Overclocking and noise
OverclockingBFG's 6800 Ultra is already a recipient of a speed boost from default NV40 specifications, so core headroom was already at a premium. However, tinkering with core and memory settings can always eke out a few extra FPS. I managed to re-run the Far Cry benchmark, without blemish or distortion, at 455MHz core and 1185MHz memory.
It had this effect at the highest quality setting
Doesn't seem like much, does it?. Every little helps, especially when the framerate often hits 25FPS in more complex parts of the benchmark.
Noise
The inevitable problem with air-cooling a card that can consume 110w is one that NVIDIA has done quite well with. For the most part, the card's fan is unobtrusive in 2D mode and only mildly annoying in full-blown 3D mode. Noise is a pretty subjective issue, as what bothers one person may not bother another. I still feel as if the reference cooler's design and subsequent fan noise is something that NVIDIA and its partners need to work on. ATI firmly has the lead here, as an XT PE can barely be heard in all but the quietest of systems. So BFG's 6800 Ultra isn't particularly loud when judged in absolute terms, but it seems to be unnecessarily so by ATI's standards.
