Is the reference GTX 980 worth the extra cost over the non-reference?

[legend8887]

Title says it all. Is the reference EVGA GTX 980 superclocked worth the extra cost over the same card but a non reference ACX 2.0?

[Imabigmac]

not unless you like the "titan" cooler better for looks or you going to being running two. The up in clocks speeds isn't that great. 

[othertomperson]

Reference... superclocked? Contradiction in terms?

[KayTees]

Title says it all. Is the reference EVGA GTX 980 superclocked worth the extra cost over the same card but a non reference ACX 2.0?

Worth for the sexiness.

[Fate]

Yea because it looks cool

[seabass9990]

Nah

[skullbringer]

A reference card offers better waterblock compatibility, usually lower quality binned compared to aftermarket cards. Binning preassembled by Nvidia reference cards to the sc standard takes a lot of effort and therefor creates a lot of extra cost.

 

So there really isnt a particular benefit to reference sc cards, unless that they are kind of special and rare.

[legend8887]

Yea because it looks cool

  

Worth for the sexiness.

The card is flipped over in your case. You'll never see it...

[EcoBoost]

  

The card is flipped over in your case. You'll never see it...

You still see the GEFORCE GTX logo tho

[legend8887]

You still see the GEFORCE GTX logo tho

What if the color doesn't match with the rest of your parts?

[Syntaxvgm]

I spent almost 50$ more for my reference 970

so worth it.

for the 980? Not sure. No novelty, but I love reference coolers.

[Imabigmac]

  

The card is flipped over in your case. You'll never see it...

Even what you see is awesome 

 

 

 

I spent almost 50$ more for my reference 970

so worth it.

for the 980? Not sure. No novelty, but I love reference coolers.

Perhaps Im still thinking 7xx series but isnt the reference still louder than a ACX cooler? I wouldn't pay more for loudness

[dadasmithywinkle]

Title says it all. Is the reference EVGA GTX 980 superclocked worth the extra cost over the same card but a non reference ACX 2.0?

 

The reference cooler has the stock nVidia look, which you may or may not like. Generally, it'll cost a bit more becasue the reference cooler cost more to produce than most non-reference coolers. The reference cooler cards generally run at stocker (or near-stock) clock speeds and will provide [minor] temp differences when running in SLI configuration. 

 

In my opinion, I like the look of them. I currently have 2 GTX 970's (both are the reference from nVidia) and used to have the reference 980 from Zotac. They run decently cool and the 980 was a great overclocker.

[EcoBoost]

What if the color doesn't match with the rest of your parts?

Goes well with an all-black or black/green build. 

 

However @legend8887 if you have a case with decent airflow, then no, I would not go for a reference cooler over non-reference. 

[legend8887]

Even what you see is awesome 

 

  

I spent almost 50$ more for my reference 970so worth it.for the 980? Not sure. No novelty, but I love reference coolers.

God dammit

[Imabigmac]

  

God dammit

I'm just semi trolling. realisticaly though I not a huge fan of the reference cards. Mind you they do have a semi "exclusive" feel to them as they aren't as common. 

[PrinceOfLove]

Interesting point if are concerned about the ability to water cool sometime in the future, the EVGA GTX 980 with the ACX 2.0 cooler (04G-P4-2983-KR) is actually build on a reference card.Waterblocks designed for reference 980's fit right on it.

[Zweihander]

Comes down to personal preference, really...

 

I think they look "cool".