• Welcome to TechPowerUp Forums, Guest! Please check out our forum guidelines for info related to our community.

MSI HD 7970 Lightning "GPU Reactor" Detailed

btarunr

Editor & Senior Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 9, 2007
Messages
46,283 (7.69/day)
Location
Hyderabad, India
System Name RBMK-1000
Processor AMD Ryzen 7 5700G
Motherboard ASUS ROG Strix B450-E Gaming
Cooling DeepCool Gammax L240 V2
Memory 2x 8GB G.Skill Sniper X
Video Card(s) Palit GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER GameRock
Storage Western Digital Black NVMe 512GB
Display(s) BenQ 1440p 60 Hz 27-inch
Case Corsair Carbide 100R
Audio Device(s) ASUS SupremeFX S1220A
Power Supply Cooler Master MWE Gold 650W
Mouse ASUS ROG Strix Impact
Keyboard Gamdias Hermes E2
Software Windows 11 Pro
If you've seen the first pictures of MSI's Radeon HD 7970 Lightning graphics cards, you may have noticed an unusual-looking round cutout on its backplate, right behind the GPU. We are learning that this cutout, and the tiny headers on the exposed PCB are actually a socket for what MSI is referring to as a "GPU Reactor" (I can imagine Iron Man fans prepping their flame throwers right about now).

The "GPU Reactor" is a round add-on device that sits on this socket. It is essentially an add-on PCB that holds a battery of tantalum capacitors, which further conditions power for the GPU. Apart from capacitors, there are a few blue LEDs and a round, transparent window that make it light up. To what extant this gadget helps with maintaining stable OCs remains to be seen, but on the "flip-side", it could pose spacing issues with other add-on cards located right above HD 7970 Lightning cards that are outfitted with one of these.



View at TechPowerUp Main Site
 
Last edited:
Joined
Apr 4, 2008
Messages
4,686 (0.80/day)
System Name Obelisc
Processor i7 3770k @ 4.8 GHz
Motherboard Asus P8Z77-V
Cooling H110
Memory 16GB(4x4) @ 2400 MHz 9-11-11-31
Video Card(s) GTX 780 Ti
Storage 850 EVO 1TB, 2x 5TB Toshiba
Case T81
Audio Device(s) X-Fi Titanium HD
Power Supply EVGA 850 T2 80+ TITANIUM
Software Win10 64bit
So if you don't buy it you get a retarded looking cutout on the back of your card, and if you do buy it you get a really retarded looking glowy plastic thingy. Clearly a win-win.
 
Joined
Jun 17, 2007
Messages
7,335 (1.20/day)
Location
C:\Program Files (x86)\Aphexdreamer\
System Name Unknown
Processor AMD Bulldozer FX8320 @ 4.4Ghz
Motherboard Asus Crosshair V
Cooling XSPC Raystorm 750 EX240 for CPU
Memory 8 GB CORSAIR Vengeance Red DDR3 RAM 1922mhz (10-11-9-27)
Video Card(s) XFX R9 290
Storage Samsung SSD 254GB and Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s
Display(s) AOC 23" @ 1920x1080 + Asus 27" 1440p
Case HAF X
Audio Device(s) X Fi Titanium 5.1 Surround Sound
Power Supply 750 Watt PP&C Silencer Black
Software Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit
So what they do with games they are starting to do with GPU's?

Just release the dam thing with the few extra capacitors, I don't need to buy extra content for my GPU.
 

btarunr

Editor & Senior Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 9, 2007
Messages
46,283 (7.69/day)
Location
Hyderabad, India
System Name RBMK-1000
Processor AMD Ryzen 7 5700G
Motherboard ASUS ROG Strix B450-E Gaming
Cooling DeepCool Gammax L240 V2
Memory 2x 8GB G.Skill Sniper X
Video Card(s) Palit GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER GameRock
Storage Western Digital Black NVMe 512GB
Display(s) BenQ 1440p 60 Hz 27-inch
Case Corsair Carbide 100R
Audio Device(s) ASUS SupremeFX S1220A
Power Supply Cooler Master MWE Gold 650W
Mouse ASUS ROG Strix Impact
Keyboard Gamdias Hermes E2
Software Windows 11 Pro
So if you don't buy it you get a retarded looking cutout on the back of your card, and if you do buy it you get a really retarded looking glowy plastic thingy. Clearly a win-win.

