EVGA 980ti Superclocked Reference Cooler

[nejc311]

I have two questions regarding this card.

 

1. If this is safe then why didn't Nvidia already set those clocks by default?

2. Is there any benefit from buying this as opposed to full reference and overclocking myself?

 

Yes, I need rear exhaust and no, I don't have room for liquid cooling.

[Shimejii]

higher bin. Probably just Overclocking a bit higher than refrence

[nejc311]

Aha I see. Tnx.

 

But is this safe? Doesn't a higher clock result in higher temperatures? Or is it the case that it's binned higher exactly because temperatures are the same despite higher clock?

 

I understand that so long as the warranty applies I'm perfectly safe, otherwise EVGA wouldn't make this card. But is it right to assume that after warranty expires, a full reference card will have a longer lifespan as opposed to an overclocked one with reference cooler? 

[CapricaBuccaneers]

1) Because the reference cooler only has a single fan among other limitations, so even though the GM200 chip is capable of much greater frequencies this particular cooler model will always run within the specific temperature range (up to 83c) at the set 1000Mhz base clock. Higher frequencies will increase the chance of it running hotter and this may adversely affect the cooler's ability to control the temperature. (My MSI reference card would start to struggle once the clock speed went into the 1300s and it couldn't go to 1400).

One of the key features of lowering the clock speed is that the fans don't have to work as hard, and this keeps their noise down. This will be the other main reason nvidia don't set the clocks higher - they want to market this card as cool, quiet etc so a silent/quiet fan profile is necessary.

2) I've tried to find out in the past but there isn't any hard evidence to suggest the Reference SC models are particularly higher binned than any of the non SC (lower) versions. You will very likely gain no benefit from buying a normal Ref form EVGA as opposed to the SC other than you wouldn't have to spend the approximate 8 seconds it takes to increase the base clock for yourself after installing it.

Bear in mind EVGA are the main partner for nvidia so their chips seems to be the higher binned ones in general anyway - every card I've had from them has always had 70%+ ASIC, but limited sample size etc.

3) It's safe. The Ref SC is only clocked at 1102 MHz as opposed to the 1000Mhz of the normal version. That 10% OC isn't enough to stress the cooler beyond its limits - as I mentioned earlier it's capable of more, but the fans will likely have to run faster.

I would expect a quality 980Ti card that was treated properly to last the full lifespan, regardless of manufacturer or model. 1102 MHz is not a significant OC for a 980 Ti as long as the cooler can keep the temps under control (ie: every card ever).

Also bear in mind the clockspeed on the box isn't actually what you'll get because of GPU Boost 2.0, but that's another discussion.

[nejc311]

Great. tnx. 

 

Well the other benefit of factory overclocking is keeping the warranty.

 

So if I understand this correctly, the reference cooler can actually be made to run faster than it is ever needed on a non-overclocked card. I thought that the RPM only increases up to a certain limit, but if you overclock, the reference cooler will not increase RPM beyond this limit. 

 

Can you please confirm this? The RPM of a reference cooler itself can be overclocked and not just the processor and memory speeds?

[CapricaBuccaneers]

The fan speed can be controlled by you - I personally used MSI AfterBurner on my card and set a massively aggressive fan profile that would hit 100% RPM fan speed if the gpu ever went over 70c. Thereafter I increased the gpu clock as high as it would run stable, at stock voltages. Normally the card would limit the fans to somewhere near 60% RPM, to keep it as quiet as possible.

Bear in mind GPU Boost 2.0 is a feature of nvidia cards, and will automatically overclock your card by itself, within a set of parameters (temperature and voltage). I've had 5 different 980Ti in my search for a good one, and not one of them ran anywhere near the clock speeds on the box - the slowest was the reference which ran in the low 1300s. Whoever manufacturers the card will never know you OC it unless you specifically go out of your way (flash a different bios, unlock voltages, remove the cooler etc).

[Curufinwe_wins]

Yes it's safe, no it won't affect lifespan.

The main reasons they underclock them on reference models are efficiency (higher clocks consume more power and high tdps look bad), and yields (this is more a important at the beginning of lifespan of a product).

Plus enthusiasts look down on products they cant push the extra mile. And believe or not companies realize that capturing enthusiast markets is the best way to make long term money.

[nejc311]

Bear in mind GPU Boost 2.0 is a feature of nvidia cards, and will automatically overclock your card by itself, within a set of parameters (temperature and voltage). I've had 5 different 980Ti in my search for a good one, and not one of them ran anywhere near the clock speeds on the box - the slowest was the reference which ran in the low 1300s.

 

So a reference card that is supposed to run between 1000 and 1075, ran at 1300 on its own due to GPU boost? Without tweaking anything? So is there any benefit from getting non-reference coolers other than noise levels?

[CapricaBuccaneers]

So a reference card that is supposed to run between 1000 and 1075, ran at 1300 on its own due to GPU boost? Without tweaking anything? So is there any benefit from getting non-reference coolers other than noise levels?

No the Reference model I had boosted to 11xx on its own. I manually increased the base clock until it became unstable, and backed down, which was around 1200Mhz base/1300 Boost.

