Best GTX 970 brand?

[Guest niciuffo]

So, I am planning to sell my GTX 780 and buy two 970's for that sweet low power/noise SLI. I am not convinced about the best version to buy though. Based on Guru3D's reviews, the G1 Gaming is the best one on almost every aspect (except for idle temps), but most people seem to prefer ASUS or MSI. Here are the current prices in Switzerland for comparison:

• ZOTAC: 341.95 CHF ($359.90)
• EVGA SC ACX: 349.95 CHF ($367.80)
• MSI Gaming: 372 CHF ($391) (Guru3D review)
• ASUS STRIX: 379.85 CHF ($399.30) (Guru3D review)
• Gigabyte G1 Gaming: 382.50 CHF ($402) (Guru3D review)
• EVGA ACX 2.0: 391.70 CHF ($411.70)

My first choice was ASUS, since my past 680 and current 780 are from ASUS and have been working great, but Gigabyte seems like a more compelling option, since it costs basically the same and performs way better. The MSI one should be a little better than the ASUS, while costing a bit less, so that would be my second choice.
Anything I didn't consider?

EDIT: added Guru3D review links.

[Archangel1994]

The gigabyte one straight up. Custom PCB, fantastic cooling potential and pretty damn quiet.

[connorpiper]

EVGA. If you have Nvidia, EVGA is the best. (Warranty wise) 

[Flight1sim]

ASUS, Gigabyte or EVGA

seems like that's the majority anyways 

[Raudi_]

I will say EVGA, Gigabyte, then ASUS. EVGA's 970 FTW card has dual BIO's and then there 980 Classified is gonna have Triple BIOS so In my book they win.

[Tro]

Gigabyte

[Jeroendedoem]

MSI if you have MSI motherboard because the looks, otherwise EVGA or Gigabyte.

[Thebman712]

strix cause of the 0db tech

[Archangel1994]

strix cause of the 0db tech

Because 40% fan speed makes tons of noise during idle

 

Kappa

[TinoXtreme]

I'd go Gigabyte. 

[JellyD]

I have the MSI one because it was one of the cheapest near me. it was like a 50$ difference to the asus. Its been great on me so far. Con is no backplate. But it does turn the fans off under a certain temperature which I like. Makes it really quiet. I'm a big fan of the big fans on the MSI as well (hehe). I wouldn't personally go with the EVGA because of the weird cooler placement of the thing. oh the MSI has a 6 and 8 pin too, instead of 6 and 6. So basically you can't go wrong with gigabyte asus msi, and the others are probably fine as well. I just don't know about them.

[MEC-777]

strix cause of the 0db tech

The MSI gaming and EVGA's ACX 2.0 both also have the 0db feature.

[Raudi_]

Because 40% fan speed makes tons of noise during idle

 

Kappa

EVGA is releasing a GPU BIOS update that allows the same thing with the 0db fan mode for their 900 series GPU's.

[JellyD]

how the hell do I delete a post

[MEC-777]

I have the MSI one because it was one of the cheapest near me. it was like a 50$ difference to the asus. Its been great on me so far. Con is no backplate. But it does turn the fans off under a certain temperature which I like. Makes it really quiet. I'm a big fan of the big fans on the MSI as well (hehe). I wouldn't personally go with the EVGA because of the weird cooler placement of the thing. oh the MSI has a 6 and 8 pin too, instead of 6 and 6. So basically you can't go wrong with gigabyte asus msi, and the others are probably fine as well. I just don't know about them.

The cooler issue with EVGA is no longer an issue. It has since been established there is no problem with the cooler. It's simply a different design than most of us are used to seeing and it functions just was well as the rest. 

[JellyD]

The cooler issue with EVGA is no longer an issue. It has since been established there is no problem with the cooler. It's simply a different design than most of us are used to seeing and it functions just was well as the rest. 

 

Oh alright. Then you probably won't go wrong with any of them really. Get whichever one looks best to you for the price or is available the quickest.

[rmac52]

ASUS, EVGA, or Gigabyte

in that order

[Thebman712]

Because 40% fan speed makes tons of noise during idle

 

Kappa

still  makes more noise than 0%fan speeds

 

but if the others have it to than g1, but reference is still the sexiest 

[elkenrod]

EVGA is releasing a GPU BIOS update that allows the same thing with the 0db fan mode for their 900 series GPU's.

 

But for the time being they don't.  Evga often falls short on this type of thing.  Promises for the future really don't mean a whole lot after you've already purchased the card.  This is especially true when these promises are reactionary to a complaint or feature in a competing product.

[Raudi_]

But for the time being they don't.  Evga often falls short on this type of thing.  Promises for the future really don't mean a whole lot after you've already purchased the card.  This is especially true when these promises are reactionary to a complaint or feature in a competing product.

Jacob from EVGA Showcased it on a GTX 980 on the PCPer live stream yesterday so it looks like its ready to roll out very soon.

[StealthArsenal]

Anandtech reviewed the GTX 970 FTW with the new bios.  They said it is working as intended and then EVGA put it into Beta/release candidate.  I suspect it will launch this week.

 

http://www.anandtech.com/show/8568/the-geforce-gtx-970-review-feat-evga

[I/O]

I think that the Zotac Amp Extreme Edition has the potential to be the fastest 970 but we do not have any benchmarks on that card as of yet so who knows. My vote goes to the STRIX because it's a nice looking card and very low noise even though it might be a couple frames slower than the G1 and Msi cards.

[I/O]

Anandtech reviewed the GTX 970 FTW with the new bios.  They said it is working as intended and then EVGA put it into Beta/release candidate.  I suspect it will launch this week.

 

http://www.anandtech.com/show/8568/the-geforce-gtx-970-review-feat-evga

Those EVGA ACX 970 cards have loud coolers. At leased the cooler on the FTW edition is not defective like the other 970s from EVGA.

[grimmjow660]

Gigabyte

[ICantThinkOfAnyGoodName]

Palit, because it offers 0dB and a decent stock overclock for less money than the other ones. However AFAIK most of Palit's stuff is only available in Europe and Asia.