Bingo.
 
Joined
Aug 13, 2010
Messages
5,380 (1.08/day)
 
Joined
Dec 31, 2009
Messages
19,366 (3.72/day)
Benchmark Scores Faster than yours... I'd bet on it. :)
Oye...... I wonder how much this will cost and more specifically, regardless of cost, if its worth it. I know its not for 99% of users...
 
Joined
Mar 27, 2008
Messages
697 (0.12/day)
Location
Zagreb, Croatia
Processor C2D E8400@3.9GHz (488x8, 1.4v :( )
Motherboard Abit IP35-E
Cooling Thermaltake Sonic Tower+120mm fan
Memory 2GB kingmax ddr1066@976MHz 5-5-5-15
Video Card(s) Radeon X1800GTO @700/1400MHz with Accelero S1+Glacialtech fancard
Storage 2xSeagate Barracuda 7200.10 160GB
Display(s) Samsung SyncMaster 793s... just you laugh...
Case some Aplus case
Audio Device(s) Realtek ALC888
Power Supply Chieftec 450W
Software Win7 x64
and moar vespene
 
Joined
Jun 26, 2008
Messages
2,417 (0.42/day)
Location
Whitby, Ontario
Processor AMD Ryzen 5 2600
Motherboard MSI B450 Gaming Plus
Memory GSkill 8GB Dual Channel DDR4-2800
Video Card(s) MSI GamingX RX580 4GB
Storage Kingston V300 240GB SSD + WD Green 2TB
Display(s) ACER K212HL 27" + Haier 55" + Lenovo Explorer Mixed Reality Headset
Case Enermax Ostrog (Red)
Power Supply EVGA SuperNOVA B2 750W
Software Win10 64bit
It probably does nothing just like the "so called" Lab Burst Mode on the MSI A75MA-G55 FM1 mobo.
 
Joined
Nov 4, 2005
Messages
11,655 (1.73/day)
System Name Compy 386
Processor 7800X3D
Motherboard Asus
Cooling Air for now.....
Memory 64 GB DDR5 6400Mhz
Video Card(s) 7900XTX 310 Merc
Storage Samsung 990 2TB, 2 SP 2TB SSDs and over 10TB spinning
Display(s) 56" Samsung 4K HDR
Audio Device(s) ATI HDMI
Mouse Logitech MX518
Keyboard Razer
Software A lot.
Benchmark Scores Its fast. Enough.
Possibly the same effect as decoupling caps on the die. Or just a sales gimmic.
 
Joined
Feb 23, 2008
Messages
1,064 (0.18/day)
Location
Montreal
System Name Aryzen / Sairikiki / Tesseract
Processor 5800x / i7 920@3.73 / 5800x
Motherboard Steel Legend B450M / GB EX58-UDP4 / Steel Legend B550M
Cooling Mugen 5 / Pure Rock / Glacier One 240
Memory Corsair Something 16 / Corsair Something 12 / G.Skill 32
Video Card(s) AMD 6800XT / AMD 6750XT / Sapphire 7800XT
Storage Way too many drives...
Display(s) LG 332GP850-B / Sony w800b / Sony X90J
Case EVOLV X / Carbide 540 / Carbide 280x
Audio Device(s) SB ZxR + GSP 500 / board / Denon X1700h + ELAC Uni-Fi 2 + Senn 6XX
Power Supply Seasonic PRIME GX-750 / Corsair HX750 / Seasonic Focus PX-650
Mouse G700 / none / G602
Keyboard G910
Software w11 64
Benchmark Scores I don't play benchmarks...
So if you don't buy it you get a retarded looking cutout on the back of your card, and if you do buy it you get a really retarded looking glowy plastic thingy. Clearly a win-win.

