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EVGA e-GeForce 7950 GX2 1GB BlackPearl Review |
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Written by Mavke
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Wednesday, 09 August 2006 |
Hexus shares with us a review on the EVGA e-GeForce 7950 GX2 1GB BlackPearl graphics card. Remember that water cooled GeForce 7800 GTX 512MB, which features the BlackPearl suffix? You should, it was arguably the fastest graphics card ever created at that time. Since, EVGA are certainly on the up in terms of NVIDIA AIB partner execution. They've got some sweet SKU's, regardless of whether you love air or water, but it's their water based stuff that really pushes the boat out. Slick waterblocks already attached, easy fitment, near silent running and overclocked performance are what define the BlackPearl signature series of boards from EVGA.
 EVGA e-GeForce 7950 GX2 1GB BlackPearl Review
So if you're feeling hardcore and hard of wallet, they usually sit near the top of any consideration list you might form, when choosing high-end VGA hardware. They've seemingly not done a BlackPearl since the GeForce 7800 GTX 512MB, which is somewhat surprising, but there's arguably been good reason. You see NVIDIA recently launched the GeForce 7950 GX2, bringing single board SLI to the well-heeled masses. And not too long ago they also released a driver for do-it-yourself GeForce 7950 GX2 SLI. That's right, Quad SLI and we will unleash its power with the e-GeForce 7950 GX2 BlackPearl's.
EVGA ships the same basics as they did with the e-GeForce 7800 GTX 512MB version, in terms of most of the water cooling extras you need to build it up, although the radiator appears slightly fatter than I remember, presumably to better cope with the heat from two GeForce 7900 GX2's in a single loop. There are two blocks, one for each GPU on their separate PCB slices, joined by a conduit that sticks out into any chassis you'll integrate one or two of them into. EVGA clock the e-GeForce 7950 GX2 BlackPearl at 600/1400MHz, with the 600MHz applying across all clock domains for all GPU's.
Do-it-yourself Quad SLI is a reality that's available to anyone with around £800 to spend, or thereabouts, presuming they have the rest of a PC infrastructure that'll support it. The driver is publically available, making running four GPU's in your PC system something you can do if you really want to. It's whether you really want to that you'll have to decide. Quad SLI adds double the considerations in a physical sense, and you must certainly make sure the rest of your PC is up to the task, in many ways. However, if it's something that appeals, then the tools are at your disposable for enjoyable high resolution gaming.
As concerns the specific EVGA samples, the e-GeForce 7950 GX2 BlackPearl is, we think, the most boutique and speedy graphics board that money can buy. That says volumes on its own, standing head and shoulders above the rest, should water cooling be up your street. And if it's as easy to fit and maintain as EVGA have made it, why wouldn't it be up anyone's street if the price was right? No more involved than changing an air cooler, as long as you're patient and considerate. The silence and performance at 600/1400MHz afforded by these BlackPearl's makes them seriously appealing.
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