Which 980 Ti to get?

[Praesi]

Here my Firestrike Score. The i5 isnt the fastest, but the amp! Score is killer (no OC by me)

[MMKing]

 

The Fury X does get soundly beat by a heavily OC'd 980 ti like the G1, but the G1 is also ridiculously loud and still has substantially higher temps than the far quieter Fury X(the idle pump noise seems to have been fixed).

 

I think AMD got everything right on the Fury X except the performance, which isn't quite equal to an OC'd 980 ti. Maybe updated drivers, unlocked voltage and even directX 12 will change things though.

 

 

As stated in the very post you quoted, the performance difference between stock Fury X settings and aftermarket overclocked Nvidia 980Ti is over 30%. That is an overclock which is in no way standard, and if yours can do it then lucky you. But 99% of graphics cards generally overclock 5% with no voltage modifier, and 10-15% with voltage modifier.

 

Information also available in the very post you quoted was noise levels for the 980Ti and the Fury X. Even as the Idle pump speeds has been fixed, Guru3D reported that the G1 fans are off when the card is running bellow 60c, giving no advantage to AMD. In addition, load noise levels are the same for both the Gigabyte 980Ti and the AMD Fury X.

 

The only thing you are correct in is the graphics card temperature. Which is an insignificant point to make, especially considering that AMD has to overclock over 30% in order to reach overclocked G1 performance. But the added heat isn't an issue for the Gigabyte G1, the GM200 chip throttles the boost clock at 84 degrees, and the standard clock at 92 degrees, while the G1 is running at 69 degrees under load.

 

Don't get me wrong, i'm willing to take a look at the Fury X again once a reputable site releases OC reviews with voltage control. But i'm having a hard time believing AMD would clock the Fury X so low, that the average card can OC 15% in 3D mark 13, let alone the 32% required to beat aftermarket 980Ti.

[Zerreth]

...but the G1 is also ridiculously loud...

I see people posting this and really over-dramatize the noise levels of the G1 variant.

Guru3D load noise test (75cm distance) + Temps

MSI 6G 980Ti :

39 DBa @ 72C

Gigabyte G1 980Ti :

41 DBa @ 69C

Zotac Amp Extreme 980Ti:

43 DBa @ 72C

Reference 980Ti :

41 DBa @ 84C

Asus Strix 980Ti :

41 DBa @ 82C

Reference R9 290X (aka the leaf blower) :

43 DBa @ 94C

As you can see the MSI & Gigabyte are very close, adjust the fan curve/speeds and they would be REALLY close.

Just don't get the Asus one

[SubZeroKelvin]

You're so lucky! I still didn't get mine, 980ti's are out of stock in France

[Praesi]

You're so lucky! I still didn't get mine, 980ti's are out of stock in France

Damn...

I wish you luck.

Maybe you can order in Germany? We still have some available.

[Nosfy]

EVGA ACX 2.0+ SC+. I have two and they are awesome.

[SubZeroKelvin]

Damn...

I wish you luck.

Maybe you can order in Germany? Will still have some available.

Would you please be so kind as to link me an online retailer that ships to France and whose site is also translated in English? I'm starting to regret choosing Spanish instead of German at school lol

[Praesi]

Would you please be so kind as to link me an online retailer that ships to France and whose site is also translated in English? I'm starting to regret choosing Spanish instead of German at school lol

I ordered alternate.de

 

I see alternate.fr still has Cards available.

 

https://www.alternate.fr/ZOTAC/GeForce-GTX-980-Ti-AMP!-Extreme/html/product/1207496?event=search

https://www.alternate.fr/EVGA/GeForce-GTX-980-Ti-Classified-ACX-2-0+/html/product/1207926?tk=7&lk=6112

 

Damn Cards in France are even more expensive.

[SubZeroKelvin]

I know right? It's not like we're Greece or something! Anyways, thanks a lot, alternate.fr has even cheaper prices than those from LDLC.com where I ordered my card. I'm gonna have to cancel my order right away. Brb

[SubZeroKelvin]

Ok this might sound crazy but by the time I checked again on LDLC.com, they notified me that my card had arrived and that they will now proceed with my order!

Btw the EVGA Classified also looks sexy, much better than the 780ti and the transparent plastic cover.

[Praesi]

Ok this might sound crazy but by the time I checked again on LDLC.com, they notified me that my card had arrived and that they will now proceed with my order!

Btw the EVGA Classified also looks sexy, much better than the 780ti and the transparent plastic cover.

Nice. Have Fun with it

[Moliat]

If you're shopping for 6500-7500 crowns in Norway, there isn't really a competition. While the G1 is marginally slower than the Zotac AMP extreme out of the box, it overclock just as well within margin of error (about 150 difference in Firestrike points). Compared to the MSI version, it's faster overclocked and it's faster out of the box.