You also get a free copy of the awesome Iron Man 2 game. (not confirmed)
 

jbunch07

New Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2008
Messages
5,260 (0.89/day)
Location
Chattanooga,TN
Processor i5-2500k
Motherboard ASRock z68 pro3-m
Cooling Corsair A70
Memory Kingston HyperX 8GB 2 x 4GB 1600mhz
Storage OCZ Agility3 60GB(boot) 2x320GB Raid0(storage)
Display(s) Samsung 24" 1920x1200
Case Custom
Power Supply PC Power and Cooling 750w
Software Win 7 x64
MSI better be careful or they will soon be sued by Tony Stark.
 

1Kurgan1

The Knife in your Back
Joined
Dec 8, 2008
Messages
10,421 (1.86/day)
Location
Duluth, Minnesota
System Name My Comp | Fiancees Comp
Processor i7 5820k @ 4.6Ghz 1.285v| i5 2500k
Motherboard MSI x99 SLI Plus | AsRock Z77 Pro 3
Cooling Watercooled
Memory 16GB DDR4 2400 @ 2666 | 12GB DDR3 1600
Video Card(s) AMD R9 290x | MSI 5850 OC
Storage 128gb SSD + 2x 2TB | 2TB
Display(s) Asus 27" LCD | 25" Hanns G
Case CM Storm | CM Elite 430
Audio Device(s) Creative Recon 3D PCIe
Power Supply Enermax Galaxy 1250W | Rosewill 630w
Mouse Logitech G700s | Logitech G100s
Keyboard Logitech G901 | Logitech G105
Software Win 8.1 Ultimate x64 | Win 8.1 Ultimate x64
Benchmark Scores 3D Mark - Fire Strike Extreme - 4403
All I got to say is... Iron Man doesn't have a flamethrower (flames would scare civilians, he needs to look heroic).
 
Joined
Mar 20, 2008
Messages
885 (0.15/day)
System Name Raptor
Processor Core i7 13700K
Motherboard MSI Z690 Tomahawk WiFi
Cooling ArcticFreezer 420
Memory Corsair VENGEANCE® 32GB (2x16GB) DDR5 5600MHz C36
Video Card(s) Palit GameRock 3080Ti OC
Storage M.2 Addlink S70 Lite , Samsung SSD 980 PRO 2TB, SanDisk Ultra II 480GB, 1TB seagate
Display(s) ASUS TUF VG27AQL1A
Case LANCOOL III
Audio Device(s) Realtek® ALC4080 Codec + Philips SHP9500
Power Supply Seasonic GX-1000
Mouse G502 Proteus Spectrum
Keyboard ASUS CERBERUS
Software Windows 10
is that suppose to be looking good or doing good maybe none... :shadedshu GDY MSI just put your extra capacitors within the card and done.
 
Joined
Jan 31, 2012
Messages
2,452 (0.55/day)
Location
Bulgaria
System Name Sandfiller
Processor I5-10400
Motherboard MSI MPG Z490 GAMING PLUS
Cooling Noctua NH-L9i (92x25mm fan)
Memory 32GB Corsair LPX 2400 Mhz DDR4 CL14
Video Card(s) MSI RX 5700 XT GAMING X
Storage Intel 670P 512GB
Display(s) 2560x1080 LG 29" + 22" LG
Case SS RV02
Audio Device(s) Creative Sound Blaster Z
Power Supply Fractal Design IntegraM 650W
Mouse Logitech Triathlon
Keyboard REDRAGON MITRA
Software Windows 11 Home x 64
That is SO cool :) More bling-bling please. :D I've always like the asus mars GTX 280 with the GPU usage indicator on the side of the card. Bring the gimmicks! :D
 
