**Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 / 980 Review Thread**

[mattmos]

Just recommended a galaxy 970 to a collegue... the stock here is impressive compared with competitors. Decent prices as well. Nice one OcUK!

 

[Chuk_Chuk]

Here is the TH review:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/nvidia-geforce-gtx-980-970-maxwell,3941-11.html

Interestingly according to the TH measurement hardware,the GTX980 is quite dynamic in power consumption ranging from 100W to 290W.

It appears the secret sauce with Maxwell,is the ability of it to very quickly modulate power consumption to match load quickly,which helps keep power consumption on average quite reasonable,although GPGPU figures are OFC higher.

Would the rapid changes in power draw cause issues for cheaper PSUs?

 

[Besty]

Well, considering the chips are still on the old process, early indications are that nvidia have done something special here with the 980 in a way that the 680 and 780 did not. They even launched the new cards at a decent price.

This could be a home run launch for nvidia and I doubt people were expecting it to be.

 

[KillBoY_UK]

HI there


Just tested 970 and 980 again using 344.11 driver, simply wow:-




MSI 970 Gaming @ 1600/8400

Galax 980 @ 1550/8400

Mind blowing performance!!!!

Are thouse high clocks on air, h20 or LN2 ?

 

[Rusty0611]

Baby Jesus weeps when you quote images that big.

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

So Maxwell isn't actually any more efficient then GK110.

Will need more cards to be tested with the same methdology,but looking at the Maxwell uarch overview,it fits in what we know. There is a greater granularity to controlling what parts of the chip are drawing power and when.
OTH,the GTX750TI appeared to have an earlier version of this tech.However,think about Tegra for one second - the ability to quickly change power consumption and heat production will be quite useful in balancing the CPU and GPU sections of the chip.

Would the rapid changes in power draw cause issues for cheaper PSUs?

Well TBH I assume for a highish end card you would be going for a decent 450W to 500W one. Valve powered a Core i7 4770 and Geforce Titan(IIRC) off a 450W SFF PSU.

Edit!!

In fact Intel also has some pretty interesting mechanisms to maximise performance of its mobile chips:

http://oi60.tinypic.com/30ljukj.jpg

So for short periods you can have very big clockspeed bursts,but before much power is consumed the chip will downclock itself.

 

[Boomstick777]

 

[almighty15]

MSI 970 Gaming @ 1600/8400

Mind blowing performance!!!!

My 290 at 1250Mhz is 3fps behind on Graphics test 1 and 4fps behind on graphics test 2.

And that's with a 350Mhz ( 28% ) lower core clock.

Up my 290 framerate by 25% and I end up 12fps in front in graphics test 1 and 8fps in front.

I thin if AMD sort the power consumption and overclock ceiling they'll easily be able to handle these new Nvidia cards.

 

[Boomstick777]

My 290 at 1250Mhz is 3fps behind on Graphics test 1 and 4fps behind on graphics test 2.

And that's with a 350Mhz ( 28% ) lower core clock.

Up my 290 framerate by 25% and I end up 12fps in front in graphics test 1 and 8fps in front.

I thin if AMD sort the power consumption and overclock ceiling they'll easily be able to handle these new Nvidia cards.

Yeah eventually they will get there, but right now the GTX 970 just embarrasses the 290 and 290X, performance VS power use is insane on these 970/980 cards. Plus the price on 970 just to rub salt into the wound

AMD will counter and than Nvidia will drop the 'Ti' and possibly 'Titan'. the cycle continues..

I hope AMD come out strong with their next lot of cards.

 

[llamadal]

Drivers will be optimised plus big overclocking head room and then they won't....

Match the clock, run it for 24 hours and let us know how you get on.

More to the point. Who the hell cares? On release they are good and decent value for money, but like Everything, it will be surpassed in 6 to 12 months or sooner in specific situations, while I won't be getting one I still consider them to be excellent buys

 

[DazQ87]

I agree, the 970 really does look like brilliant value for money, if I had anything less than my current card I would probably upgrade to one, and I haven't owned an nvidia card since the 8800.

Hopefully when the die shrink to 20nm happens we will still get some cards in this value for money region.

 

[Boomstick777]

I agree, the 970 really does look like brilliant value for money, if I had anything less than my current card I would probably upgrade to one, and I haven't owned an nvidia card since the 8800.

Hopefully when the die shrink to 20nm happens we will still get some cards in this value for money region.

+1

Imagine what is capable on 20nm with Maxwell

Then after that Pascal and 16nm..

 

[Gibbo]

Are thouse high clocks on air, h20 or LN2 ?

Stock air cooler!
Only +87mv


With more voltage, water and improved drivers we shall be seeing much higher clocks in coming weeks.

 

[darkblueslider]

Wonder how long we're off 20nm. feels like we've been on 28nm for like, 3 years.

 

[Marine-RX179]

Yeah eventually they will get there, but right now the GTX 970 just embarrasses the 290 and 290X, performance VS power use is insane on these 970/980 cards. Plus the price on 970 just to rub salt into the wound

Yea, but it would seem the Maxwell's lower power consumption isn't as clear cut as it seem:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/nvidia-geforce-gtx-980-970-maxwell,3941-12.html

"Stress Test Power Consumption

If the load is held constant, then the lower power consumption measurements vanish immediately. There’s nothing for GPU Boost to adjust, since the highest possible voltage is needed continuously. Nvidia's stated TDP becomes a distant dream. In fact, if you compare the GeForce GTX 980’s power consumption to an overclocked GeForce GTX Titan Black, there really aren’t any differences between them. This is further evidence supporting our assertion that the new graphics card’s increased efficiency is largely attributable to better load adjustment and matching."

and I thought a 600-650W PSU would handle SLI 980 no problem, but looks like anyone want to SLI two of them, they'd safer to still go for 750W PSU just in case.

 

[Gibbo]

Just recommended a galaxy 970 to a collegue... the stock here is impressive compared with competitors. Decent prices as well. Nice one OcUK!

It was this morning, but customers have ravaged our stocks, 100's more in next week though.

 

[MooMoo444]

assuming single 980 would be a downgrade from 2 780s?

I suck at reading reviews

 

[Geeman1979]

assuming single 980 would be a downgrade from 2 780s?

I suck at reading reviews

Absolutely.

 

[Ragnahex]

yes

 

[andybird123]

assuming single 980 would be a downgrade from 2 780s?

I suck at reading reviews

Yes, the 980 is definitely faster than one 780, but still not a patch on two of them