Manufacturers roll out firmware updates for GTX 1070 due to memory issue

[Techicolors]

http://www.guru3d.com/news-story/manufacturers-roll-out-firmware-updates-for-geforce-gtx-1070-due-to-memory-issue,4.html

 

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GeForce GTX 1070 cards fitted with Samsung memory do not have any issues, however some manufacturers have or switched towards Micron chips, and these are the culprit of the reported issues. Especially during overclocking of the graphics memory problems will appear fast with bad results like checkerboard patterns. Some users also have reported that at default configuration they noticed the occasional odd issue like flickering or experiencing graphical artifacts. Multiple brands are and could be effected. Right now most of them are working on (or already issuing) a BIOS firmware update for the graphics cards, these BIOS updates likely increase the voltage level of the GDDR5 memory. Mind you that this only effects GeForce GTX 1070 graphics cards fitted with Micron based GDDR5 memory.

 

you can access the firmware BIOS updates in the link above. there's a few manufacturers that aren't available at the time of posting this but i assume they'll arrive briefly 

 

 

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The most easy way to check what brand of memory your GeForce GTX 1070 is using is to download GPU-Z and read out the memory type (click thumbnail below for an example). The reality is that Micron’s GDDR5 memory chips shouldn’t really be any weaker opposed to what the Samsung ICs are doing. All cards we tested here ate Guru3D.com got Samsung memory. It however is not uncommon for manufacturers to switch to another brand of memory, as they purchase them in SMT batches and yes, a selection in price is made but should not effect performance. Due to the fact that our samples have Samsung memory we have not been able to verify any instability.

 

 

installing these updates can present better memory overclocking, or better overclocking in general for 1070s with Micron chips. but i can't guarantee it myself

[Katsunaka]

I'm safe with my specific 1070 according to GPU-Z.

[AlTech]

I don't own a 1070 nor do I plan on buying one. But an interesting read nonetheless.

[ARikozuM]

Interesting. I don't overclock any of my GPU's but I can see why this would be a problem for some.

[VagabondWraith]

I know this is old and outdated joke, but I seriously thought it was an issue with segmented memory (e.g. 7.5/8GB). For some reason it seems the x70 cards have had issues the past few generations now.

[ARikozuM]

Just now, VagabondWraith said:

I know this is old and outdated joke, but I seriously thought it was an issue with segmented memory (e.g. 7.5/8GB). For some reason it seems the x70 cards have had issues the past few generations now.

It's better to have the extra 0.5GB VRAM then to be downgraded 1GB, to be honest.

[226477_1454181668]

1 minute ago, VagabondWraith said:

I know this is old and outdated joke, but I seriously thought it was an issue with segmented memory (e.g. 7.5/8GB). For some reason it seems the x70 cards have had issues the past few generations now.

only the 970 had memory issues, this only affects certain memory and has nothing to do with the gpu.

[AlTech]

6 minutes ago, 226477_1454181668 said:

only the 970 had memory issues, this only affects certain memory and has nothing to do with the gpu.

Well arguably the 770 had memory issues since the Memory modules by Elpida overclocked really badly.............

[Suika]

12 minutes ago, 226477_1454181668 said:

only the 970 had memory issues, this only affects certain memory and has nothing to do with the gpu.

Previously the 660 Ti also had the issue, with 512MB being segmented, although the theoretical performance penalty was much less.

[porina]

8 minutes ago, AluminiumTech said:

Well arguably the 770 had memory issues since the Memory modules by Elpida overclocked really badly.............

It is a memory issue to not run out of spec as much as some other ram running out of spec???

[Trik'Stari]

As someone who bought a 970 right after they launched, this is my only response:

Also, obligatory J Jonah laughing

 

[Bouzoo]

12 minutes ago, Trik'Stari said:

As someone who bought a 970 right after they launched, this is my only response:

Didn't you say you got it as an unexpected gift? 

[drok]

Yup mine now returned msi 1070 had micron vram

[Trik'Stari]

4 minutes ago, Bouzoo said:

Didn't you say you got it as an unexpected gift? 

I got it as a "christmas present", but since I picked it out....meh.

[VerticalDiscussions]

Lol, was already thinking it was a 7,5GB Vram issue xD!

[Just Monika]

Well, that's what happens when you try to cheap out on components.

[NumLock21]

Using gpu-z is not going to work.

[Techicolors]

8 minutes ago, NumLock21 said:

Using gpu-z is not going to work.

well it does tell you whether it's using samsung or micron 

[BuckGup]

Well if people are still skeptical that Pascal isn't maxwell look at the 970 now look at the 1070. Issues

[NumLock21]

9 minutes ago, Technicolors said:

well it does tell you whether it's using samsung or micron 

So GPU-Z can still detect the correct manufacture of the vram? I thought with the faulty firmware, it will still detect Samsung while it's actually Micron. And what I was about to say was, to physically remove the cooler and take the vram yourself, to see who is the actual manufacture. 

Just hope it's not using both Micron and Samsung and the same time.

 

[SteveGrabowski0]

Damn is there any way to tell before hand whether a specific model of 1070 uses Samsung or Micron RAM? Or do all the AIBs buy from both manufacturers?

[ivan134]

Which AIBs were using these chips?

[TrigrH]

1 hour ago, NumLock21 said:

So GPU-Z can still detect the correct manufacture of the vram? I thought with the faulty firmware, it will still detect Samsung while it's actually Micron. And what I was about to say was, to physically remove the cooler and take the vram yourself, to see who is the actual manufacture. 

Just hope it's not using both Micron and Samsung and the same time.

So GPU-Z can still detect the correct manufacture of the vram?

yes

I thought with the faulty firmware, it will still detect Samsung while it's actually Micron.

no, the firmware running on the micron cards is the same as the ones on the Samsung models (i think) and its not suitable, thats why the micron cards need this update.

Just hope it's not using both Micron and Samsung and the same time.

not a thing.

[MageTank]

This topic was actually extremely helpful. My EVGA 1070 SC had Micron memory, and couldn't go beyond +200mhz on the memory clock without a black flicker every 20 seconds or so. Now I am at +500mhz and it's completely stable. +600 started to flicker, so I'll settle with +300mhz extra over what I had before. 

 

Glad I checked the tech news section today, lol. 

[Thony]

Funny how its on XX70 line of GPUs AGAIN.