011 11:18 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Dilema Sapphire HD 6850 vs. MSI GTX 460 Hawk
Replies: 10
Views: 7312

Re: Dilema Sapphire HD 6850 vs. MSI GTX 460 Hawk

I was looking for the Sapphire HD 6850 and found two options at newegg.com: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=Sapphire+HD+6850+1GB&x=24&y=29 Which is the best one (the silent one)? The version that has been widely commented on as quiet is M...
by allwinner
Mon Jan 10, 2011 6:29 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Dilema Sapphire HD 6850 vs. MSI GTX 460 Hawk
Replies: 10
Views: 7312

Re: Dilema Sapphire HD 6850 vs. MSI GTX 460 Hawk

My Sapphire HD6850 exhibits coil whine, too. It doesn't really bother me because it isn't that loud and only happens under load, so even my open headphones mask it. But, no, coil whine isn't a GTX 460 thing. Agreed, 460's generally do not exhibit coil whine. It certainly was with that particular EC...
by allwinner
Sun Jan 09, 2011 12:03 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Sapphire Radeon HD 6850 very silent and not even vapor-x ?
Replies: 80
Views: 70283

Re: Sapphire Radeon HD 6850 very silent and not even vapor-x

Has anyone removed the fan assembly/heatsink cover and taken pics? Or simply replaced the single fan with two larger fans? Considering how well the Accelero S2 performs on the 6850, I'm inclined to think that the Sapphire cooler with a larger fan (or 2) is likely to yield additional benefits over th...
by allwinner
Sun Jan 09, 2011 11:10 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: My Shiney New Gigabyte HD 5750 Silent Cell & OC Benchmar
Replies: 9
Views: 7528

Re: My Shiney New Gigabyte HD 5750 Silent Cell & OC Benchmar

I also wholly recommend the Silent Cell 5750 with one caveat (see below). I recently purchased the Gigabyte 5750 Silent Cell to replace an ECS 8800GT w/Accelero S1 in my htpc. The HTPC case is a SilverStone Desktop HTPC LC20-B. I'm quite pleased with the results. It's cool, energy efficient, and, is...
by allwinner
Sun Jan 09, 2011 9:56 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Dilema Sapphire HD 6850 vs. MSI GTX 460 Hawk
Replies: 10
Views: 7312

Re: Dilema Sapphire HD 6850 vs. MSI GTX 460 Hawk

The Sapphire 6850 is the superior card, all factors considered. My opinion of the Sapphire 6850 can be read here . The card's also undervolts quite well which creates even greater cooling/noise profile. Thread here. What is not mentioned in my post above is that I'm familiar with the 460 line and no...
by allwinner
Sat Jan 08, 2011 7:45 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey
Replies: 50
Views: 30218

Re: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey

After a few laps in Dirt2 I'm getting 65C at 2150rpm with stock settings (voltage and fan speed) and 64C at 1500 rpm with modified settings. Even stock settings are quite tolerable, but undervolting makes things even better. And there is quite a lot of room for adjustments - I could set higher temp...
by allwinner
Fri Jan 07, 2011 9:28 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey
Replies: 50
Views: 30218

Re: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey

My fan profile is based on two points: 20% at 40C and 50% at 80C. The latter is what I could maintain in FurMark prior to undervolting (barely tolerable temperature vs. barely tolerable fan speed :) ). But now I'm getting approximately 43% at 70C, and the difference between 50% and 43% is very noti...
by allwinner
Fri Jan 07, 2011 6:13 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey
Replies: 50
Views: 30218

Re: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey

Thanks for the fan profile recommendation. It should save me some time. My card did not undervolt as well as yours. The card failed 3dmark11 at .945 and .975 (requiring a reboot). It was stable at 1v (I didn't not try b/w .975 and 1). Have you overclocked your card? I'm curious how well it overclock...
by allwinner
Tue Jan 04, 2011 7:12 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey
Replies: 50
Views: 30218

Re: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey

Interesting. I figured that such an undervolt in 3d was unlikely (and thus didn't mention it as a possible occassion that would nullify my conclusion). I'll have to try it out to see if your card is an anomoly. Trixx' inability to undervolt caused me to switch to Afterburner. I rather liked the simp...
by allwinner
Tue Jan 04, 2011 5:16 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Sapphire Radeon HD 6850 very silent and not even vapor-x ?
Replies: 80
Views: 70283

Re: Sapphire Radeon HD 6850 very silent and not even vapor-x

My primary concern with video card noise has always been the noise at idle. I spend 95% of my time using my PC for mundane desktop tasks. And, if it's quiet at idle, it will likely be quiet enough to be drowned out by sound while gaming. I join fellow members lauding the quietness of the Sapphire Ra...
by allwinner
Tue Jan 04, 2011 1:10 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey
Replies: 50
Views: 30218

Re: Radeon 6850 Undervolting Survey

I recently purchased a Sapphire 6850 and have been running through the standard tweaks and testing. After examining the undervolting/underclocking potential and benefits, I have concluded that for all practical purposes the benefits of undervolting/clocking via software are negated by the cards inte...
by allwinner
Thu Sep 09, 2010 10:52 am
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: Seasonic X-400 Fanless PSU
Replies: 167
Views: 153653

I'm also curious to learn the internal differences between the 400w & 460w. The following makes clear what my guess would be if I were to make one. I'm of the opinion that there isn't a sufficient market for both the 400w and 460w, particularly given the current price difference (around $20-30 at th...
by allwinner
Thu Sep 09, 2010 10:39 am
Forum: Power Supplies
Topic: Promotion for Seasonic X-460, but review of X-400 ??
Replies: 14
Views: 7255

Moved post to primary x400 thread


viewtopic.php?p=520919#520919]
by allwinner
Fri Aug 13, 2010 8:47 pm
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: Seasonic X-400 Fanless PSU
Replies: 167
Views: 153653

So yes, it's mostly for people who want a fanless PSU, without any serious reason. For example look at allwinner's setup - 9.2cm fan on video card, 9.2cm fan on CPU heatsink, 8cm outtake fan. This is exactly the setup where this PSU doesn't make any sense to use. Those fans will generate a lot more...
by allwinner
Fri Aug 13, 2010 1:25 pm
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: Seasonic X-400 Fanless PSU
Replies: 167
Views: 153653

The comment about going up to 700W with a fan is interesting. Makes me wonder why they don't release a version with a fan that only kicks in above 400W. With one of the 5000 series Radeons and a modern 6 core CPU you could have a system that runs fanless in normal use but can ramp up to heavy proce...
by allwinner
Fri Aug 13, 2010 1:01 pm
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: Seasonic X-400 Fanless PSU
Replies: 167
Views: 153653

What would be the recommended placement for a traditional HTPC/desktop case where the PSU is positioned on its side and the case has an external grill on the side for the PSU? Here is the case in question as well as a pic of the side grill. The side grill provides 2 options for the typical psu with ...