Sapphire v Powercooler

[ThreeSpires]

Looking at geeting my son an Rx480 but im unsure which card performs the best the Sapphire Nitro or the Powercooler Red devil, looks dont bother me just performance.

 

[n0ns3ns3]

They are exactly the same in terms of performance.
And kinda too expensive for what they are. EVGA GTX 1060 SC Gaming performs 10-15% better on average while cost less, runs cooler and quieter.

 

[SherbetAddict]

Really depends on your pricing, warranty and overall thoughts on aesthetics.
After seeing some benchmarks online, I can say that they perform similarly. Sapphire has always been the reputable AMD-exclusive 3rd-party supplier, so you may want to know that. I'd advise shopping around for some deals and having a close look at the warranty offered.

http://www.eteknix.com/sapphire-nitro-rx-480-oc-8gb-graphics-card-review/4/
http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/powercolor_radeon_rx_480_red_devil_review,24.html

 

[ThreeSpires]

Thanks for the reply, im looking at AMD as he has a Freesync monitor, i read that the Powercooler ran cooler than the Sapphire so wonered is that would affect performance.

 

[n0ns3ns3]

freesync monitor is not important.
it will practically perform the same on both Nvidia and AMD cards. Enabling Fast Sync option in nvidia control panel will do the job

 

[SherbetAddict]

Thanks for the reply, im looking at AMD as he has a Freesync monitor, i read that the Powercooler ran cooler than the Sapphire so wonered is that would affect performance.

As long as the temps don't exceed 80C, you should be fine, as temperatures don't really have any performance impact.
The load temperature tests below show a 75C temp for the Nitro and 76C for the Red Devil. The idle for the Nitro is 37C and the Red Devil is 52C. Pretty strange how the Red Devil is 52C in idle but I don't see that as a massive problem.

http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/powercolor_radeon_rx_480_red_devil_review,6.html
http://www.eteknix.com/sapphire-nitro-rx-480-oc-8gb-graphics-card-review/11/

 

[n0ns3ns3]

That's kind very hot. those tests performed in rooms with AC and mostly on open stands.
"With today's graphics cards, please make sure your PC is well ventilated at all times, this will seriously help you on the overall GPU temperatures. Once the card reaches its maximum temperature threshold of 80 Degrees or another limiter, it will start throttling on the boost frequency as well as voltages and fan RPM."
And those are 10C above 1060.

 

[SherbetAddict]

"That's kind very hot."
Srsly, It's down to ur personal preference, maybe ask your kid which he prefers?

 

[n0ns3ns3]

Yes, open cooler 150w GPU at 75C is too hot.
Put it in an average case and it's reaching over 80C in seconds -> throttling(no performance) + noise = bad user experience.
My kids are not deciding what to use unless they pay for it.