The good non-reference models have better components (capacitors), better power delivery, run at lower temperatures (better cooling), and are typically quieter too. This usually means they will also run at higher frequencies as a result. In a lot of cases they're also not much more expensive.

The trade off is that a lot of them are also physically larger and exhaust the hot air into your case, which is significant. Power consumption tends to increase a lot at the higher end of the 980 Ti clockspeeds, which brings the heat.

If you can accommodate one (both in terms of wallet and PC case) I would recommend you look at the EVGA Hybrid model.

[nejc311]

No the Reference model I had boosted to 11xx on its own. I manually increased the base clock until it became unstable, and backed down, which was around 1200Mhz base/1300 Boost.

 

So if I understand all of this correctly, the reference card running at stock settings will go up to 11xx whilst never increasing the RPM over ~60%. So I should be able to overclock to 13xx boost safely, so long as I allow for full RPM range?

 

Hybrid won't fit. Or rather, should I say, when I measure, I have just enough space to a millimeter so I don't dare to risk it. Other than that, open cooler cards are a no-go since I have an overclocked air-cooled CPU at 4.4GHz and am almost hitting the temp limits. 

[CapricaBuccaneers]

So if I understand all of this correctly, the reference card running at stock settings will go up to 11xx whilst never increasing the RPM over ~60%. So I should be able to overclock to 13xx boost safely, so long as I allow for full RPM range?

No, each card will be different - you won't know what it will run at until you actually install it. At stock settings mine ran at 11xx around 60% RPM fan speed, someone else could get one that runs 1200+.

I personally think that 1300Mhz is relatively high for a Reference model, so don't expect all of them to be able to get there.

If the gpu is capable of 1300 then you will be able to get there if you keep it adequately cooled, yes.

[nejc311]

No, each card will be different - you won't know what it will run at until you actually install it. At stock settings mine ran at 11xx around 60% RPM fan speed, someone else could get one that runs 1200+.

I personally think that 1300Mhz is relatively high for a Reference model, so don't expect all of them to be able to get there.

If the gpu is capable of 1300 then you will be able to get there if you keep it adequately cooled, yes.

 

So if I get the EVGA SC with reference cooler, at least I'm guaranteed some overclock, whereas with full reference It's a gamble?

 

Nvidia installs a fan that is never meant to go beyond 60% RPM, but rather downclocks whenever temps are too high in order to reduce noise levels? So if I don't care about the noise, will an overclocked card downclock on its own when temps are too high and stay perfectly safe?

[CapricaBuccaneers]

So if I get the EVGA SC with reference cooler, at least I'm guaranteed some overclock, whereas with full reference It's a gamble?

 

Nvidia installs a fan that is never meant to go beyond 60% RPM, but rather downclocks whenever temps are too high in order to reduce noise levels? So if I don't care about the noise, will an overclocked card downclock on its own when temps are too high and stay perfectly safe?

It's a straight up gamble with every card - you're only guaranteed what the manufacturer states in their tech specs. The SC is factory overclocked to 1102base/1190boost so that's the guaranteed portion.

Nvidia uses a fan that they then specifically limit the rpm to levels they deem as quiet. It is fully capable of running beyond 60%.

The bios of the reference cards will downclock the core if the temperature exceeds 83c. I seriously doubt that's what temperature damage occurs at, so it would follow nvidia's m.o. of being conservative again, as they did with the clocks.

There are plenty of safeties in place to stop your card damaging itself. As I said earlier you would have to go out of your way to disable them.

[nejc311]

It's a straight up gamble with every card - you're only guaranteed what the manufacturer states in their tech specs. The SC is factory overclocked to 1102base/1190boost so that's the guaranteed portion.

Nvidia uses a fan that they then specifically limit the rpm to levels they deem as quiet. It is fully capable of running beyond 60%.

The bios of the reference cards will downclock the core if the temperature exceeds 83c. I seriously doubt that's what temperature damage occurs at, so it would follow nvidia's m.o. of being conservative again, as they did with the clocks.

There are plenty of safeties in place to stop your card damaging itself. As I said earlier you would have to go out of your way to disable them.

 

Ok tnx for all the info.

[Curufinwe_wins]

Ok tnx for all the info.

FYI Nvidia specifies that 92C is the maximum safe temp for Maxwell gpu's. So downclocking at 83C will keep you plenty safe.

[nejc311]

FYI Nvidia specifies that 92C is the maximum safe temp for Maxwell gpu's. So downclocking at 83C will keep you plenty safe.

It's funny though, my old 580 went as high as 91. All settings at stock. Maybe that's why it failed.

[Curufinwe_wins]

It's funny though, my old 580 went as high as 91. All settings at stock. Maybe that's why it failed.

Thermi had a higher Tmax, but yes that didn't help.

[maizenblue]

The 980 ti reference thermally throttles the boost clock even at reference speeds, so an oc with a reference cooler is probably not going to net you anything unless you are willing to tolerate a lot of fan noise.

[nejc311]

The 980 ti reference thermally throttles the boost clock even at reference speeds, so an oc with a reference cooler is probably not going to net you anything unless you are willing to tolerate a lot of fan noise.

Never bothered me. Maybe because I use a headset.