GM200 | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Fri, 02 Oct 2015 03:15:11 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png GM200 | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 MSI rolls-out limited edition GeForce GTX 980 Ti with copper cooler https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/msi-rolls-out-limited-edition-geforce-gtx-980-ti-with-copper-cooler-factory-overclocking/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/msi-rolls-out-limited-edition-geforce-gtx-980-ti-with-copper-cooler-factory-overclocking/#comments Fri, 02 Oct 2015 07:05:27 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=270345 MicroStar International has introduced its limited edition GeForce GTX 980 Ti Gaming 6G Golden graphics card, which features a unique design, can work in three modes and comes with an all-copper cooling systems. The MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti Gaming 6G Golden graphics adapter is powered by Nvidia Corp.’s GM200-310 graphics processing unit (2816 stream …

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MicroStar International has introduced its limited edition GeForce GTX 980 Ti Gaming 6G Golden graphics card, which features a unique design, can work in three modes and comes with an all-copper cooling systems.

The MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti Gaming 6G Golden graphics adapter is powered by Nvidia Corp.’s GM200-310 graphics processing unit (2816 stream processors, 176 texture units, 96 raster operations pipelines, 384-bit memory bus) along with 6GB of GDDR5 memory. The card is built on a custom printed circuit board with a specially designed 10-phase voltage regulator module for enhanced overclocking potential. The graphics board can work in three modes set by software:

  • Silent mode: 1000MHz/1076MHz base/boost GPU frequency, 7010MHz GDDR5 memory data-rate;
  • Gaming mode: 1140MHz/1228MHz base/boost GPU frequency, 7010MHz GDDR5 memory data-rate;
  • OC mode: 1178MHz/1279MHz base/boost GPU frequency, 7096MHz GDDR5 memory data-rate;

Thanks to factory overclocked GPU and memory that are guaranteed to run at nearly 1200MHz/7100MHz, the MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti Gaming 6G Golden should outperform Nvidia’s flagship GeForce GTX Titan X card thanks to higher compute performance (6.63TFLOPS vs. 6.14TFLOPS) and higher memory bandwidth.

msi_geforce_gtx_980_ti_golden

In many ways, the “Golden Edition” graphics card resembles MSI’s GTX 980 Ti Gaming 6G reviewed by KitGuru earlier this year. The main difference between the two is all-copper Twin Frozr V cooler on the new one versus all-aluminium cooler on the regular one. The cooler features multiple heat-pipes as well as two fans, which stop spinning in low-temperature situations. The “Golden Edition” is designed not only to look better than the original card, but also to provide more efficient cooling.

The decision to use copper radiators is a debateable one, keeping in mind the fact that while copper quickly absorbs heat, it does not quickly dissipate it, unlike aluminium, which dissipates heat rapidly. Practically all high-performance coolers use a combination of copper and aluminium.

msi_geforce_gtx_980_ti_golden_1

The new MSI GTX 980 Ti Gaming 6G Golden Edition will be on display at the Madrid Games Week event in Spain. The card will hit the market in the coming weeks. A small surprise will be included in the accessories box of this limited edition product.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: The Golden Edition of MSI’s GeForce GTX 980 Ti Gaming 6G looks very impressive. But will it be actually better than the regular one? That is something for reviewers to check out!

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Nvidia readies new dual-chip GeForce GTX flagship graphics card https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-readies-new-dual-chip-geforce-gtx-flagship-graphics-card/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-readies-new-dual-chip-geforce-gtx-flagship-graphics-card/#comments Mon, 28 Sep 2015 21:08:27 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=269755 Nvidia Corp. is working on a new flagship graphics card that will use two code-named GM200 graphics processing units. The new adapter will offer extreme levels of performance and will compete against AMD’s upcoming Radeon R9 Fury X2 with two “Fiji” graphics processors. Not a lot is known about the upcoming flagship GeForce GTX graphics …

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Nvidia Corp. is working on a new flagship graphics card that will use two code-named GM200 graphics processing units. The new adapter will offer extreme levels of performance and will compete against AMD’s upcoming Radeon R9 Fury X2 with two “Fiji” graphics processors.

Not a lot is known about the upcoming flagship GeForce GTX graphics card, except the fact that the adapter was demonstrated to the press last week, reports WccfTech web-site. The briefing was called “Geforce GTX Times Two”. Review samples of the product are reportedly in circulation.

new-york-secret-invitation1

The upcoming dual-GPU graphics board will likely belong to the GeForce GTX Titan range and will offer unprecedented performance and a very high price. Since the GM200 graphics processing unit has 3072 stream processors, a graphics card with two GM200 chips will be able to boast with up to 6144 SPs, an incredible amount. Since the “Maxwell” architecture is very power efficient, it is possible that frequency of the GPUs on the dual-chip adapter will be fairly high.

It is unclear whether the graphics card will feature 12GB or 24GB of memory. 24GB of memory will provide incredibly high performance, but will also consume a lot of power, meaning that the card will have to use a massive cooler.

nvidia_geforce_gtx_titan_z_1

Last year Nvidia released its dual-chip GeForce GTX Titan Z graphics card with two GK110 graphics processing units. The adapter did not feature unbeatable performance and was generally slower than AMD’s Radeon R9 295X2. Due to incredible price of $2999, the Titan Z was not popular.

