Difference between all the 980ti's?

Skitch · November 13, 2015

My GTX 660 is starting to falter with the newer games coming out (Most notably GTA V and Fallout 4), and I'm looking to just build another PC all together. I'm not quite understanding the difference between all the options though, as EVGA already has 10 options to choose from.

I've got a few questions.

1. How does the 980ti Strix compare to an EVGA equivalent?

2. What makes the Kingpin / Classified more expensive?

3. Would choosing the hybrid be a good option compared to others? How much space will the radiator take?

I can provide some details on my use case if that helps.

Thanks for the help! (First post here)

Riv · November 13, 2015

Well the first thing that separates video cards from their respective manufacturers is that they all have different CPU heatsinks/coolers. Some like to go with a water cooling set up, while others go with triple or dual fan set ups. And the second thing is manufacturers like to set their own boost clocks and base clocks on their GPU's, which makes overclocking different for each one and also effects speed in some way.

The answer to number 2 is I believe the kingpin uses a 100% copper heat sink (or atleast a very pure alloy) which makes the raw resources more expensive and the cooling superior.

And I wouldn't personally go with a water cooled GPU since I like to eliminate as many moving parts from my PC as possible since less moving parts=less things that can break, and I find that my air cooled overclocks are stable and sufficient for all of my gaming needs

Curufinwe_wins · November 13, 2015

Honestly for 99% of all users there is no difference and you should buy the cheapest non-reference model you like the looks of, because to within 10-20 Mhz (aka +/- 1%) they will preform identically.

The kingpin is a super binned card using even by 980ti standards super overkill power delivery. It's a tinker/epeen item. No normal person should buy one. (same with the classy but less so).

The hybrid is really only a good option if your super worried about case airflow or are insanely temp conscious. It uses a reference pcb which is a big no-no in the gm200 world to be honest. Straight up a worse overclocker than all of the custom models on the market.

Skitch · November 13, 2015

Awesome! The Kingpin sounds useless for me, and the price put me off anyway. I like how the hybrid looks, but that's about it. I'm juggling between the Strix and an EVGA of the same price, but assuming there's little difference between them, the Strix probably has my pick.

Lethal Seraph · November 13, 2015

I'd personally get a classified than a kingpin cause of its crazy price, and strix is probably on the 5th on my list of 980tis. As for the hybrid rad, it should only take a spot for a 120mm since it should come with a 120mm fan.