Which 7970GHz Edition card is better?

[asalikus]

I'am planing to buy the 7970GHz edition and found two solid choices. One is from Sapphire and other is from XFX. They both cost $450 but I can only buy one. I wanted to know which card has the best overall reliability on temperatures, overclocking ability, noise and performance. I personally liked the design of the XFX card but I'am open minded and wanting hear your thoughts. I also want to know if buying a video card now is smart, because I've heard that there will be new graphics card coming in few months. I currently use the Intel 4000 and I found it OK for graphics, but still feel like I should buy a graphics card since I play heavily demanding games such as BF3, Farcry 3 and Sniper Elite V2 and such. So which is a better choice? I'am not a fan-boy so any other advice other than these cards will be strongly appreciated.

Here are the cards:

1. XFX Double D FX797GTDFC Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition
Link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150632

2. SAPPHIRE Vapor-X 100351VXSR Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition
Link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202001

(I will choose the Best-Answer)

 

[bigcyco1]

SAPPHIRE Vapor-X

 

[asalikus]

Oh, and I will Crossfire them on a HAF-922 case, 2 Vapor-X looks like it's going to take a some space and will overheat. Any thoughts here?

 

[bigshootr8]

They are both 2 slot solutions so they fitting will be fine just the same. I would go with the Vapor-x certainly so +1 to big. If you look at the two you get a bit more ventilation with the vapor-x which any extra cooling bonus you can get with a crossfire setup take it because unless you have a bridge that is long they will be sandwiched either way.

 

[asalikus]

Haha, sandwiched gave me a picture of how they will be, so +1 for that . Thanks for telling me about the cooling bonus.

They are both 2 slot solutions so they fitting will be fine just the same. I would go with the Vapor-x certainly so +1 to big. If you look at the two you get a bit more ventilation with the vapor-x which any extra cooling bonus you can get with a crossfire setup take it because unless you have a bridge is long they will be sandwiched either way.

 

[asalikus]

Best answer selected by asalikus.

 

[bigshootr8]

Yea haha! In most cases that is the case if you have a extended mobo though you could get a super large bridge and it would be better airflow wise but yes the vapor-x I have a feeling destroys the xfx config in CF

 

[asalikus]

I wish, though, I only have Asrock Extreme4 z77.

Yea haha! In most cases that is the case if you have a extended mobo though you could get a super large bridge and it would be better airflow wise but yes the vapor-x I have a feeling destroys the xfx config in CF