Nvidia did not comment on the news-story.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Keeping in mind that AMD’s Radeon R9 Fury X is pretty rare, it is possible that AMD will delay introduction of its dual-chip flagship. As a result, Nvidia’s new dual-GPU board will simply have no direct competitors, which means that it will come with an extreme price-tag…

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AMD reportedly begins to fight back market share from Nvidia https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/amd-reportedly-begins-to-fight-back-market-share-from-nvidia/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/amd-reportedly-begins-to-fight-back-market-share-from-nvidia/#comments Thu, 17 Sep 2015 00:59:49 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=268151 Advanced Micro Devices began to fight back its market share from Nvidia Corp. in the third quarter of the year, a financial analyst revealed on Wednesday. While Nvidia still dominates the market, the launch of AMD’s latest graphics cards helped the company to improve its sales a bit. “Graphics processor unit pricing and availability suggest …

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Advanced Micro Devices began to fight back its market share from Nvidia Corp. in the third quarter of the year, a financial analyst revealed on Wednesday. While Nvidia still dominates the market, the launch of AMD’s latest graphics cards helped the company to improve its sales a bit.

“Graphics processor unit pricing and availability suggest that AMD’s recent Radeon R9 300-series refresh has helped regain some lost share at about $400 and about $200 price points, while Nvidia maintains a dominant position in premium high-end GPU cards ($500+),” wrote Ian Ing, an analyst with MKM Partners, in an article at Barron’s.

The analyst notes that due to shortages of AMD Radeon R9 Fury-series graphics cards during the third quarter, AMD could not really gain a lot of share in the segment of expensive graphics adapters used by enthusiasts. At the same time, the analyst indicates, that in many cases such add-in-boards are sold at prices, which exceed those recommended by AMD, which means that the company earns premium by selling the adapters.

amd_radeon_r9_390_official

By contrast, prices of Nvidia’s GeForce GTX Titan X and GeForce GTX 980 Ti decreased by 3 and 2 per cent during the quarter, respectively. Still, thanks to wide availability, Nvidia and its partners can sell a lot of graphics adapters powered by the company’s latest code-named GM200 chip.

Mr. Ing claims that since AMD Radeon R9 300-series graphics cards are readily available, but their prices do not decline, demand for such add-in-boards could be fairly high, which suggests that AMD is gaining share.

In Q2 2015 AMD’s share in the market of discrete graphics processing units for desktops declined to historical minimum of around 18 per cent. By contrast, Nvidia commanded 82 per cent of the market.

AMD is in its quiet period and could not comment on the news-story.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Trying to guess market share by monitoring retailers may not be a good idea. However, at present this is one of a few ways to understand what is happening in the market. While it is a good news that AMD is increasing its presence in the market, it should be noted that given AMD’s current position even if the company gains 5 per cent a quarter Nvidia will still be the dominant player.

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Galax offers GeForce GTX 980 Ti card for extreme overclockers https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/galax-offers-geforce-gtx-980-ti-graphics-card-for-extreme-overclockers/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/galax-offers-geforce-gtx-980-ti-graphics-card-for-extreme-overclockers/#comments Mon, 14 Sep 2015 20:41:56 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=267725 Galax, a graphics card brand owned by Palit Microsystems, has quietly unveiled its factory-overclocked GeForce GTX 980 Ti-based graphics card that not only offers incredible performance out of box, but is actually designed for extreme overclocking. The Galax Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 Ti HOF LN2 GOC Edition features rather extreme 1203MHz/1304MHz (base/boost) GPU clock-rates. The …

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Galax, a graphics card brand owned by Palit Microsystems, has quietly unveiled its factory-overclocked GeForce GTX 980 Ti-based graphics card that not only offers incredible performance out of box, but is actually designed for extreme overclocking.

The Galax Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 Ti HOF LN2 GOC Edition features rather extreme 1203MHz/1304MHz (base/boost) GPU clock-rates. The graphics board comes with an advanced dual-slot cooling system with multiple heat-pipes, a large aluminium heat-sink as well as three fans. The card has DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort outputs and can drive up to four monitors.

galax_980tihof_1

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti HOF LN2 GOC Edition graphics board features rather extreme 16+3 phase voltage regulator module based on the International Rectifier’s IR3595 digital PWM controller as well as three 8-pin auxiliary power connectors, which can supply up to 450W of power in order to enable incredible overclocking potential. The VRM of the Galax Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 Ti HOF LN2 GOC Edition is the most advanced in the industry and, theoretically, the graphics card can hit unbelievable clock-rates. The graphics adapter is based on a white printed circuit board.

galax_980tihof_2

As the name of the graphics card implies, the product is designed for extreme overclockers, who will use liquid nitrogen to cool graphics card down.

