** NVIDIA GTX 970 REFERENCE EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE FROM OcUK IN EUROPE!! **

[Gibbo]

Hi there


No such thing as a reference 970 exist, everybody wants one but you can't get one!

Well I've changed that, we are now offering this:-


OcUK GeForce GTX 970 "NVIDIA 970 Cooler" 4096MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card @ £319.99 inc VAT

The new NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980/970 is powered by the next generation NVIDIA Maxwell Architecture, giving you incredible performance, unmatched power efficiency, and cutting-edge features.

Maxwell is the most advanced GPU architecture ever made, designed to be the engine of next generation gaming. Inspired by light, it was designed to solve some of the most complex lighting and graphics challenges in visual computing. For the first time, gaming GPU's can dynamically render indirect light using the new VXGI (Voxel Global Illumination technology). Scenes are significantly more lifelike as light interacts more realistically in the game environment.

The GTX 980 is the worlds fastest GPU and the GTX 970 offers the most advanced performance in its class. Each delivers 2x the performance of previous-generation card, bringing new gaming experiences to virtual reality, and ultra resolution 4k displays.

Enable the detail of 4k monitors, on a 1080P display. DSR produces smoother images by rendering a game at a high resolution, then downscaling it to the native resolution of the display using advanced filtering.

GeForce GTX 980 and 970 cards support tear-free, super-fast NVIDIA G-Sync monitor display technology including 4k. Together, these technologies provide the most immersive and competitive gaming experiences possible.


Features:-
- Voxel Global Illumination Technology (VXGI)
- NVIDIA® Super Resolution technology
- NVIDIA® GameWorks technology
- NVIDIA® GameStream technology
- NVIDIA® TXAA Technology
- NVIDIA GPU Boost 2.0
- NVIDIA PhysX® Technology
- NVIDIA FXAA Technology
- NVIDIA Adaptive Vertical Sync
- NVIDIA Surround
- Support for four concurrent displays including: Two dual-link DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort 1.2
- Microsoft DirectX 12
- NVIDIA® 3D Vision® Ready
- NVIDIA SLI® Ready Technology
- NVIDIA CUDA® technology
- PCI Express 3.0 support
- OpenGL 4.4 support
- OpenCL support
- NVIDIA SHIELD Ready
- NVIDIA G-Sync Ready


Specification:-
- NVIDIA 970 Cooler
- GeForce GTX 970
- GPU: GeForce GTX 970 (GM204)
- Core Base Clock: 1050MHz
- Core Boost Clock: 1178MHz
- Memory Clock: 7010MHz
- Memory Size: 4096MB Samsung GDDR5
- Bus Type: PCI Express 3.0
- Memory Bus: 256-bit
- CUDA Cores: 1664
- DirectX 12: Yes
- DVI Port: 1x Dual-Link DVI, 3x DisplayPort & 1x HDMI
- DisplayPort: Yes
- HDCP: Yes
- HDMI: Yes
- Power: 2x 6-Pin
- 450W PSU Required
- 145W TDP
- Warranty: 3yr


Only £319.99 inc VAT.

ORDER NOW














It has taken me a lot of work to make this happen, the card is built using the NVIDIA GTX 970 cooler, hence the price as its very expensive but it is the most efficient cooler especially in SLI, particular 3-way. Its a full size PCB as well so no cut backs there.

So those who asked, I have made it happen and OcUK bring you what could be the only reference design 970 in the world.

 

[Gibbo]

Beautiful looking card but surprised at the price tbh. seems expensive just to get a card that will exhaust air out of the case.

NVIDIA Cooler is extremely expensive. There are cheaper blower designs available on our website for about £260.

 

[Gibbo]

What brand/manufacturer are these? Does they use the Titan reference cooler (vapor chamber), or the GTX 980 version?

Cheers

EDIT: don't worry, just seen they're from a company called Manli. Not really heard of them before so i'll check them out . Are they good?

They are built by PC Partner for us, using NVIDIA BGA board, Samsung memory so all NVIDIA spec components.

PC partner build Sapphire, Zotac, PNY, Manli, Inno3D so are probably the worlds biggest manufacturer of cards.

3yr warranty and it's with OcUK!

 

[Gibbo]

Nice work getting this done after a lot of effort and a fullsized PCB with a good 3-year warranty (RMA via OcUK?).

Gibbo, when you get samples are you going to show us what a Titan-esk blower can do for such an efficient and popular card as this 970 in how temps fair in SLI, after all this is the point of the 'premium' for ATX boards?

For overclocking would we have to stick with stock BIOS or would there be a compatible BIOS we can use to push Power Tune further and leave voltagers within limits to keep thermals in check?

Thanks

Just look at 980 SLI reference reviews, no point in doing what has already being done.

We won't be doing anything for overclocking as the boards are built completely to NVIDIA specification using NVIDIAS bios so voltage will be 1.20mv max like most other cards as this is NVIDIAS max limit. So they will overclock just like a reference 989 does, very well.

 

[Gibbo]

Caseking wont have these?

Yes they shall get a few from me.

 

[Gibbo]

Hi there

Good news regarding coil whine, we've requested our factory to make some changes to the capacitors on our cards, the revisions include:-

Capacitors surrounded by plastic containers which are then stuck to the PCB by glue, very similar/same to what Powercolor themselves do on PCS+ cards. This will help reduce coil whine and eliminate it. This has cost us extra but we won't be moving our retail price on this model.

