980 physical differences

[Kev Monaghan]

I am wondering are there physical differences in manufacturing of super clocked cards and reference cards aside from the coolers? My thinking is that if I am attaching an aftermarket Waterblock and performing my own overclocks then there is no need to buy a factory oc card... Unless ofcourse voltage regulators etc are modified by the manufacturer? I have notice some cards require 8+6 pin and others 8+8 but this is possibly a difference in the efficiency of the coolers

Would I be bett off buying a cheap 980 for my aftermarket Waterblock and implementing my own overclock or will I get better performance doing the same with a factory clocked card?

All input is appreciated

 

[RealBeast]

No physical differences, but they do bin the chips and select the best ones for their O/C models. Luck plays a part in doing it on your own just like with CPUs. You may randomly get a very good or just average GPU and how far you can O/C may vary. Good Luck!