Only one batch of the GALAX GTX 980 Ti HOF LN2 Edition will ever be produced and will be available for limited time only. The board costs $999 in the U.S. In the U.K. it is possible to buy KFA2 GeForce GTX 980Ti “Hall of Fame WC Edition” with similar clock-speeds for £689 with water-block. Unfortunately, the latter is equipped with 8+3-phase VRM and thus has a bit lower overclocking potential.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It would be very interesting to find out how significantly the GPU on the Galax GeForce GTX 980 Ti HOF LN2 GOC Edition can be overclocked with liquid nitrogen. The record for the GM200 GPU is around 2.1GHz. Perhaps, 16-phase VRM for the GPU can help to push the frequency even higher.

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EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti FTW: Extreme performance, lower cost https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/evga-geforce-gtx-980-ti-ftw-extreme-performance-lower-cost/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/evga-geforce-gtx-980-ti-ftw-extreme-performance-lower-cost/#comments Fri, 11 Sep 2015 23:24:12 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=267506 EVGA on Friday introduced yet another graphics card based on Nvidia Corp.’s GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics processing unit, which boasts nearly 20 per cent higher clock-rates compared to reference boards. Performance of EVGA’s GeForce GTX 980 Ti FTW in games should be higher compared to performance of Nvidia’s GeForce GTX Titan X, but the …

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EVGA on Friday introduced yet another graphics card based on Nvidia Corp.’s GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics processing unit, which boasts nearly 20 per cent higher clock-rates compared to reference boards. Performance of EVGA’s GeForce GTX 980 Ti FTW in games should be higher compared to performance of Nvidia’s GeForce GTX Titan X, but the price of the novelty should be relatively moderate thanks to simplified design.

The EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti FTW sports the same 1190MHz/1291MHz (base/boost) GPU frequencies as the more expensive GeForce GTX 980 Ti Classified graphics adapter recently reviewed by KitGuru. The only EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics card that demonstrates higher performance than the FTW and Classified is the K|NGP|N, which GPU is clocked at 1203MHz/1304MHz out-of-the-box and even checked for overclocking potential.

evga_geforce_gtx_980ti_ftw_card

Just like the Classified and the K|INGP|N, the EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti FTW uses a custom-designed printed-circuit board, but this one is considerably less expensive to manufacture than those used on other graphics adapters. The new board sports 8+2-phase voltage regulator module featuring solid-state inductors, high-quality capacitors and hardened MOSFETs to withstand greater stress and heat. The card has two 8-pin PCIe power connectors that can deliver up to 300W of power to it (in addition to 75W supplied by the PCI Express x16 slot) in a bid to ensure high overclocking potential.

evga_geforce_gtx_980ti_ftw_vrm_1

The more expensive Classified and the K|INGP|N graphics adapters from EVGA have considerably more sophisticated 14+3-phase VRMs to ensure even higher overclocking potential. However, such VRMs and PCBs cost a lot, which is why the aforementioned boards from EVGA are priced at up to $1049 and are not easy to get. The EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti FTW should offer the right balance between the cost, performance and overclocking potential for those, who do not want to set records in benchmarks.

evga_geforce_gtx_980ti_ftw_cooler

The EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti FTW comes with the company’s latest ACX 2.0+ cooling system, which has three 8mm heat-pipes, a large aluminium radiator as well as two double ball bearing fans with a special blade design. The ACX 2.0+ also features a memory/MOSFET cooling plate as well as a backplate.

evga_geforce_gtx_980_ti_cards_comparizon

The new GeForce GTX 980 Ti FTW from EVGA is available in the U.S. for $689, which is about $10 lower than the price of the EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti Classified, a card that was not available at EVGA’s online store at press time. The recommended price of the GeForce GTX 980 Ti FTW for the U.K. is unknown, but the board should hit the market in the coming weeks. Overclockers UK sells the EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti Classified for £629.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: At present, the difference between prices of the EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti FTW and the EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti Classified is negligible. Keeping in mind that Classified has a lot of similarities with the K|INGP|N board, the Classified may be a better choice if you buy now at recommended prices. However, several months down the road, prices will get lower and the fact that the EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti FTW is easier to build will help EVGA to make it considerably more affordable than the more advanced boards.

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MSI teams up with Corsair for hybrid-cooled graphics cards https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/msi-teams-up-with-corsair-for-hybrid-cooled-graphics-cards-980-ti-watercooled-approaching/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/msi-teams-up-with-corsair-for-hybrid-cooled-graphics-cards-980-ti-watercooled-approaching/#respond Fri, 11 Sep 2015 20:03:03 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=267412 MicroStar International this week revealed at its Facebook page that it is getting closer to unveiling graphics cards with hybrid cooling solutions. The company did not disclose when or what it plans to launch, but one of the first graphics adapters from MSI to feature new coolers will be powered by Nvidia Corp.’s GeForce GTX …

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MicroStar International this week revealed at its Facebook page that it is getting closer to unveiling graphics cards with hybrid cooling solutions. The company did not disclose when or what it plans to launch, but one of the first graphics adapters from MSI to feature new coolers will be powered by Nvidia Corp.’s GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics processor.

