OcUK GTX 970

[PhAntoMAMD]

Hi,

Hoping someone at OCuK can answer this one?

Busy looking for a new card and settled on getting the GTX 970, with my next choice being which one... So naturally I went straight to MSI as I have been using Twin Frozr cards for a while, and I didn't think that you could get that Nvidia reference cooler for the 970... until I came across the OCuK GTX 970.

My question is, with the much higher price tag compared to the other 970's, why are the clock speeds left at what seems to be default clocks? Surely with the upgrades to the card and better memory modules, the card is not being served justice with such low clock speeds?

I know that you can just overclock the card, but for someone like me who is able to build a PC, but never messed around with overclocking, it feels like it's not worth my money to pay the premium over higher clocked cards which are about £30 cheaper.

 

[old gamer]

your paying the extra for the cooler and no coil whine

 

[Gibbo]

Hi,

Hoping someone at OCuK can answer this one?

Busy looking for a new card and settled on getting the GTX 970, with my next choice being which one... So naturally I went straight to MSI as I have been using Twin Frozr cards for a while, and I didn't think that you could get that Nvidia reference cooler for the 970... until I came across the OCuK GTX 970.

My question is, with the much higher price tag compared to the other 970's, why are the clock speeds left at what seems to be default clocks? Surely with the upgrades to the card and better memory modules, the card is not being served justice with such low clock speeds?

I know that you can just overclock the card, but for someone like me who is able to build a PC, but never messed around with overclocking, it feels like it's not worth my money to pay the premium over higher clocked cards which are about £30 cheaper.

The card guarantees no coilwhine, in order to achieve this we used following components:
- NVIDIA 980 PCB with NVIDIA 980 components (Much higher quality than the cheap junk found on so many of the other 970's, some use 760 PCB)
- NVIDIA 980 cooler with insulating pads, helps stop any vibrations from caps.
- Uprated containers for the caps to isolate any whine.
- Whine is related to clock speed, hence the default clocks, but the changes above have the bigger impact.

I've ran one of these cards at 1500/7800 without issue and with no whine.

It is expensive because the parts used to build it cost a lot more, a 980 PCB for example cost more than a 760/770/780 PCB for example.

If you wait until tomorrow they will drop a little in price for our weekly offers, but this card will never be silly cheap like other brands, as the quality is simply far superior.

 

[mahius]

Ah coilwhine... a modern issue that plagues graphics cards. I guess it's worth the premium, heck I'm the sort who'd pay a bit more for a longer warranty XD But in the past I have felt the slight disappointment of buying a lower clocked card, though my one was relatively cheap to the other versions. I'd probably buy one if I was having a lot of trouble with 970 coilwhine and didn't mind the slightly lower clockspeeds.

So @PhAntoMAMD I'd go with the MSI card for now, since it is one of the top 970s from what I've heard. Includes features like the no-fan mode. If you are having a big coil-whine issue then I'm sure you can find a solution (may involve returning the card?). Coil-whine doesn't affect everybody, you may be one of the lucky ones who gets none. PSU is also a factor.

 

[scritchyrat]

How much of a drop Gibbo? Will it be back to the £289.99 it was a few days ago, before it mysteriously shot up in price by £30.

 

[Andy7]

Hi,

Hoping someone at OCuK can answer this one?

Busy looking for a new card and settled on getting the GTX 970, with my next choice being which one... So naturally I went straight to MSI as I have been using Twin Frozr cards for a while, and I didn't think that you could get that Nvidia reference cooler for the 970... until I came across the OCuK GTX 970.

My question is, with the much higher price tag compared to the other 970's, why are the clock speeds left at what seems to be default clocks? Surely with the upgrades to the card and better memory modules, the card is not being served justice with such low clock speeds?

I know that you can just overclock the card, but for someone like me who is able to build a PC, but never messed around with overclocking, it feels like it's not worth my money to pay the premium over higher clocked cards which are about £30 cheaper.

Are you talking about this card?

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-010-GX&tool=3&sort=dateDesc

The clock speeds are not left at default as you say. It is overclocked out of the box. I am running mine at @ 1333/2001 which gives me a boost of 1484Mhz

Like Gibbo said the card is a premium build and you get what you pay for. You get a zero coil whine guarantee with the card which sealed the deal for me.

Very happy with mine

Just realized you may be talking about this one:

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-205-OK

Get the one I have It is a champ. Sorry for the confusion.