PowerColor AX7770 1GBD5-2DH Radeon HD 7770 GHz Edition 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card

Pros: Good card with low power. Handles my casual gaming requirements.

Cons: Not quiet at stock settings. If you're looking for a quite card out of the box, this isn't it.

I had issues with the video "shaking" with this card since I got it. No artifacts like you might expect when overheating. And the tempurature didn't need to be warm for it to happen. I exchanged email with their support and sent them some videos of the issue. They were polite but no resolution was ever decided on. It wasn't terrible for the most part so I just dealt with it. Just recently installed Win8 and didn't even think about it but I haven't seen it happen since. So might have be some weird driver issue or hardware conflict or something.

Other Thoughts: So yeah, the fan control on this card is just stupid. I believe the default fan speed when idle is 40%. It's not anywhere near quiet at this level. Using Fanspeed, I have it off during normal operations and the temps are fine. If I push it with furmark, the fan gets up to right around 40% and the temps are within a reasonable range. So the factory default minimum is close to what it should need to be max really. (Note that I left the fan speed at stock settings for a test and still had my issues with the shaking output.)

The card overall is fine. I really was hoping for a GoGreen HD7770. But it doesn't seem that PowerColor is making one of those. So I decided to try this one. Given the issues, I would be tempting to go with Sapphire as I've never had any issues with them.

Pros: This card has outdone the games I want to play, I have had no overheating issues so far, and I'm overall having a good time. This is my first time owning a gaming PC, (before, I was using laptop for gaming) and to be honest, this card is the icing on the cakes. Ventilation out of the PCI-E slot is a smart way to keep this card cool, and overall, I'm just having a super time.

Cons: None.

Other Thoughts: I don't know why people are complaining about the reference design. This is just a great card in general.

Pros: Easy to remove from the system

Cons: I have two paperweights that are in the way

Other Thoughts: The manufacturer responded in the typical condesension it only makes it worse.
On a brand new system twin cards, BSOD on basic programs that are normally stable, I replaced both with twin Nvidia 660's guess what? Now my new system is stable, and can run max on everything just like a I7 3770k should. My son put these cards in another system and this AM I found them back in my office, When I asked What gives, his only reply was GARFF!!! JUNK AVOID LIKE THE COOTIES

Manufacturer Response:

I do apologize for the issues you've encountered with our product. I would like to personally assist you with the issues you've encountered with these cards. Please contact me at jgaray@powercolor.com so that I may do so.

Thank you,

Jonathan

Pros: Works great with the latest driver. Be sure to uninstall your old driver before installing the latest one.

Cons: none

Pros: Displays ok when it works but kind of fuzzy on graphics.

Cons: Random crashes BSOD using Word and Google earth, cannot use max resolution on new monitor using a HDMI cable

Other Thoughts: We got two of these cards on a prebuilt my advice avoid like the plague!

Manufacturer Response:

I apologize for the issues you've experienced with our product. Please feel free to contact me directly for assistance at jgaray@powercolor.com so that we can troubleshoot your issues and get your computer properly running.

Thank you,

Jonathan

Pros: None

Cons: Caused random blue screens.
Cards ran over 70C even at 100% fan speed on load, idles around 50C (78F/50%RH environment, housed in a Corsair Obsidian 650D).
RMA'd the cards and had to pay re-stock fee, shipping fee, and a fee for a pickup of the box.
If you're considering on buying these and putting them in Crossfire because they're cheap, well I hope you get cards that actually pass quality control.
I'm sticking with the manufacturers I know and trust.

Manufacturer Response:

The temperature you've listed is actually perfectly fine under full load. The maximum temperature of the card is 105C before the card will go into fail-safe mode and either throttle down or shut the computer off. Though it may be unfavorable, anything of 95C or lower isn't anything to really be concerned about in regards to temperature.

If you are having issues with the cards not working though, please feel free to contact me at jgaray@powercolor.com in order for me to assist you directly.

Thank you,

Jonathan

Pros: It was a great card, had no issues with it until.....

Cons: well. it slowly died. artifacts began to pop up on screen, then it wouldnt even post, all i got was a grey screen. It ran hot and was noisy.

Other Thoughts: Please dont buy it.

Manufacturer Response:

I apologize for the issues you've encountered with our product. Please contact me directly at jgaray@powercolor.com so that I may personally assist you.

Thank you,

Jonathan.

Pros: Max most games out @1080p
runs fairly cool most of the time
very low power consumption
fairly quiet
low price

Cons: 128bit interface
reference design

Other Thoughts: if you have the extra money go for a 6870

Pros: Theoretically low power consumption and low temperature and okay performance
2nd card appears to work okay in games, but only in games
Works as long as a few hours sometimes

Cons: 1st card displayed artifacts and crashed in Windows XP with 12.3 drivers (included with card) and Vista with 12.3 and 12.4 drivers, RMAed
2nd card crashes in Windows XP with 12.4 drivers and 7 with 12.4 drivers, anytime, not in games
2nd card kind of stable in Windows Vista with 12.4 drivers, but not used much there
Windows 7 12.4 drivers GPU overdrive does not work - you accept the license and nothing happens except it asks you to accept the license again - definitely a driver issue there
Tested with multiple machines, generally flaky except on Vista on an old Acer Aspire machine.
Severe issues with installing and uninstalling AMD drivers, nothing ever cleans up properly, so this could be leftover driver components gumming up the works, but I did everything but use a blowtorch to get the drivers off before the last few installs

Other Thoughts: Don't know if the 2nd card problems are the card or the drivers, given that it didn't seem to crash in Vista, but I didn't use the card in Vista much.
The driver installation problems are suspicious
The white screen of death and grey screen of death or gray screen of death thing in Windows 7 is driving me insane. This appears to happen only during 2D work?!? because I don't remember it happening during a game.

I would really like for this to work properly, my previous ATI 4670 card served me very well for 3 years. But I will probably replace this card with a different manufacturer when I can no longer stand the pain.


Windows XP Professional / Phenom X3 8450 / 4GB DDR2 800 / Acer Aspire M3201 / Corsair TX650
Windows XP Professional / Athlon II X3 455 / 16GB DDR3 1333 / ASUS M5A97 / Corsair TX650
Windows Vista Home Premium / Phenom X3 8450 / 8GB DDR2 800 / Acer Aspire M3201 / Antec B550 PLUS
Windows 7 Ultimate / Phenom II X6 1045T / 32GB DDR3 1333 / ASUS M5A97 / Antec B550

Manufacturer Response:

As you stated, this seems to be a driver related issue you've encountered here. Please contact me directly at jgaray@powercolor.com so that I can assist you in resolving these issues you're encountering.

Thank you,

Jonathan

Pros: Great performance on smaller screens.
Run really cool
Come with a free game?
Some are able to overclock it to 1100/1225 ?

Cons: Mine seems to hate overclocking , the highest stable overclock i was able to do is 1020mhz on the core and 1150mhz on the memory.

Other Thoughts: This is a 100% reference card with powercolor stickers all over it.