AMD’s launches of the Radeon R9 295X2 with hybrid cooling system as well as the Radeon Radeon R9 Fury X with all-in-one liquid-cooling solution have clearly shifted attitude of manufacturers towards hybrid and liquid coolers. This year EVGA and less-known Japanese brands have introduced their graphics adapters with custom hybrid coolers, but, as it appears, they will not offer such products exclusively. Apparently, MSI and Corsair are working on something too.

msi_corsair_liquid

Back at the Computex 2015 trade-show, MicroStar International and Corsair already demonstrated a prototype of MSI’s GTX 980 Ti Watercooled graphics adapter, which is based on Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics processing unit, but comes with a hybrid cooling solution powered by Corsair’s liquid-cooler as well as HG10-series bracket. That product is approaching its launch, based on the Facebook post from MSI.

msi_980ti_liquid_cooling

At present the only thing that is known about MSI’s GTX 980 Ti Watercooled is that it will feature a new cooling solution jointly designed by MicroStar and Corsair and will be aimed at overclockers. Exact clock-rates of the graphics adapter are unknown, but expect them to be considerably higher compared to Nvidia’s reference design.

corsair_hg10

It is unclear whether the GTX 980 Ti Watercooled will be the only solution with hybrid cooler in MSI’s lineup, but it is logical to expect other graphics boards to feature similar cooling systems eventually.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: The fall is going to be interesting for the market of graphics adapters. Manufacturers of add-in-cards will need to refresh their product families and will thus install custom cooling systems and conduct significant factory overclock. The only question is how expensive such graphics boards will be.

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Nvidia: Sales of high-end GeForce GTX GPUs are increasing https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-sales-of-high-end-geforce-gtx-gpus-are-increasing/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-sales-of-high-end-geforce-gtx-gpus-are-increasing/#comments Wed, 09 Sep 2015 01:33:03 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=266810 It is not a secret that sales of discrete graphics processing units for personal computers are decreasing. In the second quarter of the year shipments of graphics cards for desktop computers dropped to the minimum level in many years. Despite of this, shipments of graphics cards used by gamers are increasing, according to Jeff Fisher, …

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It is not a secret that sales of discrete graphics processing units for personal computers are decreasing. In the second quarter of the year shipments of graphics cards for desktop computers dropped to the minimum level in many years. Despite of this, shipments of graphics cards used by gamers are increasing, according to Jeff Fisher, senior vice president of GeForce business unit at Nvidia Corp.

One of the key reasons why sales of low-end graphics processing units are getting lower is increasing performance of graphics processors integrated into modern central processing units. Ten years ago, integrated graphics processors were incapable of delivering decent performance even in casual games, but today they offer fine frame-rates in a lot of games. As a result, people no longer need low-end graphics cards for desktop computers.

However, more and more people are buying GeForce GTX GPUs to play video games, according to Jeff Fisher, who spoke with Japanese 4Gamer.net web-site. Mr. Fisher claims that new-generation game consoles do not threat sales of discrete graphics adapters, but actually help to popularize games and GeForce GPUs.

nvidia_geforce_gtx_titan_x

Several years ago, Nvidia’s top-of-the-range gaming graphics adapters cost $499. The recommended price of the GeForce GTX 980 was $549, the GeForce GTX 980 Ti costs $649 and the GeForce GTX Titan X is priced at $999. Mr. Fisher denies that Nvidia’s graphics processors are getting more expensive with each generation and claims that Titan series is not aimed at gamers, but enthusiasts of high-performance computing.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Nvidia has managed to capture over 80 per cent of the world’s GPU market, which is why the company can enjoy increasing sales of its products. By contrast, its arch-rival AMD is struggling to increase sales of its Radeon R9 graphics cards for gamers.

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Asustek unveils ROG Poseidon GTX 980 Ti with hybrid cooling system https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/asustek-unveils-rog-poseidon-gtx-980-ti-with-hybrid-cooling-system/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/asustek-unveils-rog-poseidon-gtx-980-ti-with-hybrid-cooling-system/#comments Wed, 02 Sep 2015 20:43:06 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=265967 Asustek Computer on Wednesday introduced its new custom GeForce GTX 980 Ti-based graphics card with innovative hybrid cooling solution and increased overclocking potential. The new Asus ROG Poseidon GTX 980 Ti is not the fastest graphics card in the world out-of-box, but its overclocking potential should be exceptionally high thanks to hybrid cooler. The Asus ROG …

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Asustek Computer on Wednesday introduced its new custom GeForce GTX 980 Ti-based graphics card with innovative hybrid cooling solution and increased overclocking potential. The new Asus ROG Poseidon GTX 980 Ti is not the fastest graphics card in the world out-of-box, but its overclocking potential should be exceptionally high thanks to hybrid cooler.

