Very good card for current games in my "Brüllwürfel" ...

After Nvidia has unveiled the new Maxwell architecture which will draw only half of the socket under load and should also remain very cool I had to try the card in any case.

My main concern was noise reduction in performance maximization. My "Brüllwürfel" has gotten the name that is only due to the graphics card volume. The Akasa Nero LX and BeQuiet PSU are absolutely silent, only the card fan was far audible ...

The first attempt at a Palit went terribly wrong. The map already went under normal load (main menu Thief) high at 98 degrees and sounded like a jet plane. As it turned out no cooling paste was applied (so advised me well the "Supporter" to screw the card and look up ... Which of course is absolute nonsense because you thereby naturally lose the guarantee).

The next card, a Evga superclocked, already heard in idle at 40 degrees as would give me every moment hopsen the housing through the area. EVGA has on the map an absolute cheap fan installed simply too loud / fast turns and can not be set. (Also the BIOS update brings no improvement, see EVGA forum).

The question was now "fully Happe and not feel more, or at least try it on?"

As I have already had experience with the telephone support from Zotac Zotac Z for a box I know that this is top notch.
Super friendly, knowledgeable, very solution-oriented and absolutely honest and direct ...

Once the support staff to me so clearly (and those with Zotac I think that) has assured that there are no problems with the cards I have low (118, -) ​​ordered on the Internet ...

Today it has arrived and I have to say: absolutely loved it.
The card comes much better packaged than previous ones. No room, no slipping inside the package. The cooler has a lot of "capable" and professional, also the card is 4cm shorter than the previously tested. This of course makes a HTPC or in a steam box / CoolCube something out.

The guarantee period is (after registration with Zotac) 5 years. So more than the normal life cycle of the card with me * laughs *

The card runs at idle to 28 degrees and is inaudible. No matter what I try (FurMark burn-in, OC, Thief, Games orgies etc.) I do not get above 60 degrees or "audible" ...

Spend the money for an expensive OC version is worth the Zotac also not there at the Maxwell architecture is very overclocking joyfully. With me it runs (by several tests stable) on CPU Clock 1222Mhz, Boost Clock 1300 MHz Memory Clock 6000 MHz (installed by the way Samsung Ram) and clocks the boost in Thief / Tomb Raider etc. even further to 1375MHz high ,
Higher oc'en would certainly still in it but enough for me the power of absolute and I really wanted to "beat" the only Evga superclocked * lol *

It is equipped with the standard clock fixed but still quieter and cooler than my previous Powercolor R7 260x (and at half of current hunger) and proposes after OC'en (with EVGA Precision) even the R7 265 ...

She remains as cool as the standard Clock Speeds (and as quiet) ...

I am absolutely thrilled general of the map, the support and Zotac.

If the Zotac Support reading this: Thanks for the friendly and competent advice and so here as promised my review 0)

One major drawback is now for me already: I ​​have to type a new name for my little box superior because "Brüllwürfel" thanks to the Zotac card absolutely not true ...

Conclusion: Absolute buy recommendation for this card. Better than R7 260x / 265x, pretty small, absolutely energy efficient, cool and quiet!