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Vortez - Computer Hardware News & Reviews » Articles » MSI R7970 Lightning Review

MSI R7970 Lightning Review

Posted by: w3bbo on: 18-02-2013 [ 9 comment(s) ]

With last months release of CAT 13.1, we look at the flagship MSI R7970 Lightning. Is this the fastest GPU available? Find out inside...

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Tagged as: MSI

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MSI R7970 Lightning Review

TheMadDutchDude
VTZ Fan



Posts: 193
Joined: 2010-12-19

#28750 Posted on: 18.02.2013 11:07:25
Great review, Rich.

It's a real shame that MSI have gone with the six screen Eye-Finity option rather than supporting older monitors that needed DVI-D to run at their native resolutions. Just like you said in your review, a lot of people would have higher resolution monitors over a six screen setup.

MSI R7970 Lightning Review

w3bbo



Posts: 606
Joined: 2011-04-21

#28752 Posted on: 18.02.2013 12:35:26
Bizarre to be totally honest. I for one would simply assume that the card came with DVI-D being that it is a top of the range card and thus would be furious after shelling out over £400 for it to find out it wasn't compatible with my Dell 30" screen!

For newer monitors though it is a stonking card.

MSI R7970 Lightning Review

ObscureParadox



Posts: 68
Joined: 2012-11-13

#28759 Posted on: 18.02.2013 14:41:01
Am I right in thinking that the 13.1 drivers where actually poorer though despite the higher average frame rate because they had slower frame latencies? I believe it was fixed in 13.2 though at the cost of lower frame rates.

MSI R7970 Lightning Review

gavbon



Posts: 577
Joined: 2012-12-18

#28764 Posted on: 18.02.2013 15:51:19
You going to send the 7970 my way now then?

MSI R7970 Lightning Review

w3bbo



Posts: 606
Joined: 2011-04-21

#28775 Posted on: 18.02.2013 22:28:13
Quote:
Originally Posted by ObscureParadox View Post
Am I right in thinking that the 13.1 drivers where actually poorer though despite the higher average frame rate because they had slower frame latencies? I believe it was fixed in 13.2 though at the cost of lower frame rates.
Depends which game. As with all drivers, some games have improvements, others (in our test Metro) actually showed poorer performance than 12.4 we used for the 7970 initial release. It is true that stuttering is lessened (though still apparent) on the 13.2 beta but I won't use beta releases for reviews as it can give a false impression of what the end user will see rather than official WHQL drivers.

Personally I didn't notice much stuttering at all but I guess my aging eyes cannot detect it so well .

Quote:
Originally Posted by gavbon View Post
You going to send the 7970 my way now then?
Would Sir like that with or without EK lightning waterblock?

MSI R7970 Lightning Review

gavbon



Posts: 577
Joined: 2012-12-18

#28776 Posted on: 18.02.2013 22:37:57
Quote:
Originally Posted by w3bbo View Post
Depends which game. As with all drivers, some games have improvements, others (in our test Metro) actually showed poorer performance than 12.4 we used for the 7970 initial release. It is true that stuttering is lessened (though still apparent) on the 13.2 beta but I won't use beta releases for reviews as it can give a false impression of what the end user will see rather than official WHQL drivers.

Personally I didn't notice much stuttering at all but I guess my aging eyes cannot detect it so well .



Would Sir like that with or without EK lightning waterblock?
With please

MSI R7970 Lightning Review

kreegor



Posts: 394
Joined: 2011-01-21

#28781 Posted on: 19.02.2013 01:56:47
Quote:
Originally Posted by gavbon View Post
You going to send the 7970 my way now then?
No, you've already got one. Don't be greedy!

Actually, I have one too but mine isn't black and yellow

MSI R7970 Lightning Review

w3bbo



Posts: 606
Joined: 2011-04-21

#28791 Posted on: 19.02.2013 12:07:59
Go faster stripes are always welcomed

MSI R7970 Lightning Review

kreegor



Posts: 394
Joined: 2011-01-21

#28821 Posted on: 19.02.2013 23:23:42
Quote:
Originally Posted by w3bbo View Post
Go faster stripes are always welcomed
This is true. It's better when they are red because we all know red makes things go faster.

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