The Asus ROG Poseidon GTX 980 Ti graphics card is based on Nvidia Corp.’s GM200-310 graphics processing unit (2816 stream processors, 176 texture units, 96 raster operations pipelines, 384-bit GDDR5 memory bus) as well as on custom printed circuit board designed by Asustek Computer. The PCB sports 10-phase voltage regulator module featuring concrete-core chokes, solid-state black metallic capacitors and hardened MOSFETs. The graphics card sports two 8-pin PCIe auxiliary power connectors that can deliver up to 300W of power to the graphics board (in addition to 75W supplied through PCIe x16 slot).

asus_poseidon_geforce_gtx_980_ti_2

The key feature of the Asus ROG Poseidon GTX 980 Ti graphics adapter is its hybrid air-liquid cooling solution. Two high-quality fans along with advanced radiator and DirectXU H2O vapor-chamber should be enough to cool-down the graphics adapter, but enthusiasts with custom-built liquid cooling solutions will be able to plug the card to their pump and enjoy the benefits of liquid cooling. According to Asustek Computer, the cooling system of the ROG Poseidon GTX 980 Ti guarantees up to 5°C lower GPU temperature than Nvidia’s reference cooler out-of-box and up to 30°C lower GPU temperature when connected to a liquid cooling system.

asus_poseidon_geforce_gtx_980_ti_4

Clock-rates of the Asus ROG Poseidon GTX 980 Ti graphics adapter – 1203MHz/1228MHz (base/boost) for GPU and 7GHz for 6GB of GDDR5 memory – are lower compared to frequencies offered by the Asus Strix GTX 980 Ti. Moreover, the latter also has more advanced VRM and pre-overclocked memory. Asus positions its Republic of Gamers products above Strix lineup but the ROG Poseidon GTX 980 Ti is slower than the Strix GTX 980 Ti.

asus_poseidon_geforce_gtx_980_ti

Peak compute performance of the ROG Poseidon GTX 980 Ti is around 6.77TFLOPS, or around 10 per cent higher compared to that of the GeForce GTX Titan X, which boasts with 6.144TFLOPS of FP32 processing power.

The Asus ROG Poseidon GTX 980 Ti is available now worldwide.

Asustek Computer is also working on its Asus ROG Matrix GTX 980 Ti, which will be the company’s highest-performing single-chip graphics card based on an Nvidia GeForce graphics chip.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: The new Poseidon graphics adapters should be perfect for those, who already have custom liquid-cooling system. For those, who just want to have high performance, the Asus Strix GeForce GTX 980 Ti should be a considerably better solution thanks to higher clock-rates, pre-overclocked memory, very advanced cooling system and better VRM.

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Nvidia readies new flagship mobile GPU – report https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-readies-new-flagship-mobile-gpu-report/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-readies-new-flagship-mobile-gpu-report/#comments Tue, 11 Aug 2015 18:31:53 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=263090 Nvidia Corp. is working on a new graphics processing unit for mobile personal computers that will feature performance of desktop-class graphics adapters. Not a lot of details are known about the new product, but a media report claims that the new flagship GeForce GTX for notebooks will be released in September. NotebookCheck web-site reports that …

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Nvidia Corp. is working on a new graphics processing unit for mobile personal computers that will feature performance of desktop-class graphics adapters. Not a lot of details are known about the new product, but a media report claims that the new flagship GeForce GTX for notebooks will be released in September.

NotebookCheck web-site reports that Nvidia’s new mobile graphics processing unit is code-named N16E-GXX, but at present it is unknown which graphics processor is used for the product. At present Nvidia’s flagship GPU for notebooks is GeForce GTX 980M based on the GM204 graphics processing unit with 1536 stream processors. Therefore, Nvidia could release another GM204-based mobile product with all stream processors activated. Alternatively, Nvidia could use its GM200 graphics chip for a new mobile flagship product.

nvidia_geforce_gtx_980_maxwell_gm204_1

According to the report, Nvidia’s new mobile graphics adapter will feature thermal design power between 100W and 185W, which means that the N16E-GXX may be based on either GM204 or GM200 graphics processing units. The product will not be released in MXM form-factor, which means that laptops featuring the product will not be upgradeable.

The official name of the N16E-GXX is unknown, but it is possible that the novelty will carry GTX 990M model number.

nvidia_closing_the_gap

Nvidia did not comment on the news-story.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: If Nvidia releases a mobile graphics solution based on the GM200 graphics processor, then such mobile GPU will deliver performance, which will be higher compared to many high-end desktops. Obviously, laptops featuring GM200 will be hot and their battery life will be negligible. However, gamers will probably be happy with performance than such machines can deliver.

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Nvidia: China is shifting to high-end GPUs https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-china-is-shifting-to-high-end-gpus/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-china-is-shifting-to-high-end-gpus/#comments Fri, 07 Aug 2015 23:20:00 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=262849 Chief executive officer of Nvidia Corp. explained this week the reason why a number of graphics cards makers this year refocused their marketing efforts to higher-end graphics adapters. Apparently, China, one of the world’s largest markets, is shifting to higher-end GPUs, which is generally a good news for both Nvidia and its rival Advanced Micro …

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Chief executive officer of Nvidia Corp. explained this week the reason why a number of graphics cards makers this year refocused their marketing efforts to higher-end graphics adapters. Apparently, China, one of the world’s largest markets, is shifting to higher-end GPUs, which is generally a good news for both Nvidia and its rival Advanced Micro Devices.

“We are also seeing a shift to higher end GPUs in China,” said Jen-Hsun Huang, chief executive officer of Nvidia, on the company’s earnings conference call with investors and financial analysts. “Some of that probably has to do with the dramatic change in improvement in production value of games in China.”

