980Ti underperforming?

[Xploda]

Hi all,

 

I bought the reference design of the GTX 980Ti a couple of days ago (MSI branded: http://www.msi.com/product/vga/GTX-980Ti-6GD5.html#hero-overview), and I have a few assumptions that the card seems to be underperforming in comparison to other 980Ti cards. It seems to be doing its 83°C thing, while only keeping the fan at 45% speed. Why is the card running so hot while it has plenty of headroom left in terms of fan speed? In gpu-z, I often see that it's perfcapped because of thermal reasons or otherwise vrel (reliability voltage). My concerns started rising after I saw the card was sort of underperforming in Firestrike and the GTA 5 benchmark in comparison to some other 980Tis (about 10fps less in the latter).

 

The first reason seems obvious, so my solution was to set a custom fan profile in afterburner. This got me to a boost clock that was a liiiiittle higher than before, but I'm still not sure if it's at its full performance yet (highest I've seen is 1164MHz core clock).

 

I have attached 2 logs to this post (from gpu-z), one without custom fan profile and one with custom fan profile, both running 3Dmark Firestrike. I'm not sure why, but it also says that TDP is not at 100%. Is it supposed to be like that?

 

- Default fan speed: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxGZYrO_qlnebHFnTEV2SHZ3Q0k/view?usp=sharing

- Custom fan profile: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxGZYrO_qlneNjNCUXlwU3BDeTA/view?usp=sharing 

 

Take a close look at the perfcap column. As soon as it contains the number "2", it means that it's hitting the temperature cap. When it contains the number "4", it's referring to reliability voltage. So, with the custom fan profile: thermal issue solved. What about the reliability voltage?

 

This is the Firestrike score I got with my custom fan profile, as far as this benchmark is representative (as it's not even consistent for me between two runs). The highest I got was just 200 points higher than this: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/8337390 .

 

 

All in all, this post might seem like a bunch of assumptions thrown together, but I can't seem to be able to get my head around it. In conclusion I would like to know whether the performance of this card is within what is to be expected. Which boost clocks should I be expecting? Given that this card is not cheap, I want to get the most out of it, while staying away from overclocking it myself. Also, it might clarify if this card is faulty or not (probably not).

 

Do these figures add up or am I just being paranoid?

 

The rest of the relevant specs might come in handy too:
- i7 6700K (stock clocks)
- 16GB DDR4-2400 Corsair Vengeance LPX

- Asus Maximus VIII Hero motherboard

- Seasonic M12II EVO 850W power supply

[PlayStation 2]

I'm guessing you're using Windows 10.

[Xploda]

I'm guessing you're using Windows 10.

That's correct, but how is this relevant?

[SkywardKkalox]

Well, who said that it wasn't a hot card under load? If your highest clock was 1164 MHz I'd say that it was DOA, i'd RMA it.

[TheAmazingCookieFromSquare]

That's correct, but how is this relevant?

Win 10 sorta takes out some performance

[ShadowCaptain]

Win 10 sorta takes out some performance

 

hmm? since when

[PlayStation 2]

That's correct, but how is this relevant?

Windows 10 right now is in a shitty state. Alongside Nvidia's drivers for it.

[Wano97]

Windows 10 isn't causing this, lol.

[Xploda]

Windows 10 isn't causing this, lol.

I guess you are right, I think the problem is far deeper than just Windows, if at least there is in fact a problem. It seems from the reactions to this post thus far that the performance I'm getting, isn't quite as it should be?

[Xploda]

Well, who said that it wasn't a hot card under load? If your highest clock was 1164 MHz I'd say that it was DOA, i'd RMA it.

It is a fact that this card runs hotter than non-reference card, but I would at least expect it to achieve the same kind of boost clock, be it whilst running a little warmer or with a higher fan speed, but it doesn't seem to quite do that?

[Xploda]

It would be nice if anyone could share their personal experience with the 980Ti. Is anyone seeing this same kind of behaviour in gpu-z? What kind of boost clocks should normally be expected?

