Mid-Range NVIDIA GPU Battle: GTX 460 vs. GTX 470
The first GeForce graphics card we're looking at today is from Taiwan based hardware manufacturer, Gigabyte Technology. Well known for their motherboards, Gigabyte has expanded their product line up to include cases, coolers, power supplies, notebooks, and peripherals as well as graphics cards. During the past couple of years, we have seen a steady stream of reference and overclocked versions of video cards from both ATI and NVIDIA featuring Gigabyte logos. And here we get our hands on the latest release from the Super Overclock line.
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Gigabyte GTX 470 Super Overclock Graphics Card
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| Model GV-N470SO-13I Core Clock 700 MHz Memory Clock / Size 837 MHz / 1.28 GB Ports Two DVI One HDMI |
Accessories OC Guru Overclocking Utility User Manual Mini HDMI to HDMI Cable DVI to VGA Adapter Molex to 6-pin PCIe Power Adapters Warranty 3 years Price $279 |
Gigabyte offers three different models based on the GTX 470. The base model follows the reference design from NVIDIA, sporting a dual slot, single fan cooling solution, and offers a core clock of 607MHz. We've noticed Gigabyte is normally a cost leader when it comes to their stock cards, and that's the case here. This product goes for $249 and is currently one of the most affordable GTX 470 available. There's a slightly overclocked model that bumps GPU frequency to 630MHz, and sells for $299. Of course, the fastest of the group is the Super Overclock model. As we find with almost every Super Overclock card that lands in our test bed, this one provides the highest GPU frequency available in its class. With a core clock frequency at 700 MHz, and memory at 837 MHz right out of the box, no other GTX 470 on the market can touch it.
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The Super Overclock GTX 470 features a dual slot cooler with three fans sitting on a very long heatsink. We normally don't see a video card sporting three fans, but the SOC GTX 470 is able to pull it off mainly due to its extended length of 11", compared to the stock version at 9.5". Gigabyte claims this design aids in heat dissipation and is quieter. In addition, three copper heat pipes carry heat from the center of the heatsink to other areas. Like the reference design, this card requires two 6-pin PCI Express connections from the power supply.
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Furthermore, the card comes with a small bundle of accessories. Gigabyte includes two Molex to 6-pin PCI adapters, a DVI to VGA adapter, and a mini HDMI to HDMI cable. Of course, there's also an installation guide and utilities disk included.
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On the disk, Gigabyte bundles its OC Guru software. This is an overclocking and monitoring utility that provides three profiles for quick configuration: Gaming, Standard, and Power Saving Mode. In addition, you can modify core clock, memory clock, GPU voltage, memory voltage, and fan speeds independently, along with the ability to save up to two profiles. OC Guru also displays GPU temperature and allows for OSD adjustments.