NVIDIA_GeForce_GTX_900series_KeyVisual_HD_003

Historically, China consumed cheap personal computers with poor configurations and with low-end or even integrated graphics adapters. In the recent years, the situation began to change and today there are loads of high-end systems sold in the world’s most populated country. Another reason why Chinese gamers now buy higher-end hardware is because locally-made games demand more performance and better GPUs.

“There was a time when the Chinese games were enjoyed and fun, [but] the production values were not very good,” explained Mr. Huang. “But now if you take a look at the Tencent games, the production value are absolutely phenomenal. They are beautiful. They are artistic and in those cases require a lot more GPU capability.”

TitanX_Stylized_02

Yet another reason why Chinese gamers are shifting to higher-end GPUs could be shrinking difference between low-end GPUs and integrated graphics processors. Today, one may have decent gaming experience on a system powered by a moderate central processing unit with a good graphics core inside. In a bid to have a radically better experience, an advanced graphics card will be needed.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Increasing demand for higher-end graphics adapters is a good news for everyone serving that market, including AMD, Nvidia and makers of graphics cards. What remains to be seen is whether bolstering demand in China will affect prices of GPUs. At the end, great demand increases prices. But on the other hand, as GPUs are getting more complex, creators of such chips need more money to develop and design their products.

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EVGA GTX 980 Ti K|NGP|N hits 2.1GHz/8.4GHz with LN2, sets new records https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/evga-geforce-gtx-980-ti-kngpn-hits-2-1ghz8-4ghz-with-ln2-sets-new-records/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/evga-geforce-gtx-980-ti-kngpn-hits-2-1ghz8-4ghz-with-ln2-sets-new-records/#comments Thu, 30 Jul 2015 21:59:13 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=261546 Vince “K|NGP|N” Lucido, one of the world’s top overclockers who collaborates with EVGA, has managed to overclock Nvidia Corp.’s GM200-310 graphics processing unit to a record-high frequency. Using EVGA’s top-of-the-range GeForce GTX 980 Ti K|NGP|N graphics adapter specifically designed for extreme overclocking, Mr. Lucido managed to set multiple records. The legendary overclocker has managed to …

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Vince “K|NGP|N” Lucido, one of the world’s top overclockers who collaborates with EVGA, has managed to overclock Nvidia Corp.’s GM200-310 graphics processing unit to a record-high frequency. Using EVGA’s top-of-the-range GeForce GTX 980 Ti K|NGP|N graphics adapter specifically designed for extreme overclocking, Mr. Lucido managed to set multiple records.

The legendary overclocker has managed to bolster clock-rates of the GeForce GTX 980 Ti K|NGP|N graphics card to whopping 2100MHz/8400MHz (GPU/memory). 2.10GHz is the highest clock-rate ever achieved by the GM200 graphics processor, the frequency is slightly below 2.30GHz, the absolutely highest clock-rate ever achieved by any graphics processing unit. To hit record frequencies, Vince “K|NGP|N” Lucido used liquid nitrogen (LN2) and increased voltage of the GPU.

evga_geforce_gtx_980_ti_kingpin

To test performance of the heavily overclocked graphics card, Kingpin used his rig powered by an Intel Core i7-5960X processor overclocked to 5000MHz – 5518MHz (also cooled-down using liquid nitrogen), an EVGA Intel X99 mainboard and 16GB of 3.30GHz DDR4 memory.

By tweaking clock-rates of the graphics adapter, Vince Lucido managed to achieve the following results in the following benchmarks:

  • 3DMark Fire Strike – 25233
  • 3DMark Fire Strike Extreme – 13091
  • 3DMark Fire Strike Ultra – 6988

The results are three new world’s records for single-GPU setups.

evga_overclocking_news228_13091-FSX-980TiKP

Nvidia’s GM200 graphics processing unit is one of the most complex GPUs ever produced: it features eight billion of transistors and clearly was not designed to run at 2.0GHz. Nonetheless, thanks to extreme cooling, increase of GPU voltage and various tweaking, Mr. Lucido has managed to increase clock-rate of the chip to around 2100MHz.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: As expected, the EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti K|NGP|N is an excellent overclocker, which is considerably better than Nvidia’s own design for GM200-based graphics adapters. Still, the highly-custom design of the EVGA product only increased maximum clock-rate of the GPU by 100MHz, which is a noteworthy, but hardly a massive increase.

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EVGA pre-bins GM200 GPUs for GeForce GTX 980 Ti K|NGP|N https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/evga-pre-bins-gm200-gpus-for-geforce-gtx-980-ti-kngpn/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/evga-pre-bins-gm200-gpus-for-geforce-gtx-980-ti-kngpn/#comments Tue, 21 Jul 2015 10:31:26 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=259934 It is not a secret that every graphics processing unit has a unique set of physical features, including individual overclocking potential. In a bid to provide unique service to its customers, EVGA will offers its flagship GeForce GTX 980 Ti K|NGP|N with pre-determined overclocking potential. The EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti K|NGP|N Edition graphics card …

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It is not a secret that every graphics processing unit has a unique set of physical features, including individual overclocking potential. In a bid to provide unique service to its customers, EVGA will offers its flagship GeForce GTX 980 Ti K|NGP|N with pre-determined overclocking potential.

The EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti K|NGP|N Edition graphics card was designed to provide absolutely the highest overclocking potential among all adapters based on Nvidia Corp.’s GM200-310 graphics processing unit. Thanks to 12-layer custom printed circuit board, advanced 14+3 voltage regulator module (VRM) and other innovations, the new graphics card can hit clock-rates impossible on competing products. The only thing that limits performance and overclocking potential of the EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti K|NGP|N is the GPU itself, but the manufacturer seems to have solved the problem.

evga_geforce_gtx_980_ti_kingpin

EVGA will offer different versions of the product with different “quality” of the GM200-310 application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The boards with “default” quality of the chip with “good” overclocking potential will cost $849, whereas versions with highest-quality ASIC and “best” overclocking potential will cost $1049. The quality of the GPU does not guarantee any specific overclock performance, but gives an idea what to expect from a particular card.

“K|NGP|N GTX 980 Ti once again represents EVGA's dedication to the enthusiast inspired hardware, bullet proof engineering and bleeding edge performance,” said Vince “K|NGP|N” Lucido, an extreme overclocker who has achieved many records with EVGA hardware.

evga_geforce_gtx_980_ti_kingpin_5

Earlier this month Mr. Lucido revealed that Nvidia “Maxwell” graphics processing units require extreme cooling methods to be overclocked beyond certain levels. Therefore, to take advantage of maximum overclocking potential of a GPU, one will need liquid nitrogen or liquid helium.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It is obvious that overclocking capability means additional performance in games. However, charging $200 more for a chance to overclock the GPU to extreme clock-rates using extreme cooling methods seems to be an unusual decision.

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EVGA shows off its GTX 980 Ti K|NGP|N Edition as launch looms https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/evga-shows-off-its-gtx-980-ti-kngpn-edition-as-launch-looms/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/evga-shows-off-its-gtx-980-ti-kngpn-edition-as-launch-looms/#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2015 06:59:11 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=259263 Vince “K|NGP|N” Lucido, a legendary overclocker that works with EVGA, has published the first official images of the upcoming EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti K|NGP|N Edition graphics card. The new board looks somewhat similar to previous-generation K|NGP|N Edition products, but it still features a number of differences that promise to further enhance its overclocking capabilities. …

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Vince “K|NGP|N” Lucido, a legendary overclocker that works with EVGA, has published the first official images of the upcoming EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti K|NGP|N Edition graphics card. The new board looks somewhat similar to previous-generation K|NGP|N Edition products, but it still features a number of differences that promise to further enhance its overclocking capabilities.

As reported, the EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti K|NGP|N graphics adapter powered by Nvidia’s GM200-310 graphics processing unit is based on a specially designed 12-layer printed circuit board with digital voltage regulator module (VRM) featuring 14+3 power phase design. The graphics card has three power inputs (8pin + 8pin + 6pin), which can deliver up to 450W of power to guarantee excellent overclockability without limitations.

evga_geforce_gtx_980_ti_kingpin

Even though the VRM of the EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti K|NGP|N graphics card looks similar to that of the EVGA GeForce GTX 780 Ti Classified K|NGP|N adapter, it has a number of differences, which indicates that it has been seriously reworked.

evga_geforce_gtx_980_ti_kingpin_3

While the new VRM still relies on the same high-end solid-state chokes, it uses completely different capacitors. The new solid-state caps are black and most probably have different characteristics than their predecessors. The number of capacitors is also higher than on the EVGA GTX 780 Ti Classified K|NGP|N. The new VRM features six “additional” solid-state chokes, which are designed to further stabilize power delivery to the graphics processing unit. The new coils look bigger and more robust than their predecessor, which means cleaner and higher volume power delivery to the GPU.

evga_geforce_gtx_980_ti_kingpin_4

The graphics adapter is compatible with EVGA’s Evbot device that helps to adjust voltages of GPU and memory on the fly. Moreover, there are two DIP switches, one of which controls GPU voltage (and can amplify it by up to 50mV) and the other can enable or disable GPU and memory power protection. According to Vince “K|NGP|N” Lucido, overvoltage alone does not help “Maxwell” GPUs to hit record clock-rates and exotic cooling methods like liquid nitrogen are required. Therefore, additional voltage will not help to overlock a GM200-310 GPU if the latter is cooled by its stock air cooling system.

Like other graphics cards designed for extreme overclockers, the EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti K|NGP|N has a special circuitry that prevents GDDR5 memory from freezing when the card is cooled-down using liquid nitrogen or liquid helium.

evga_geforce_gtx_980_ti_kingpin_1

The EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti K|NGP|N utilizes an all-copper ACX 2.0+ cooler with five heat-pipes. It remains to be seen how well an all-copper cooling system will work, considering the fact that copper quickly absorbs heat, but it does not quickly dissipate it. The majority of modern coolers use a combination of copper heat-pipes with aluminum radiators, which quickly dispel heat. Just like in case of “Kingpin-edition” predecessors, the new card features a backplate as well as a preinstalled dedicated PWM baseplate.

