Graphics cards

garethjwilliams · 4 May 2015 at 11:24

Hi guys don't know where to start I am getting 2 graphics cards within the next 2 months, they will be watercooled with full blocks providing they can be fitted to the cards I purchase, reading so much about reference and non reference cards, I am looking for 2 cards that can be watercooled and have 4gb of ram on each so 8gb in total, gtx 970 or gtx 980, 290x are they good choices ??

Randall8686 · 4 May 2015 at 11:32

Any reference card will take a full waterblock, I have a EVGA GTX980 SC and a EKWB waterblock. the EVGA SC is a reference design. However i have a 970 G1 Gaming previously and i fitted a waterblock to that too due to EKWB making a full waterblock for that too. if you go on EK's website they have a part finder and you can check that you can get a block for it. However below is what i used and it worked fine on the 970 and loving the 980 setup i have now.

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-147-GI
with
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-737-EK&groupid=962&catid=1520&subcat=2885
(I had the clear one but OCUK not listing that now)

I now have
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-261-EA
with
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-654-EK&groupid=962&catid=1520&subcat=2885

and it works perfectly.

savagesam117 · 4 May 2015 at 11:37

Before you purchase the cards, do some research into water blocks and which ones are available for your card. I didn't and now I'm looking to watercool it and the blocks are really expensive and not many places sell them.

As said, the EK parts config thing is really good

garethjwilliams · 4 May 2015 at 11:57

Randall8686 said:
Any reference card will take a full waterblock, I have a EVGA GTX980 SC and a EKWB waterblock. the EVGA SC is a reference design. However i have a 970 G1 Gaming previously and i fitted a waterblock to that too due to EKWB making a full waterblock for that too. if you go on EK's website they have a part finder and you can check that you can get a block for it. However below is what i used and it worked fine on the 970 and loving the 980 setup i have now.

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-147-GI
with
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-737-EK&groupid=962&catid=1520&subcat=2885
(I had the clear one but OCUK not listing that now)

I now have
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-261-EA
with
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-654-EK&groupid=962&catid=1520&subcat=2885

and it works perfectly.

Looks like I'm gonna have to go for evga gtx970, 980's over my price range at the moment, full cover water block available as well for them, only thing bugging me at the moment is my motherboard has 2 x16 slots which will be 3.5 inch gap between the cards, to have these in sli I do t think the strap that connects them both together won't be long enough

Randall8686 · 4 May 2015 at 12:16

Personally i would not go SLI 970 due to Vram issues, Get get 1 980 for now as that will chew anything at 1080p and 1440p. Then go sli when you need to. the whole 3.5gb vram on the 970 does not make it the best SLI option tbh. what are you trying to do that 1 980 wont achieve ?

garethjwilliams · 4 May 2015 at 12:32

Randall8686 said:
Personally i would not go SLI 970 due to Vram issues, Get get 1 980 for now as that will chew anything at 1080p and 1440p. Then go sli when you need to. the whole 3.5gb vram on the 970 does not make it the best SLI option tbh. what are you trying to do that 1 980 wont achieve ?

Gaming and streaming, and converting films to disc mostly, get 1 980 and add another in a years time sounds like a plan

MrMD · 4 May 2015 at 18:44

Remember in sli/CF Vram doesnt stack 4gb+4gb doesnt=8Gb.You still only have 4gb vram mirrored

Randall8686 · 4 May 2015 at 21:05

garethjwilliams said:
Gaming and streaming, and converting films to disc mostly, get 1 980 and add another in a years time sounds like a plan

Yup, this is what i have done. In a years time a 980 will be had for £250 second hand easy if not less. Vram stacking etc will be intersting when dx12 comes out, new tittles supporting dx12 should really see a much bigger benefit with sli, this is were i see the 970 having issues