GTX 980 - Which one?

[Raxzer]

Some time ago it seemed like the different cards all showed their strengths and weaknesses somehow. The choice was pretty clear at the time when I bought my ASUS GTX due to how quiet it was, but if I wanted raw performance or superior cooling instead I'd still have a clear idea of which version to go for.

 

I feel like I made the best choice I possibly could at that time. Now I'm not so sure. As far as I can see, most of the GTX 980 cards perform incredibly well without many noteworthy compromises. 

Therefore, I'm having a bit of trouble figuring out which GTX 980 model that will give me the best overall experience.

 

I've grown to favour silence due to the GTX 670 being nearly dead-silent under full load and while idle. Even at 100% the fans are barely noticeable.

So the only requirement I have is that the card is somewhat silent, but I guess this is somewhat subjective.

 

 

So which GTX 980 model can bring the most to the table?

 

 

[007agentHP]

the gtx 980 is a very efficient card so unless you overclock or set a fan speed, it should not get loud.

just get your favorite looking card from one of these companies:

asus

evga

gigabyte

MSI

[Guest]

There isn't 'that' much difference between the different models of 980's, its not like the R9 290's and 290x's where there was a heap a difference between each model.

So any of the good brand models should do you very well, personally though from my own testing and from what I hear in the industry is that the Gigabyte G1 Gaming really good.

I just made a new video comparing the Asus Strix 980 vs the MSI Gaming 4G 980

[Vi7aLi7Y]

I have 2 MSI gaming 980s in SLI and they are great cards.

[Imakuni]

I recommend running away from the Strix. It's overpriced, and the other brands have better cooling and/or stronger OC, with the strix having "silence" as the flagship.

 

However, is that really true? For instance, there is this source, which puts MSI Gaming 4G as more silent, for example (970 and 980 have the same coolers). And even if the card was all that silent: you still have case, PSU and CPU fans to worry about, they will make the same amount of noise. And even then, you can also set custom fan curves on other brands, making them silent as well.

 

But that's not all. Your card is also running hotter. And not going to OC as much as others. So why not go with the:

1. MSI Gaming 4G: it has the 0dcb feature, is almost as silent, runs cooler, and OC highers, while being MUCH cheaper.
2. Or why not go with the Gigabyte Windforce: the best cooling and OCing out there and you can patch a 0dcb feature, as explained in this recent tutorial. And again, much cheaper than the Strix.
3. You can also pick EVGA's legendary customer service, as well as more model options than fingers in your hands, but I personally don't like it very much.
4. You have Zotac. It's a pick between pain in the wallet (every other brand) or pain in the head (zotac). But it's SO MUCH CHEAP AROUND HERE!

So I ask you: is the Strix REALLY worth it? I don't know, you might get a super huge discount where you live right at the time of buying; sure, get it. But right now, for the features it and the other brands have, is it worth it? To me, it isn't.

[Raxzer]

Thanks for some great answers!

 

It looks like the Gigabyte, EVGA and MSI cards are the ones left to consider. I absolutely agree, the GTX 980 STRIX is unpleasantly expensive compared to its competitors, and even though ASUS makes some of the best coolers on the market, it's not worth its price as it stands right now. They are indeed marketing their card with something that isn't really that unique and special

 

It's a shame that the MSI card doesn't come with a backplate. My case seems to collect a lot of dust regardless of fan-configuration, so I have to wipe the back of my card every so often in addition to the other components.

I'm really considering the Gigabyte G1 right now. It seems like the overall best choice, and if their cooler isn't the jet-motor that I once remembered from back in the 600-series, I might just jump onboard. 

I'll do some more research and make a decision as soon as possible.

 

It might be a little off-topic, but I'm also considering going SLI with two GTX 970s if the price/performance and the tradeoffs aren't too bad. I'm a bit afraid that the sound and heat-output would be troublesome, but ti's not something I've put too much thought into.

[Opcode]

The EVGA GTX 980 ACX 2.0 SC is one of the most favorable cards.

[Raxzer]

After some consideration I've come to the conclusion that I need something quiet.

 

This is due to the fact that I may have others sleeping in the house while I'm gaming, so noise levels may actually be a problem.

 

So I would settle for whatever is the most quiet. These cards perform so well anyways that a few extra megahertz isn't that much of interest if I don't have to listen to a tornado inside of my case.

The sad truth is that there aren't that many good "noise tests" out there as far as I've seen. 

 

I'm honestly not sure if there's anything from the 900-series that's as quiet as my ASUS GTX 670....

[Opcode]

I personally would go with one of these and add in a second one later on. Unless you plan on going SLI 980's down the line. It boils down to what you're looking to spend. SLI 970's overclocked will match SLI 980's stock while being $400 cheaper. Something to keep in mind. This new SSC version has a 0 dbi BIOS mode so the fans turn off when the card is idle.