Are the ATI 3780 quiet?

[jjahshik32]

I just ordered it today and probably will receive it sometime this week. Anyways my current ATI hd2600 xt's fan is pretty loud you can hear an echoing of the sound (I remember the nvidia 8800gt being whisper quiet compared to this ati).

I think there is something wrong with the fan on my hd2600 xt but since I'm going to upgrade my gpu anyways I orderd the 3870, is it quiet as the nvidia 8800gt?

 

[kahine]

Not for me it isn't , but I've gotten used to it

I think in fact the 8800gt waited too long to spin the fans up even in 3d mode and got a good bit warmer and the ATI ones spin their fans up sooner

It's not as loud as I've read from people with the 2600 so it's likely between the 8800 and 2600

I have two and the top one stays slightly louder with the fan going (not full blast but some) since its a bit hotter from having the bottom one blowing up on it

 

[Weaselboy]

I just replaced an ATI X1900 with the 3870 (assume you mean 3870 and not 3780) and it is much quieter. During normal operation, I can hardly hear the fan. It spins up slightly when playing large videos, but is still not bothersome.

 

[jimithing1]

Just installed mine and it is definitely louder than the ATI 2600 I upgraded from. The fan is constantly running while I am idling in OSX and hasn't stopped. Should it be doing this? I could never hear the 2600 at all.

 

[jjahshik32]

Just installed mine and it is definitely louder than the ATI 2600 I upgraded from. The fan is constantly running while I am idling in OSX and hasn't stopped. Should it be doing this? I could never hear the 2600 at all.

Not for me though, I havnt received my 3870 yet but the mac pro being right next to me I can hear the hd 2600xt's high pitched whirrling noise.

 

[Chaos123x]

I put in a 3870 and I would say it is much quieter then the 2600 XT.


Sometimes when I turn the computer on and I get nervous cause I don't hear the 2600 XT fans ramp up, then I realize my computer is turning on and the 3870 us just that quiet.

 

[wpc33]

So, two people say loud, two say quiet....is this gonna be a db lottery?

 

[jjahshik32]

I was thinking the exact same thing...

 

[kahine]

I'm with the other poster saying that my one card you cannot hear except when playing 3d games in OS X - the fan on my second stays spun up more just due to being bit hotter with the bottom blowing on it but before I put it in my one 3870 had the Mac silent most of the time

But if anyone's single card is blowing constantly I'd say you either have it in a higher temp room or something is wrong with it - I've heard the old 2600's and my single 3870 was silent in comparison - also it stays on top of the desk in a house where we keep the air on 73 at most and lower at times so the ambient temp may have something to do with it

 

[hidea]

My apology in advance for posting a slightly off topic post:


1) Will a SAPPHIRE, or ASUS branded ATI HD3870 work on the Mac Pro? If so, which specific model should I get? (Single Slot? Double Slot?)

2) Where's the best place for Canadians to get this 3870 card?

 

[ventro]

If you live in Canada, do yourself a favor and get it from NCIX. Shortly after I posted about not being able to buy it in Canada I found it on NCIX:

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=30995&vpn=100-435928&manufacture=ATI

Ordered yesterday morning, now the box is sitting on my desk as I type now. It's a little more pricey than OWC but they do have a price-matching feature if you can find it in-stock anywhere else (fat chance). But once you factor in the shipping and duty fees that OWC would charge, the price becomes roughly the same.