Different Types of GeForce GTX 980

[DarvinKManwah]

Hey guys, I'm in the process of putting together my workstation / gaming rig and need some help. I've decided to go with the Geforce GTX 980 but while browsing the Nvidia site there are a bunch of different 980 cards. Why is that?

Is it that different companies (EVGA, Gigabyte, Asus, Zotac etc) purchase the basic card from Nvidia and then adjust stuff and then resell it? Here is the link I'm referring to from the Nvidia site:

http://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gtx-980/buy-online

Thanks.

 

[Solidus_ty]

Yes they take the standard chip and usually rebuild there own PCB with different components. Some are clocked higher or lower. There is some differences between them but they are still a GTX 980 Beast at the core!

 

[JakeAlmighty]

Hey guys, I'm in the process of putting together my workstation / gaming rig and need some help. I've decided to go with the Geforce GTX 980 but while browsing the Nvidia site there are a bunch of different 980 cards. Why is that?

Is it that different companies (EVGA, Gigabyte, Asus, Zotac etc) purchase the basic card from Nvidia and then adjust stuff and then resell it? Here is the link I'm referring to from the Nvidia site:

http://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gtx-980/buy-online
http://www.maximumpc.com/evga_geforce_gtx_980_kingpin_edition_sports_three_power_inputs_serious_overclocking_2015

Thanks.

basically yes - Nvidia makes the circuit board and ships them off to all of the aftermarket retailers. When the card is first released, all of their products will be fairly similar (the setup is usually stolen from the previous generation of cards and slapped on), a small factory overclock and start selling them asap.

Once you get a few months in they will have more expensive, custom designed options available from each that push the card much better and offer much improved cooling. This is where you get say, an 8gb VRAM version instead of the normal 4 as well. (or closed circuit water cooled cards, only the 295x2 has ever shipped with reference card water cooling afaik)

ie the 980 Kingpin that is coming out in a few weeks. http://wccftech.com/gtx-980-classified-kingpin-edition/
http://www.maximumpc.com/evga_geforce_gtx_980_kingpin_edition_sports_three_power_inputs_serious_overclocking_2015

 

[dhvd79a]

This first one for 3K is 3 cards with water cooling, the second, the second for 930 look to be a silly price, the rest appear to be just the different manufactureres spin on the car, different coolers or factory overclocking, for example.

 

[DarvinKManwah]

basically yes - Nvidia makes the circuit board and ships them off to all of the aftermarket retailers. When the card is first released, all of their products will be fairly similar (the setup is usually stolen from the previous generation of cards and slapped on), a small factory overclock and start selling them asap.

Once you get a few months in they will have more expensive, custom designed options available from each that push the card much better and offer much improved cooling. This is where you get say, an 8gb VRAM version instead of the normal 4 as well. (or closed circuit water cooled cards, only the 295x2 has ever shipped with reference card water cooling afaik)

ie the 980 Kingpin that is coming out in a few weeks. http://wccftech.com/gtx-980-classified-kingpin-edition/
http://www.maximumpc.com/evga_geforce_gtx_980_kingpin_edition_sports_three_power_inputs_serious_overclocking_2015

Yah that's what I thought. I checked out that card, I think it's the same card previewed at CES 2015 a few weeks ago. Do you think it's worth the purchase or wait around a little to see proper bench marks from consumer testing?

If I wanted to purchase a card at the moment, what would you recommend from the market right now?

 

[DarvinKManwah]

This first one for 3K is 3 cards with water cooling, the second, the second for 930 look to be a silly price, the rest appear to be just the different manufactureres spin on the car, different coolers or factory overclocking, for example.

Yah, the second one is just silly. What card would you recommend?

 

[DarvinKManwah]

This first one for 3K is 3 cards with water cooling, the second, the second for 930 look to be a silly price, the rest appear to be just the different manufactureres spin on the car, different coolers or factory overclocking, for example.

Also what are your thoughts on the Titans? Or even Quadro?

 

[JakeAlmighty]

basically yes - Nvidia makes the circuit board and ships them off to all of the aftermarket retailers. When the card is first released, all of their products will be fairly similar (the setup is usually stolen from the previous generation of cards and slapped on), a small factory overclock and start selling them asap.

Once you get a few months in they will have more expensive, custom designed options available from each that push the card much better and offer much improved cooling. This is where you get say, an 8gb VRAM version instead of the normal 4 as well. (or closed circuit water cooled cards, only the 295x2 has ever shipped with reference card water cooling afaik)

ie the 980 Kingpin that is coming out in a few weeks. http://wccftech.com/gtx-980-classified-kingpin-edition/
http://www.maximumpc.com/evga_geforce_gtx_980_kingpin_edition_sports_three_power_inputs_serious_overclocking_2015

Yah that's what I thought. I checked out that card, I think it's the same card previewed at CES 2015 a few weeks ago. Do you think it's worth the purchase or wait around a little to see proper bench marks from consumer testing?

If I wanted to purchase a card at the moment, what would you recommend from the market right now?

Normally I like to buy the more expensive aftermarket options rather than reference setups, because they typically run much cooler and thus contribute a lot less heat to your case.

In the case of the 980 they are pretty darn efficient and cool already, so it's really just up to you. If you want to overclock the cards harder for performance then the expensive ones will do that. (Kingpin is made for overclocking)


GPUs are an interesting spot right now though - the Kingpin may be the only big custom cooled 980 to come out, MSI has said they won't be making a "Lightning" (their flagship souped up version) edition of the 980 because they don't think it's good enough - they are waiting for the flagship 980Ti to come and will be working off of that.

The 390x when it comes is also apparently going to be another card that will ship with the Hydra water cooling block in its reference design - AMDs answer to wanting to put out these powerful, hot cards but people complaining about the heat and power draw I suppose.

With the possible advent of VRAM stacking coming in DX12 and Mantle, I think my next upgrade personally may be 390x cards in triple or quad CrossfireX. (16gb of stacked HBM vram??? :O)


So personally, my GPU recommendation right now is just to wait - the 300 series is coming, and there is going to be a big war for top dog between 390x and 980Ti. If you need cards now for your workstation though, then 980(s) is a fine choice. Any of the aftermarket companies are fine, the only one I really dislike in any way is Zotac.