Sapphire Radeon HD 7770 Overclock Edition 1GB Graphics Card Review

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVu-nvRoy8Y[/youtube]

Following all of our tests, we are surprised by the performance that Sapphire have been able to draw out of the 7770.  The overclock levels take the card right upto the next level and for those who want a card with 6800 series levels of performance, then this is a serious contender as an alternative and one that I’d recommend with out a doubt.

Taking the performance levels back to the start, AMD have stated many times that the 5770 is the most successful DirectX 11 graphics card to date as chosen by gamers, and going by the performance levels that we have seen here today, Sapphire’s 7770 Overclocked edition is another positive result that the card has what it takes to take the top spot.

When we look at cards of this performance level, its not fair to compare them to the top end cards as naturally these lower end cards are way out of that territory. For this reason, naturally, the top end enthusiasts are not likely to look at this card for its frame crunching performance nor its 3D rendering capabilities. Where a card like this is going to thrive is with the everyday user who would like to upgrade their 2D productivity such as music producers and anyone who is likely to have a multi screen setup.  In this situation, the card is more than capable of driving three and even upto 6 monitors via the use of DisplayPort 1.2 enabled monitors giving them a huge workspace to work with and then if they so wished could then delve into a bit of light gaming, where as we’ve seen the card is more than capable of delivering.

Continuing with the everyday user, upgrading their pc is going to be a little more cost effective than they imagined. Whilst the top end 7900 series cards are floating around the £420 mark, we expect to see the 7770 series card retail for around the $159 (£100) although by the time we see them arriving in the UK, expect the prices to be a little higher.

For all of this though the card as a whole is a fantastic deal, and for around about £100 the performance that is on offer for both 2D and 3D applications is a huge leap and to rival against a 6850 is not something that I thought I would be seeing.

Update: Pricing has now arrived of this card with Overclockers UK at £124.99 and is available today for pre-order from here. According to sources, stock should arrive within the next week.