Overclocking and Noise
Overclocking was great on the Aeolus sample, the board clocking the closest to the original 6800 Ultra review board back in April, out of all the air-cooled 6800s I've personally tested. Here's the clock obtained.
Just for giggles, on a 3GHz Athlon FX system that I'm running just now, that's enough for 30,000 3DMarks in 3DMark 2001SE, and close to 14,000 in 03.
As always, your retail example mileage my vary, the press sample reviewed may or may not have been handed picked and we can't guarantee either way.
Noise
To be quite honest, the noise of the Aeolus 6800 Ultra was absolutely dreadful. Sounding like a quartet of Rolls Royce RB211 turbo-fan engines producing the full 60,000lbs of thrust - and that's just in 2D mode - the Aeolus was in real danger of turning my entire street deaf.Only jokin'. Quiet in 2D mode, none too bad in 3D mode, just like every other reference cooler-equipped 6800 Ultra you'll come across. Not silent, but not RB211-like either.