Joined
May 22, 2010
Messages
2,516 (0.50/day)
Location
Canada
System Name m1dg3t | DeathBox | HairPi 3
Processor 3570k @ 4.0 1.15v BIOS | q9550 @ 3.77 1.325v BIOS
Motherboard Asrock z77e iTX | p5q Dlx 2301 BIOS
Cooling Custom Water | D-14 & HR-03gt | Passive HSF
Memory Samsung MV-3V4G3D 4g x 2 @ 1866 1.35v | OcZ RpR 2g x 4 @ 1067 2.2v
Video Card(s) MSi 7950 tf3 @1000 / 1350 | Asus 5870 V2 @ 900 / 1275
Storage Adata sx900 256Gb / WD 2500 HHTZ | WD 1001 FALS x 2
Display(s) BenQ gw2750hm | 46" Sharp Quatron
Case BitFenix Prodigy - m0dd3d | Antec Fusion Remote MAX
Audio Device(s) Onboard Toslink > Yamaha HTR 6290 | Xonar HDAV1.3 > Yamaha DSP z7
Power Supply Ocz mXp700w | Ocz zx850w | Cannakit 5v 2.5a
Mouse Logitech G700s | Logitech G9x - Cable Repaired
Keyboard TT Meka G1 - Black w Cherry Blacks| Logitech G11
Software Win7 Home | Xp sp3 & Vista ultimate | Raspbian
Benchmark Scores Epeen!! Who needs epeen??
WTF were they thinking? I mean a yellow stripe is one thing but a silly capacitor add on, really :wtf:

They should make this card available sans cooler and with the "reactor core" built into the card itself :eek:
 
Joined
Mar 1, 2012
Messages
41 (0.01/day)
System Name The Xinator
Processor i5 2500k @ 4.6Ghz
Motherboard ASUS P8Z68-V-PRO
Cooling Phanteks PH-TC14PE
Memory 8GB Corsair Vengeance White LP 1600Mhz 1.35v
Video Card(s) Gigabyte GTX780 Windforce OC (Rev 2.0)
Storage OCZ Vector 256GB
Display(s) Hazro HZ27WD(V2) 2560x1440
Case Antec 1200 (V1)
Audio Device(s) ASUS Xonar DGX
Power Supply Antec CP-850
Software Windows 7 Pro 64bit
I'm sorry but the Twin Frozr IV cooler is by leagues the sexiest GPU Cooler ever conceived.

I've been staring at the 7870 Hawk for some time now and realise I should be working.

I cannot wait for the benchmarks of the 7970 Lightning though - I want to see that 14+2 Phase Voltage Regulator in action - 1400mv stable anyone?
 

NHKS

New Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2011
Messages
596 (0.13/day)
MSI-R7970 Lightning scores for LOOKS:
Front(fan) side: 9/10
Backplate(PCB) side: 0/10

The presence of that R-core on the backplate means PCIE connectors on MB need to be atleast 3 slots apart for X-fire capability.
 

nonkX3

New Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2012
Messages
17 (0.00/day)
Location
Somewhere in Central Java
System Name I wish I bought something else useful
Processor dear God...my Phenom II 955 @4.0GHz just keep refuse to die...
Motherboard some MSI 890FX...something
Cooling i think it's a Corsair H50
Memory used to be an expensive Patriot Viper 1600 CL7
Video Card(s) I'm satisfied with my MSI GTX560Ti
Storage total of 1.5TB WDC (no Porn whatsoeva kids)
Display(s) 22 inches Dutch made LED monitor
Case This CM HAF922 is freakin heavy!!
Audio Device(s) i've got two of these!!
Power Supply a 3 yrs old 600W Silverstone still do the trick
Benchmark Scores I'm currently benchmarking my bank account before and after i'm enjoying what people call "PC gaming
first is a fan that farts dust...second is a goofy battery wrongfully placed... oh how i can't wait to see what's next.
 
Joined
Jan 2, 2008
Messages
3,296 (0.56/day)
System Name Thakk
Processor i7 6700k @ 4.5Ghz
Motherboard Gigabyte G1 Z170N ITX
Cooling H55 AIO
Memory 32GB DDR4 3100 c16
Video Card(s) Zotac RTX3080 Trinity
Storage Corsair Force GT 120GB SSD / Intel 250GB SSD / Samsung Pro 512 SSD / 3TB Seagate SV32
Display(s) Acer Predator X34 100hz IPS Gsync / HTC Vive
Case QBX
Audio Device(s) Realtek ALC1150 > Creative Gigaworks T40 > AKG Q701
Power Supply Corsair SF600
Mouse Logitech G900
Keyboard Ducky Shine TKL MX Blue + Vortex PBT Doubleshots
Software Windows 10 64bit
Benchmark Scores http://www.3dmark.com/fs/12108888
That is just too gimicky o_0
 

cadaveca

My name is Dave
Joined
Apr 10, 2006
Messages
17,232 (2.63/day)
I'll reserve judgement until results are shown, buut it occurs to em that it'd be extreme clocking users that would benefit from such stuff the most, however, at the same time, it might interfere with a pot's backplate.