[Xploda]

Forgot to mention this as well, my nvidia drivers crashed about 3 times in the first 2 days, but only on The Witcher 3. I played this game on Windows 10 on my old GTX 570 without having this occure one time. Probably related to nvidia drivers for these relatively new cards on Windows 10?

[Praesi]

Do you mean Custom Cards with "other 980Ti´s"

If so, its normal that the Reference Card is much slower.

I have a FS Score of 19986 with my Custom Card.

[Xploda]

Do you mean Custom Cards with "other 980Ti´s"

If so, its normal that the Reference Card is much slower.

I have a FS Score of 19986 with my Custom Card.

Thanks for the feedback. Could you perhaps be more specific on which boost clocks you are seeing? Have you overclocked it or running stock speeds on your non-reference card?

[Praesi]

Thanks for the feedback. Could you perhaps be more specific on which boost clocks you are seeing? Have you overclocked it or running stock speeds on your non-reference card?

My Card runs at 1418mhz clockspeed and 1805mhz memory speed (out of the Box). I dont run further OC yet, cause no Reason to do so.

[NickTheMajin]

My Card runs at 1418mhz clockspeed and 1805mhz memory speed (out of the Box). I dont run further OC yet, cause no Reason to do so.

 

I'm going to be picking up a 980ti within the next week. Which one did you get?

[Jahramika]

Probably bad NVidia drivers do you hear any coil wine?

[Praesi]

I'm going to be picking up a 980ti within the next week. Which one did you get?

See my Signature

[Profoundsoup]

See my Signature

How is the AMP Extreme? How fast did you get yours clocked to? 

[Praesi]

How is the AMP Extreme? How fast did you get yours clocked to? 

1. Zotac build high quality Cards, who tell you otherwise dont know anything about their actual manufactoreres.

2. Its the fastest out of the Box 980Ti you can buy atm.

3. max stable OC was 1550mhz, but i see no Point in risk its lifespan with further OC since this Card kills every Game easy with Factory Boost (1418mhz).

 

I play in 1440p 144hz. Its an unbelievable fast Card.

 

Here some Benchmarks with an example  that has "only" 1355mhz.

 

[NORSKPERSON]

what is your asic?

 

you can find it in gpu z by right clicking on the frame and pressing read asic score 

[TheCaptain53]

Windows 10 right now is in a shitty state. Alongside Nvidia's drivers for it.

I concur with Nvidia's drivers, but Windows 10 itself has been fine.

The later drivers on Windows 8.1 were shit as well.

[Xploda]

My Card runs at 1418mhz clockspeed and 1805mhz memory speed (out of the Box). I dont run further OC yet, cause no Reason to do so.

This makes sense to me now, given that your card sells for €200 more than the model I bought (roughly +25%) in my area. It's only logical that you are seeing those higher clocks and 3dmark scores as a result.

I found this interesting post as well:http://www.anandtech.com/show/9306/the-nvidia-geforce-gtx-980-ti-review/16. Seems like my boost clocks are sort of within margin for a ref card? Maybe my assumptions were too much based on non-reference cards, since with this generation of cards it seems to make a bigger difference than what I could recall from previous gens.

[Praesi]

This makes sense to me now, given that your card sells for €200 more than the model I bought (roughly +25%) in my area. It's only logical that you are seeing those higher clocks and 3dmark scores as a result.

I found this interesting post as well:http://www.anandtech.com/show/9306/the-nvidia-geforce-gtx-980-ti-review/16. Seems like my boost clocks are sort of within margin for a ref card? Maybe my assumptions were too much based on non-reference cards, since with this generation of cards it seems to make a bigger difference than what I could recall from previous gens.

Ya its a diffference yes, but you have a realy fast card, even when Customs are faster. So just enjoy it

[Xploda]

what is your asic?

 

you can find it in gpu z by right clicking on the frame and pressing read asic score 

I'm getting 62.6% in gpu-z, is this within margin?

 

EDIT: is this a number which is really significant and which has been proven reliable in the past as a measurement?