Is a full cover better?

[StormRider]

Merry Christmas guys!
I've got the money to get a new graphics card, but I'm stuck about how the card covers work into it. for example, here's two versions of the XFX 5770
with the full cover: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-447-_-Product
without the full cover: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-462-_-Product
which one is a beter card, and for what reasons?
thanks!

[slaveofconvention]

TBH it'll vary from card to card... Both systems work well enough for the vast majority of people - and both can be removed if you want to add different cooling later so I'd go review hunting and pick something based on overclock/performance, or if you aren't going to overclock, go price & warranty comparing and choose that way.

If a full cover was ALWAYS better then everyone would use them, and vice versa....

[blaze15301]

i like the full cover better because i think it looks cleaner in the case. and it exhaust the hot air out of the case.

[nevermind1534]

They both can work well, but in different ways. With a cover, the fan blows air through the cover to the exhaust. Without a cover, it blows the air onto the heatsink, more like a CPU fan. I suppose it's more personal preference than anything else. I can see the covers holding a lot more dust than the ones without covers if you don't blow them out.

[diluzio91]

also, if you plan to watercooling, full covers are reference cards.

[SXRguyinMA]

/\ This. The first one you listed will work with wc, the second will not as the card is a non-reference design.

TBH though, the reference coolers (first link) don't work as well as the non-ref coolers. I had a 5850 with a non-ref cooler and it stayed cooler than all the reviews on a reference 5850, and quieter at the same time. Those blower fans on the ref. coolers can get loud quick.

But companies generally only make water blocks for reference design cards.

My 6870 is a reference design, and the fan is noticeable at only 30%, whereas my non-ref 5850 wasn't noticeable until 45%. And at 100%, the non-ref 5850 was loud but bearable, whereas if I change the 6870 cooler to 100% it's UNGODLY loud

[StormRider]

in that case, I'll definitely go reference in case I decide to go watercooling sometime in the future, when I can actually afford it
Thanks a lot!
edit: ok, this is the card I have settled on. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-512-_-Product
good choice? bad choice? I'm leaving to get my new card in a few hours, so I would appreciate answers as soon as possible

[nevermind1534]

I'm not sure, but I'm thinking that that card is not a reference card with reference cooler.

[StormRider]

well, it's exactly what was reviewed, and what is now sitting in my case, so it's a touch late for advice. sorry.

[SXRguyinMA]

yea the BE is DEF not a ref cooler or card lol