Pros: Low profile, extreme power, nice tatoo included, almost all games are playable 1920x1080 maxed, price/performance, performance/watt
Cons: Runs hot, heatsink is less efficient in tight spaces, noise, length, availability, no 3way eyefinity
The hd7850 low profile from Afox is the strongest low profile card available on the market today.
Availability (Click to show)
The package was nicely wrapped when it came in shipped with DHL.
Also I didn't have to pay any taxes over it which usually isn't the case for non EU packages as I reside in the Netherlands.
Moving on to the real product
For those who dare to deny pictures say more than a thousand words.
System contents: (Click to show)
The card measures 23 centimeters(9.05 inches) which is longer than normal low profile cards which are about 18 centimeters(7.09 inches).
For me that is quite a drawback as now its not gonna fit my tiny case although I am thinking about putting it sideways.
Also there is a 6 pin power connector which the normal hd7850 also has.
I though it wouldn't have one as the 6850 low profile also from Afox doesn't have one and the 7850 and 6850 have the same tdp.
On the other hand the pci-e slot can only guarantee 75 watts so pulling 110 watts from it would be raising the amps by 3 amps which might ruin your setup.
It has 1 DVI connector and one full size display port connector.(I know a display port could provide 3 screens but there are no splitters or cables which can actually do this so for now its 2 monitors max through native connections)
The card has 2 fans blowing over the heatsink this low profile card takes almost 2 slots in width.
Underclocking and undervolting this card is not a bad idea considering a 15% decrease in voltage and core clock would make it run 30% cooler.
With a minimal loss in performance.
Benchmarks (Click to show)
Availability (Click to show)
That is the first point I would like to start out with as Afox is based in Asia its very hard to find a retailer mine was shipped from the factory for which I am very grateful.
For those who consider buying one I got mine here (note: the picture is of the 6850 low profile which has a red pcb but the 7850 has a black one)
Packaging and content. (Click to show)For those who consider buying one I got mine here (note: the picture is of the 6850 low profile which has a red pcb but the 7850 has a black one)
The package was nicely wrapped when it came in shipped with DHL.
Also I didn't have to pay any taxes over it which usually isn't the case for non EU packages as I reside in the Netherlands.
Moving on to the real product
For those who dare to deny pictures say more than a thousand words.
Asus z8na-d6 (pci-e 2.0 doesn't matter at all for the midrange even for the high range it does not matter that much)
2x intel e5520
20GB of HP ddr3 1066 reg ecc ram
coolermaster silent pro 600w power supply
Power consumption, heat and noise. (Click to show)2x intel e5520
20GB of HP ddr3 1066 reg ecc ram
coolermaster silent pro 600w power supply
Power consumption
The power consumption of this card is identical to a normal hd7850 since it has same voltages and clocks it also hold the exact same core.(105 watt at full load specs dedicate it can draw up to 130w and its rated for 150w(pci-e slot + 6 pin power plug))
Due to the non reference pcb there is a +/- 1 watt difference.
Heat production
For a htpc cards this is a major issue so as I was stress testing this card I found out that its ok but could be better.
I placed it in my case which is a Apple g5 tower which has a plastic air shield this is to guide the suck of airflow through all the heatsinks as I had it installed and I started stressing it I noticed a slow increase even at 100% fan speed which did not stabilize.
The cause was the fact that the air shield was sealing of the top of the card which is the part where the card sucks air between the fins.
For full length card the airshield decreases temps but in this case it doesn't.
which resulted into this(it was still gaining but due to safety I though it would be best not to push it to 105 although it can even handle that for quite some time)
Although this high temp is my fault it is a design flaw since htpcs also have very limited space above them and might also run in this problem.
After removing the plate it runs 91 degrees Celsius full load 100% fan
It idle's at around 59 degrees Celsius at 70% fan.
Those are within operating specifications but not if there would be limited airflow or dust.
Although this might just be a driver related issue because of some weird reason after opening msi afterburner to lower the voltage which was blocked out the idle temp miraculously dropped to 45 degrees celsius and 36 procent fan which are great temps for a low profile card and is just audible over my other hardware I would say 30/35Dba while 100fan sounds like 47Dba!
However when stressing it it still maxes out in the lower 90's
Noise
I find the card quite noisy as it is audible above all my other components thing is if you don't stress its quite and if you stress it you are probably gaming so you wouldn't notice it with the sound on.
It is louder than my 570gtx which I would have normally running in this system as I purchased this for a casemod.
A closer look at the card and thoughts. (Click to show)The power consumption of this card is identical to a normal hd7850 since it has same voltages and clocks it also hold the exact same core.(105 watt at full load specs dedicate it can draw up to 130w and its rated for 150w(pci-e slot + 6 pin power plug))
Due to the non reference pcb there is a +/- 1 watt difference.
Heat production
For a htpc cards this is a major issue so as I was stress testing this card I found out that its ok but could be better.
I placed it in my case which is a Apple g5 tower which has a plastic air shield this is to guide the suck of airflow through all the heatsinks as I had it installed and I started stressing it I noticed a slow increase even at 100% fan speed which did not stabilize.
The cause was the fact that the air shield was sealing of the top of the card which is the part where the card sucks air between the fins.
For full length card the airshield decreases temps but in this case it doesn't.
which resulted into this(it was still gaining but due to safety I though it would be best not to push it to 105 although it can even handle that for quite some time)
Although this high temp is my fault it is a design flaw since htpcs also have very limited space above them and might also run in this problem.
After removing the plate it runs 91 degrees Celsius full load 100% fan
It idle's at around 59 degrees Celsius at 70% fan.
Those are within operating specifications but not if there would be limited airflow or dust.
Although this might just be a driver related issue because of some weird reason after opening msi afterburner to lower the voltage which was blocked out the idle temp miraculously dropped to 45 degrees celsius and 36 procent fan which are great temps for a low profile card and is just audible over my other hardware I would say 30/35Dba while 100fan sounds like 47Dba!
However when stressing it it still maxes out in the lower 90's
Noise
I find the card quite noisy as it is audible above all my other components thing is if you don't stress its quite and if you stress it you are probably gaming so you wouldn't notice it with the sound on.
It is louder than my 570gtx which I would have normally running in this system as I purchased this for a casemod.
The card measures 23 centimeters(9.05 inches) which is longer than normal low profile cards which are about 18 centimeters(7.09 inches).
For me that is quite a drawback as now its not gonna fit my tiny case although I am thinking about putting it sideways.
Also there is a 6 pin power connector which the normal hd7850 also has.
I though it wouldn't have one as the 6850 low profile also from Afox doesn't have one and the 7850 and 6850 have the same tdp.
On the other hand the pci-e slot can only guarantee 75 watts so pulling 110 watts from it would be raising the amps by 3 amps which might ruin your setup.
It has 1 DVI connector and one full size display port connector.(I know a display port could provide 3 screens but there are no splitters or cables which can actually do this so for now its 2 monitors max through native connections)
The card has 2 fans blowing over the heatsink this low profile card takes almost 2 slots in width.
Underclocking and undervolting this card is not a bad idea considering a 15% decrease in voltage and core clock would make it run 30% cooler.
With a minimal loss in performance.
Great job!
have orderd many packages abroad but had yet to not get fined.
The card consumes about 105W under load so as long as you 12V rail can cover that + everything else running on the 12V rail with ease it'll work.
If its a extreme low price no brand thing then you should check the 12V rail before doing so.
2 pci slots 3/4 centimeters I guess.