Ready to drop up to $700 on a 980 Ti -- Which one?

[SuperCactus]

Selling my Gigabyte Windforce 780 Ti for $280 on ebay, you pay for shipping. (If you're interested, let me know!)

 

Taking that money and dropping it on a 980 Ti. I researched heavily, but almost all of the aftermarket 980 Ti's come VERY close to each other when overclocked.

 

I'm considering getting the Gigabyte Windforce 980 Ti G1 Gaming. However, I really don't know. Since the MSI lightning came out, I'm not so sure.

 

Any opinions greatly appreciated.

[HeathCliff]

Whichever one matches the colour scheme of your system. After that, personal preference of the coolers. 

[MegaDave91]

Personally, I'd opt for the Classified or Lightning.

[Bim Job]

Gigabyte if you're planning on OC.

[SuperCactus]

Personally, I'd opt for the Classified or Lightning.

Is the Classified better for Overclocking?

 

Gigabyte if you're planning on OC.

Is that what you have? I heard a lot of people get theirs up to 1400Mhz, but it's still quite a little bit of a "lottery" for gigabyte!

[Gala]

Look for board revisions. The highest is the most developed.

[don_svetlio]

Kingpin I guess

[don_svetlio]

[Rampiks]

Gigabyte if you're planning on OC.

 

 

Selling my Gigabyte Windforce 780 Ti for $280 on ebay, you pay for shipping. (If you're interested, let me know!)

 

Taking that money and dropping it on a 980 Ti. I researched heavily, but almost all of the aftermarket 980 Ti's come VERY close to each other when overclocked.

 

I'm considering getting the Gigabyte Windforce 980 Ti G1 Gaming. However, I really don't know. Since the MSI lightning came out, I'm not so sure.

 

Any opinions greatly appreciated.

Go lightning for OC, it will totally wreck the gigabyte since the lightning has 2x 8pin and 1x 6pin.

if the lightning matches your build then buy it, if not then get the Gigabyte 

[MegaDave91]

Is the Classified better for Overclocking?

 

Is that what you have? I heard a lot of people get theirs up to 1400Mhz, but it's still quite a little bit of a "lottery" for gigabyte!

Not including the KingPin 980ti, it's more or less the quintessential 980ti.

 

I have a Titan X.

[Rampiks]

Is the Classified better for Overclocking?

 

Is that what you have? I heard a lot of people get theirs up to 1400Mhz, but it's still quite a little bit of a "lottery" for gigabyte!

id say the lightning will be the best overclocker since it has better power delivery and such

[DildorTheDecent]

Kingpin I guess

It's base "model" is $849

[don_svetlio]

It's base "model" is $849

Galax 980 Ti LN2 edition - it can draw up to 525W for OCing

[DildorTheDecent]

Galax 980 Ti LN2 edition - it can draw up to 525W for OCing

Well it's actually much further than 525W especially when OC'd to as far as it can go. 

 

OP if you wanted a solid 980Ti the G1 Gaming is a great card.

[SuperCactus]

I guess by number of suggestions, the G1 Gaming has gotten more votes than the lightning.

 

I'll probably get the G1 Gaming now. I'm foaming at the mouth to get an upgrade!

[don_svetlio]

Well it's actually much further than 525W especially when OC'd to as far as it can go. 

 

OP if you wanted a solid 980Ti the G1 Gaming is a great card.

Hmmm? 3x8-pin = 450 + 75 from PCIe = 525W

[DildorTheDecent]

Hmmm? 3x8-pin = 450 + 75 from PCIe = 525W

Bear in mind this card has 8+8+6 for PSU power connectors. 

Running GT1 test with higher clocks&voltage, ~92A (1100W), max peak is 135A (1625W!), 1950MHz 1.74V

[SuperCactus]

Bear in mind this card has 8+8+6 for PSU power connectors. 

Running GT1 test with higher clocks&voltage, ~92A (1100W), max peak is 135A (1625W!), 1950MHz 1.74V

 

 

Hmmm? 3x8-pin = 450 + 75 from PCIe = 525W

 

Guys, does that extra power really matter when it comes to overclocking?

 

I think it's mostly just silicon lottery for whatever binning process MSI/Gigabyte is using for their cards.

 

As for cooling; I'm guessing they have similar cooling ability.

[don_svetlio]

Guys, does that extra power really matter when it comes to overclocking?

 

I think it's mostly just silicon lottery for whatever binning process MSI/Gigabyte is using for their cards.

 

As for cooling; I'm guessing they have similar cooling ability.

It does - raising voltage and clocks raises power draw - having the capacity to raise power draw as well proves to be useful.

[DildorTheDecent]

Guys, does that extra power really matter when it comes to overclocking?

 

I think it's mostly just silicon lottery for whatever binning process MSI/Gigabyte is using for their cards.

 

As for cooling; I'm guessing they have similar cooling ability.

That extra power would only really show when using water or extreme methods of cooling. 

 

For an air user not touching the power target would yield near the same results as increasing it to the max it can go .

[Kevguy]

Nice choice.

[swimsphinx]

I really need to make a copy paste of this with the amount of times this asked.

 

Every aftermarket 980ti (Lightning and 980ti Kingpin excluded) are in the US within ~$40 or so of each other. The largest determining factor of your cards success will be the silicon lottery and not which brand you decided to go with. each card before OC performs within ~2% of each other and everything else after that is complete luck. Choose a card that has the best design / features / looks best to you / warranty rather than because you heard one performs better than another because in most cases it will not be true for you, it is a case by case basis. If you do not live in the US and prices vary much more do not spend $50 + on another card because you heard it was faster, only buy it if you love that company or the cards design DO NOT BUY BASED ON OTHERS PERFORMANCE. When it comes to the 980ti Kingpin and Lightning if you are not going to watercool, dont do it. If you are then it is possible that it can run faster than others but again still not guaranteed. my g1 gaming is faster than the 980ti kingpin that Jayztwocents reviewed, its pure luck! And only buy those cards if you are extremely serious about overclocking and benchmarking, otherwise it is again a waste of money (but i mean if you want to waste your money and get one anyways ... i guess go ahead i cant stop you) 

 

TLDR buy a 980ti that makes you happy about its looks and extra features not about possible performance due to the wide range of possiblities when it comes to performance due to the silicon lottery.