PowerColor Radeon HD 6850 SCS 3 Graphics Card Review - PAGE 1

Passively cooled graphics cards (all heatsink and heatpipes, no fans) are nothing new, but products that utilize passive thermal solutions are typically found in the entry-level segment and have a maximum thermal design power rating that is under 75 watts. The reason for this is simply because it is harder to maintain low enough tempratures on higher end graphics cards while not having at least some source of active cooling. PowerColor is about to change this however with their latest passively cooled graphics card, the Radeon HD 6850 SCS 3.

The PowerColor HD 6850 SCS 3 (Silent Cooling Solution) is a card that distinguishes itself from other HD 6850 cards by including a passively cooled thermal solution that utilizes five 6mm heatpipes and a 62-fin heatsink array for maximum yet completely silent thermal performance. In addition, the PowerColor HD 6850 SCS 3 utilizes a large cooling plate and independent memory heatsinks to ensure all the vital on-board components are adequately cooled. The thermal solution is very robust, and this could potentially be the most powerful graphics card on the market that utilizes a passive solution. However, the question is will the SCS 3 heatsink be enough to maintain low temperatures across the board, or will the heat ultimately win out?

The HD 6850 SCS 3 is a design we were first introduced to back in January of this year during our CES coverage. This means that PowerColor has been working meticulously on the design of the SCS 3 heatsink for over six months, so we are intrigued to see what the final results are.