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GTX 980 - Underwhelmed, is it just me?

Mobster
Soldato
Joined
4 Apr 2011
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3,501
Always one to lower the tone! Do you know 100% they are different?

Lower the tone ? You bought a card and jammed it in your machine expecting the wow factor, then when you dont get it you moan without even trying things to resolve it.

re: drivers : Well it depends on what version you currently have installed. Drivers bring compatibility, optimisations, profiles, performance, fixes etc Generally speaking, every single drivers brings something new to the table.
 
Man of Honour
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21 May 2012
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Dalek flagship
Yep, that's what I have been saying!

Even if they are the same driver does not mean they are configured the same way in use.

If I install drivers I have to remember to enable SLI where as on a single card this would not even come up. This is just a very simple example of the same driver working differently with a different setup.

When you get problems with graphics cards one of the first things you should try is reinstalling the drivers even if they are already the latest ones as they could have been corrupted/messed up in someway.
 
Soldato
Joined
15 Nov 2009
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2,524
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South east
download the latest driver via Geforce experience! oc CPU to 4.2 ish and you should be good.

this is a PEBCAK error (Problem Exists Between Chair And Keyboard) more than a hardware issue.

The drivers ARE different and you are required to install the very latest ones for your 900 series card, you don't need to change your OS at all.

fact is if you took the time to OC your CPU properly instead of going with a default MOBO profile your 660ti's would have performed better anyway although not much.
 
Last edited:
Associate
OP
Joined
16 Mar 2011
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824
Location
Leeds
They are unified like Bonjour said, this means its one driver for a range of GPU's.

If you select 980 and download 347.09 then select 660ti and download 347.09 you end up with 2 copies of the same file = same driver!!

If someone has evidence to suggest this is wrong please tell me (without insulting my intelligence)
 
Soldato
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I am not trying to insult your intelligence but you are in fact wrong, one is optimised for the 600/700 series however the 900 series uses a new AA technology (MFAA) and has it's own dedicated flags as seen in Nvidia inspector, I tend to let Geforce experience handle driver updates for me now day's.

Case and point example would be when the 900 series came out they had their own driver revision and the 4-700 series used a different revision.

Regardless of them being the same size and driver name now one is still optimised to handle the 900 series new tech.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
16 Mar 2011
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824
Location
Leeds
I am not trying to insult your intelligence but you are in fact wrong, one is optimised for the 600/700 series however the 900 series uses a new AA technology (MFAA) and has it's own dedicated flags as seen in Nvidia inspector, I tend to let Geforce experience handle driver updates for me now day's.

Case and point example would be when the 900 series came out they had their own driver revision and the 4-700 series used a different revision.

Regardless of them being the same size and driver name now one is still optimised to handle the 900 series new tech.

Ok if you are correct, and to be honest I hope you are, why when you choose your driver on the web site for the 980 does it say below compatible products. There is a large list of graphics cards that it says this driver works for, 660ti is included. How does that work? I really do think people are not understanding the fact that these are unified drivers!
 
Soldato
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2,524
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Well I hope I am correct too else I just made myself look very silly ;) but I'm pretty damn sure! but I have not downloaded from the website in ages so I'd go via geforce experience and see if you end up with different results
 
Associate
OP
Joined
16 Mar 2011
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824
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Leeds
Don't worry about being silly fella, its seems more normal the way you described it, I could be me with mud on my face just as easy!! hehe

Can anyone confirm either way?
 
Associate
OP
Joined
16 Mar 2011
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824
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Leeds
Phew! Thanks for that! Downside is it does mean that I have another issue on my machine or there really isn't that much difference between the 660ti SLI & the 980! Not a significant one anyway!
 
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