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Author Topic: Seeking Advice -Which 7970 to buy now?  (Read 3062 times)
planman (OP)
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March 18, 2013, 02:42:50 AM
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Hello,

I am going to buy some 7970's to do some bitcoin and litecoin mining. The hash rate per $ seems to match the 7850/7870 cards, so I figure I might as well just buy 7970's and get higher density and maybe better resale.

I know ASIC are coming. Someday... but I am going to jump in anyway because I can buy 7970's now and do litecoin if all else fails Smiley

Right now I am leaning toward the MSI 7970

Does anyone have any first hand experience with the different versions of the 7970? I am specifically trying to figure out which manufacturer and model of 7970.

I would welcome input from anyone who has mined them or who has other input about them.

Thank you,

Planman
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March 18, 2013, 02:46:02 AM
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I have no specific experience with the 7970 but in general I find sapphire non-reference to have really good cooling
Certain XFX video cards are the only ones where you can get a lifetime warranty.
I was personally looking at the Gigabyte OC model for a while. Apparently it runs really cool

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March 18, 2013, 03:03:01 AM
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I have no specific experience with the 7970 but in general I find sapphire non-reference to have really good cooling
Certain XFX video cards are the only ones where you can get a lifetime warranty.
I was personally looking at the Gigabyte OC model for a while. Apparently it runs really cool


VisionTek also offers lifetime warranty.

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Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

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March 18, 2013, 03:20:45 AM
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https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=152790.0

My list of totally unscientific, unproven, and completely biased recommendations of GPU brands.

Good: Gigabyte, MSI, Asus, Sapphire, Powercolor

Bad: XFX, Diamond, HIS, Visiontek

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March 18, 2013, 03:22:37 AM
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https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=152790.0

My list of totally unscientific, unproven, and completely biased recommendations of GPU brands.

Good: Gigabyte, MSI, Asus, Sapphire, Powercolor

Bad: XFX, Diamond, HIS, Visiontek


Not a single issue with either MSI, PowerColor, HIS or VisionTek. OC like champs and run cool. Only issues with Diamond were failed fans and lousy customer support.

When the subject of buying BTC with Paypal comes up, I often remember this: 

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

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March 18, 2013, 03:27:58 AM
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Kiss 7990
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131483&IsVirtualParent=1

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March 18, 2013, 03:29:34 AM
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Nice  Grin

When the subject of buying BTC with Paypal comes up, I often remember this: 

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

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planman (OP)
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March 18, 2013, 03:47:56 AM
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That is the "Big Mac" version of the 7970 i think Smiley

I was hoping to make money, so I think I should look at the other ones....
planman (OP)
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March 18, 2013, 03:50:24 AM
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I was thinking the MSI because I know I can get replacement fans for it...

The lifetime warranty on the other cards sounds pretty interesting.
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March 18, 2013, 03:58:29 AM
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That is the "Big Mac" version of the 7970 i think Smiley

I was hoping to make money, so I think I should look at the other ones....
How so? This could be a dangerous way of thinking, depending on your response.

My warranty experience with XFX was good. Had they not been out of replacement fans for my card at the time, they even would have sent me the fan instead of me having to send my card to them. That said, their cooling solutions are shitty, in my limited experience.
For the record, I was not aware of VisionTek's warranty, so that is something to look into.

planman (OP)
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March 18, 2013, 04:14:02 AM
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That is the "Big Mac" version of the 7970 i think Smiley

I was hoping to make money, so I think I should look at the other ones....
How so? This could be a dangerous way of thinking, depending on your response.

My warranty experience with XFX was good. Had they not been out of replacement fans for my card at the time, they even would have sent me the fan instead of me having to send my card to them. That said, their cooling solutions are shitty, in my limited experience.
For the record, I was not aware of VisionTek's warranty, so that is something to look into.

Good question!

I usually divide hash rate / dollars.

I figure that cooling, replacement fan availability, and warranty are the next three important factors.

I prefer the squirrel cage style fans for mining because the blades seem better protected. I have also been thinking about water cooling...

Most of my existing mining equipment paid for itself a long time ago. I am hoping if I buy some good trouble free stuff and let it run that I will be able to at least break even, if not make a little money.

Resale value only figures into my exit strategy. And since I have never yet sold a card... I don't worry about it much.