A photo of the capacitor in the container:

As the OcUK 970 is a design/build request by myself I have influence over the parts used and my original specification was NVIDIA BGA + Samsung memory, so built to NVIDIA standard using only NVIDIA approved components, so the quality was already high. We've just now implemented everything we can to help reduce/eliminate coil/whine into the design.

 

[Gibbo]

how will we know which have this will there be mark 1 and mk2 ? has this been applied to all the pre order cards ?

There is no MK1 or MK2, our production line had not started yet, so we will only receive OcUK 970 reference cards with this design implementation.

 

[Gibbo]

Nice one!

Could be a game changer for me.

If it wasn't for that other 970 you're designing.

Or are they one and the same?

Nope that is a custom cooled overclock card, we are also enquiring to have the same implemented and the cost too for doing so. Irrelevent of how much it cost it shall be done.

We want our designed cards that I have personally designed myself to be using the highest quality components, cost is irrelevant to us we just want the best.

 

[Gibbo]

Hey gibbo, whats the eta on these?
And will these be a limited run?

If they sell like hot cakes, we will make more, if not then we won't as the time involved, organisation and profit of having a factory make a card to my spec is very time consuming and not that profitable in all honesty or price competitive. But people asked for such a card so we made it happen, now that is something our competitors do, listen to what customers want.

 

[Gibbo]

Fair enough, thanks for the info
Bit surprised no one though made a ref 970.....

Because of the cost lol!!!

Board partners want to reduce cost and make more profits.

 

[Gibbo]

Whats the deal with the OC card? When can we expect to see/hear more about that one?

Once me and the factory come to an agreement, I want coil whine reducement technology built into it, they are coming back to me on what they can offer.

 

[Gibbo]

You mentioned a full Size PCB gibbo.

Are you going to have an 8pin + 6pin power connector?

I have noticed that most of the better clocking cards have this configuration rather than the reference 6pin+6pin.

We will stick with 6+6 we are not interested in designing this as an overclocking card. It is designed as a reference card using completely NVIDIA approved parts with absolutely zero cost down, it is simply about quality and for users who want to run 2-way and 3-way SLI plus it is for our SI production lines.

I've designed a separate card for OC which once the factories agree's to my specification I shall post more about, but right now I will not let them produce it until it is to my specification as I've requested Japanese capacitors, plastic containers for them and glue to try and ensure every measure to reduce coil whine.

My cards will be the highest quality and they will not be low cost, I am not making value junk, I am making premium quality product, if you want Value, buy Palit.

 

[Gibbo]

Can't you just put a wee blob of silicon on those coils to stop the whine/buzzing?

Yes it can sometimes work and with silicon easy to remove.

 

[Gibbo]

Yes due any day now.

 

[Gibbo]

Ok then I shall be on throwing my money at you later heh

I guess I get the game offer after all ^_^

You will get it.

 

[Gibbo]

One thing I would like to know, before I endure the added cost of switching my MSI 970s for these, is how they perform in SLI next to each other.

My case (H440) is evidently not the most ventilated. When I had my MSI's next to each other the top card hit 90*C! So I had to move them apart, and my motherboard sadly has a half slot between so I had to space them out two slots apart and now the bottom card sits at the bottom of the case and blocks the bottom SSD mounts.

I moved the SSD elsewhere, but its all rather messy, and the card being at the bottom also blocks the on-board debug LED and Power/Reset switches.

Sooooo, I dont really want to slip these in and find they run the same. I was under the impression that the reference cooler was designed for close quarter SLI and the intake was on the rear... but....

That is the whole point of us designing this card, it's a proven fact the NVIDIA reference cooler gives the best performance in SLI setups especially in smaller cases with poor ventilation.

Nothing is better than these for your needs so if they can't do it then nothing else will and the great thing is even at 100% fan they are not loud but very effective coolers.

 

[Gibbo]

Cheers ok btw; is this funny logo on the card? There are two pics of it and just curious.

Yes but it's just a sticker which can be peeled off.

 

[Gibbo]

Hi there

Just had an update, our cards never got on the flight at the weekend unfortunately due to no planes available or miss booking.

They are now re-booked to be on the plane this Saturday and hopefully with us Monday/Tuesday next week, sorry for the delay guys.

 

[Gibbo]

Ah that's not too bad Gibbo.

I was kinda bad though.... I just plonked down 2x reference 980s instead. Because who likes food and warmth anyway? XD but on the bright side I bought it from yourselves sooooo. It's win win for you XD

Well our prices on 980 reference cards are the lowest out there.

 

[Gibbo]

Gibbo, how does the reference cooler on this card differ from the cards that the reference cooler is based on, e.g. the cheaper Galax, Palit and EVGA cards?

Is there much in it?

It is not even close!

The NVIDIA cooler build quality is in a different league, the thermals and noise levels are also much lower.

Then just look at it, no offence but one looks like cheap junk and then you have the NVIDIA with its premium looks and that gorgeous NVIDIA backplate.

For me the cheapo Galax and Palit ones do what they say on the tin but they are cheap because the cooler is cheap, it is that simple, but it does what it says on the tin.

The NVIDIA built card has a premium cooler on it, backplate and the components are of higher quality. Bear in mind a lot of the 970 cards are built on 760 PCB's to reduce cost.

Our 970 is on a 970 PCB! No cost down!