 

Go for the Gigabyte G1, it's as fast as the competitors and 400-700 crowns cheaper, and only 500 Crowns over the Fury X which performs significantly worse than the 980Ti Gigabyte G1.

 

Thank you for that very elaborate response. Pretty much sealed the deal for me. I suppose the 7100 MHz memory clock of the MSI compared to the G1's 7010 MHz is insignificant, then?

 

 

I see people posting this and really over-dramatize the noise levels of the G1 variant.

Guru3D load noise test (75cm distance) + Temps

MSI 6G 980Ti :

39 DBa @ 72C

Gigabyte G1 980Ti :

41 DBa @ 69C

 

As you can see the MSI & Gigabyte are very close, adjust the fan curve/speeds and they would be REALLY close.

 

Nail in the coffin for the noise discussion, then. Thanks!

 

So, in conclusion, there's no point in paying the 300 NOK premium for the MSI over the G1. For all practical purposes they're factory overclocked the same, with the same noise level and cooling.

[MMKing]

The performance difference between the MSI and the Gigabyte is within margin of error, so if you really want to buy from MSI you're not gonna be worse off. But you're not going to gain anything either by paying 300 more.

 

Also, the clock difference between the cards is minimal. I suggest taking a look at real world performance.

 

MSI http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/msi_geforce_gtx_980_ti_gaming_oc_review,13.html

 

Gigabyte http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/gigabyte_geforce_gtx_980_ti_g1_gaming_soc_review,13.html

[whitedragon101]

EVGA ACX 2.0+ SC+. I have two and they are awesome.

 

I have seen the review on techpowerup that gives temps but they don't say what the fans are running at.

 

Would you be able to run a single card (SLI obviously will be hotter) at stock and then max overclock and list the following for each scenario?  :

 

- Core boost clock reached

- Temp

- Fan speed percentage

- Case and case cooling 

 

 

I can pay you in smiley faces for your trouble 

 

Would be very interesting to see how this cooler performs on the above test knowing all the variables.  I am thinking of going with your card for my build.

[SuperCookie78]

I'd wait for the Asus DCU III cooler

[Arct1c0n]

I'd wait for the Asus DCU III cooler

 

Thats not getting good reviews either. 

[Tricky5Alex]

Zotac Amp. Awesomesauce got just under 1.5 ghz Oc and the card runs near silence so i crown it my winner. G1 fans are horrible as they sound awful when they reach 60%+ fan speed.

[Praesi]

Zotac Amp. Awesomesauce got just under 1.5 ghz Oc and the card runs near silence so i crown it my winner. G1 fans are horrible as they sound awful when they reach 60%+ fan speed.

 

I testet BF4 max settings for 2 hours now. (amp!extreme) 62° max temp. Boostclock 1420 mhz (not overclocked). Card is almost silent. What a badass Card. Im so glad i bought this.

[Moliat]

Zotac Amp. Awesomesauce got just under 1.5 ghz Oc and the card runs near silence so i crown it my winner. G1 fans are horrible as they sound awful when they reach 60%+ fan speed.

 

It's $123 more than the G1, so the Amp! Extreme is rather much out of the question for me.

[Praesi]

It's $123 more than the G1, so the Amp! Extreme is rather much out of the question for me.

Just wait 3-4 Weeks and see if it drops some bucks. My amp! extreme boost to 1420mhz@65° and i dint overclocked it yet. Think about it. Its realy a badass.

[Moliat]

Just wait 3-4 Weeks and see if it drops some bucks. My amp! extreme boost to 1420mhz@65° and i dint overclocked it yet. Think about it. Its realy a badass.

 

Just bought the G1 Gaming. The AMP! Extreme is $125 more, and consensus seemed to be that the MSI offered nothing more than a higher price.

I've already waited 1,5 months, and at some point I just have to commit.

 

Thanks to everyone for your input, and may this thread be of further use to posterity!

[Zerreth]

/snip

[domini123]

I've been using a HD 7970M 2GB the past 3 years, and although being a mobile card, it was very reliable in its performance.

That being said, I get the impression Nvidia's more on top of their game these days, and that's why I'm getting a 980 Ti.

Having used mobile cards for the past decade however, I've got no idea what to look for.

 

Hence the input from all of you is of great help. The G1 Gaming and EVGA ACX 2.0+ both get 50% of the votes it seems, so the question remains of what the G1 Gaming offers that the EVGA doesn't. If there's a point in paying the price premium, I can do that. I am however not eager to throw money out the window if the difference is merely a gimmick.

 

estetics and from what i've heard better factory overclock and it can manual overclock further and because of 3 very quiet (just as the evga 2 fans) fans stays very cool and the fans last longer because they dont have to spin as much for the same result as the evga ones