Your thoughts?
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March 18, 2013, 01:42:50 PM
 #12


That is the "Big Mac" version of the 7970 i think Smiley

I was hoping to make money, so I think I should look at the other ones....

It's a 2 x 7970. They have binned and used the best 7970 on this card.

Revewing Bitcoin / Crypto mining Hardware.
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March 18, 2013, 01:49:09 PM
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ASICS are here and not coming. Just a suggestion, Buy BTC with the money. Store it cold, Open it a decade later. Live like a king.

Will take me a while to climb up again, But where is a will, there is a way...
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March 18, 2013, 03:09:50 PM
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That is the "Big Mac" version of the 7970 i think Smiley

I was hoping to make money, so I think I should look at the other ones....

It's a 2 x 7970. They have binned and used the best 7970 on this card.

I got this card a couple weeks ago, no regard for break-even, just want to mine w/least hassle. Runs very cool. Recommended. If I do anything else it'll prob be an FPGA on solar.
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March 18, 2013, 03:14:01 PM
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ASICS are here and not coming. Just a suggestion, Buy BTC with the money. Store it cold, Open it a decade later. Live like a king.

Also doing this.
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March 18, 2013, 04:58:23 PM
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I was personally looking at the Gigabyte OC model for a while. Apparently it runs really cool

I got a couple of GB 7850 OCs and I'm surprised how cool they run even after overOCing them, room temp is around 28C during the day and these GPUs won't go over 62C..
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March 19, 2013, 12:07:21 AM
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Any brand will do. They are more or less the same. You might get better cooling, better pcb components, higher frequencies, etc.
Get what ever is cheaper and overclock it a little bit.

If money it's not important  Shocked, Asus cards are great.
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March 19, 2013, 12:45:47 AM
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That is the "Big Mac" version of the 7970 i think Smiley

I was hoping to make money, so I think I should look at the other ones....

It's a 2 x 7970. They have binned and used the best 7970 on this card.

I got this card a couple weeks ago, no regard for break-even, just want to mine w/least hassle. Runs very cool. Recommended. If I do anything else it'll prob be an FPGA on solar.
+1

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MKEGuy
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March 19, 2013, 01:40:42 AM
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Considering you will not be able to miner Bitcoin very much long, at least if you care about making more money then your paying your electric man for the power it eats....   You should be making sure that you are able to mine Litecoin with it well.  In order to that in the most efficient way, its highly advisable to make sure you do not purchase a 7970 that has a bios with locked voltage. 

Yes, some of them can be unlocked - but I wouldn't purchase a card on a "might be successfule".  Many of the newer XFX's are locked.  I have 7 of them that are earlier unlocked versions that all mine over 650 kh/s while undervolted and save a couple, I've had them up to 730 kh/s when I leave them at stock volts. 

Now if I were to start overvolting - who knows where I could end up.  I'll provide two links below that have settings that have been running for 24 hours.  I have recently played with them a little more and they are hashing a little faster now at the same volts.  The temperatures are awesome - but that is due to the fact they are all equipped with Arctic Accelero coolers.  Something else that I highly recommend when scrypt mining since you will find yourself overclocking the memory for max performance unlike bitcoin mining which is not dependent on the memory.

These 7970s in m mind are an unbeatable value in the mining world.  If scrypt mining continues as it should when ASICS take over the bitcoin world due to the difficulty hike, 7970s will be leading the way.

And if for some reason you find yourself getting out of mining all together.  You will have yourself one badass card(s) to game with, or will be extremely easy to sell on the forums, ebay, crigslist, etc.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0b9apmnawgrg7l0/miner1.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4mqaftgbj8c6847/miner2.jpg

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March 19, 2013, 06:17:37 AM
 #20

Hello,

I am going to buy some 7970's to do some bitcoin and litecoin mining. The hash rate per $ seems to match the 7850/7870 cards, so I figure I might as well just buy 7970's and get higher density and maybe better resale.

I know ASIC are coming. Someday... but I am going to jump in anyway because I can buy 7970's now and do litecoin if all else fails Smiley

Right now I am leaning toward the MSI 7970

Does anyone have any first hand experience with the different versions of the 7970? I am specifically trying to figure out which manufacturer and model of 7970.

I would welcome input from anyone who has mined them or who has other input about them.

Thank you,

Planman

Avoid Diamond.  Their customer service sucks.


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