I also hope you can change the LED colour...
 
Joined
Jun 4, 2011
Messages
424 (0.09/day)
System Name All the Cores ... (VMs)
Processor Ryzen9 5900x
Motherboard Gigabyte X570 Aorus Master (Bios F36c)
Cooling Noctua NH-D15S
Memory TridentZ neo 4x 16gb 3600Mhz C16 (F4-3600C16D-32GTZNC)
Video Card(s) RTX 3070 Ti
Storage 2x Sn750 2TB
Display(s) OPTIX MPG341CQR & LG 32UD60-B
Case CASELABS M8
Power Supply EVGA SuperNOVA g5 750w
Mouse Corsair m65 Pro
Keyboard Corsair K70
Software Windows 10pro/64
Benchmark Scores N/A .. yet updating soon
MSI-R7970 Lightning scores for LOOKS:
Front(fan) side: 9/10
Backplate(PCB) side: 0/10

The presence of that R-core on the backplate means PCIE connectors on MB need to be atleast 3 slots apart for X-fire capability.

Not sure if you have ever used A MSI Twin Froz III or ASUS DCII. They both clearly state you should not to run these cards back 2 back (blocks the air flow). Should Leave 1x PCI/E slot open. Anyhow what crappy motherboard makes you do 2x crossfire back2back. All RoG boards 2x cross-fire has 2x PCI/e slots in between them.
 
Joined
Dec 31, 2009
Messages
19,366 (3.72/day)
Benchmark Scores Faster than yours... I'd bet on it. :)
I'll reserve judgement until results are shown, buut it occurs to em that it'd be extreme clocking users that would benefit from such stuff the most, however, at the same time, it might interfere with a pot's backplate.

I also hope you can change the LED colour...
Winner winner....chicken dinner. :toast:

I didnt even think about how that would effect strapping a pot on it... But looking at it................I can still see the threads and at least my pot is a bolt through so it would work. Not sure about others (Tek9 slim/fat for example) with backplates (if those have a backplate).
 

newtekie1

Semi-Retired Folder
Joined
Nov 22, 2005
Messages
28,472 (4.25/day)
Location
Indiana, USA
Processor Intel Core i7 10850K@5.2GHz
Motherboard AsRock Z470 Taichi
Cooling Corsair H115i Pro w/ Noctua NF-A14 Fans
Memory 32GB DDR4-3600
Video Card(s) RTX 2070 Super
Storage 500GB SX8200 Pro + 8TB with 1TB SSD Cache
Display(s) Acer Nitro VG280K 4K 28"
Case Fractal Design Define S
Audio Device(s) Onboard is good enough for me
Power Supply eVGA SuperNOVA 1000w G3
Software Windows 10 Pro x64
So if you don't buy it you get a retarded looking cutout on the back of your card, and if you do buy it you get a really retarded looking glowy plastic thingy. Clearly a win-win.

You forgot to mention that if you do use it, it makes the card too tall for another card to go next to it, turning the card into a 3 slot card...
 

Athlon2K15

HyperVtX™
Joined
Sep 27, 2006
Messages
7,909 (1.24/day)
Location
O-H-I-O
Processor Intel Core i9 11900K
Motherboard MSI Z590 Carbon EK X
Cooling Custom Water
Memory Team DDR4 4000MHz
Video Card(s) ASUS TUF RTX 3080 OC
Storage WD WN850 1TB
Display(s) 43" LG NanoCell 4K 120Hz
Power Supply Asus Thor 1200w
Mouse Asus Strix Evolve
Keyboard Asus Strix Claymore
So will this card power my Iron Man suit?
 
Top