Looking for "the best" aftermarket 980 ti

[alphaproject]

I just bought Zotac's amp! Extreme. I'll let you know how it performs. Seems as if sites are giving it high praise. Guru3D gave it an editor's choice. 0.o

Awesome dude...that's the one that impressed me in benchmarks....let us know how it performs for you.

[whitedragon101]

Turns out the MSI isn't the quietest card after all.  They normally are but not this time.  The EVGA ACX 2.0 SC is :

 

"the EVGA GTX 980 Ti SC+ is definitely quieter" - MSI 980ti review - Techpowerup

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/GTX_980_Ti_Gaming/29.html

 

EVGA SC ACX 2.0 = 35 dbA

MSI Twin F V = 37 dbA

GIgabyte G1 = 40 dbA

[TechSilver13]

Turns out the MSI isn't the quietest card after all.  They normally are but not this time.  The EVGA ACX 2.0 SC is :

 

"the EVGA GTX 980 Ti SC+ is definitely quieter" - MSI 980ti review - Techpowerup

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/GTX_980_Ti_Gaming/29.html

 

EVGA SC ACX 2.0 = 35 dbA

MSI Twin F V = 37 dbA

GIgabyte G1 = 40 dbA

I have an EVGA and an MSI 980 ti, I can't hear my MSI card at all and...I even bought a second one and will be selling the EVGA. I read that review and was dumbfounded when I read that, EVGA must have paid more or something ridiculous like that.

[TechSilver13]

Thank you very much.  You seem to have a bout 20mm between the case side panel and the cables.  Is that about right?

 

Your case lists 170mm CPU clearance for height (no listing for GPU height), I am looking at getting this case:

 

http://www.cooltek.de/en/jonsbo-powered-by-cooltek/w-series/131/w2

 

Which lists 163mm CPU cooler height clearance.  This is 7mm less than yours.  Do you think at 7mm less it would still fit?

 

Thanks

Looking at this pic http://www.cooltek.de/media/image/w2_07.jpg it looks like you have enough room BUT the piece that is holding the side panel on (the nub right across from the first PCI card) might get in the way of screwing your card in. It is extremely difficult to screw the card in with the ample room I have but you will probably have a serious issue. Honestly, unless you are water cooling I would not buy a Classified card. 

[Statecat]

Awesome dude...that's the one that impressed me in benchmarks....let us know how it performs for you.

Yeah I bought it because I wanted to see how far I could push this thing without the need for a water cooling loop. Since the PCB is custom and it offers extremely good cooling I should get some more of an overclock out of it. By that point I'd just be like I've said, pushing it to the limit for the sake of it. Hahaha. I think stock I'd get ridiculous frames on my 1440p monitor already.