The final clock-rates of the EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti K|NGP|N graphics adapter are still to be discovered and Mr. Lucido does not want to reveal it just yet, but expect something beyond we have seen so far in case of the GPU frequency as well as amplified clock-rate of GDDR5 memory.

Price of the EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti K|NGP|N will be considerably higher than the price of even factory-overclocked GeForce GTX 980 Ti-based products.

evga_geforce_gtx_980_ti_kingpin_2

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Looks like the EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti K|NGP|N is on the finish line. If it features 1.30GHz base GPU frequency out-of-the-box, then it will clearly become the world’s highest-performing single-chip graphics adapter.

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K|NGP|N: Overvoltaging alone does not help ‘Maxwell’ to overclock https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/overclocker-overvoltaging-alone-does-not-help-maxwell-to-overclock/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/overclocker-overvoltaging-alone-does-not-help-maxwell-to-overclock/#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2015 01:15:16 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=259244 Nvidia Corp.’s latest graphics processing units based on “Maxwell” architecture are rather good overclockers, but only to a certain degree. According to Vince “K|NGP|N” Lucido, a professional overclocker, without extreme methods of cooling (such as use of liquid nitrogen, chiller or other), most “Maxwell” GPUs just do not work at frequencies beyond certain limits even with …

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Nvidia Corp.’s latest graphics processing units based on “Maxwell” architecture are rather good overclockers, but only to a certain degree. According to Vince “K|NGP|N” Lucido, a professional overclocker, without extreme methods of cooling (such as use of liquid nitrogen, chiller or other), most “Maxwell” GPUs just do not work at frequencies beyond certain limits even with ultra-high voltages, which is why in many cases it is useless to just amplify GPU voltage supply.

In a bid to overclock a microprocessor or a graphics processing unit, one needs to cool it down properly and increase voltage because operation at higher clock-rates requires additional power. Since higher power consumption means higher heat dissipation, requirements of better cooling increase with every additional 0.1V. Some previous-gen Nvidia GPUs could handle extreme temperatures and therefore could be overclocked to record frequencies even with air or water coolers. However, everything is different with “Maxwell”. The new graphics processing units from Nvidia require both additional voltage and exotic cooling methods to be overclocked to extreme frequencies.

nvidia_geforce_gtx_titan_x_gm200_maxwell

What it means for end-users and makers of graphics adapters with fine coolers is that they will be unable to overclock “Maxwell” GPUs beyond certain points no matter what voltage they apply.

“With GeForce GTX 980 [GM204] and later GPUs, including GeForce GTX Titan X [GM200], the scaling on air/water has all but almost gone,” said Mr. Lucido in a forum post. “I would say about 95 per cent of all [Maxwell-based graphics cards] no matter [from] what [graphics card] brand, do not scale with more voltage than 1.25v-1.275v at temps warmer than 25°C or so. There is no magical BIOS that can effectively remove this.”

evga_kingpin_geforce_gtx_980_frozen_quad_980

It is unknown why “Maxwell” architecture does not scale with extra voltage alone, but it is clear that with stock or hybrid coolers and additional voltage it will be impossible to hit clock-rates of over 1500MHz. If a maker of graphics adapters wants to create an ultimate GeForce GTX 900-series graphics card with extreme frequencies, it will need to bin GPUs that can actually hit such clock-rates without using of liquid nitrogen.

“This is the behavior of most ‘Maxwell’ [GPUs] with voltage/ambient cooling (20°C – 60°C),” said the legendary overclocker. “The GPUs generally don't scale clocks with voltage on air (max ambient [frequency is] 1500MHz – 1600MHz), it won’t matter what GPU you are using or what voltage control you have to use, especially when clocked already over 1400MHz. The overclocking on air is limited to the bin of the GPU and what it does at nearly stock voltage.”

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Keeping in mind that most enthusiasts do not overclock their hardware to frequencies that are 30 – 40 per cent higher than stock speeds, the vast majority of such people will never notice the limitation. However, if you are using a stock cooler and want to hit extreme clock-rates, do not risk with overvoltaging: it simply does not matter in your case.

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Asus preps three new custom GeForce GTX 980 Ti cards https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/asus-preps-three-new-custom-geforce-gtx-980-ti-cards-extreme-overclocking-hybrid-cooling-etc/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/asus-preps-three-new-custom-geforce-gtx-980-ti-cards-extreme-overclocking-hybrid-cooling-etc/#comments Tue, 07 Jul 2015 22:59:36 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=257923 Asutek Computer is working on three more graphics cards based on the GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics processing unit. The new boards will feature powerful cooling systems, custom multi-phase voltage regulator modules (VRM), increased clock-rates and great overclocking potential. Asustek’s Strix GeForce GTX 980 Ti with DirectCU III cooling system is already one of the …

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Asutek Computer is working on three more graphics cards based on the GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics processing unit. The new boards will feature powerful cooling systems, custom multi-phase voltage regulator modules (VRM), increased clock-rates and great overclocking potential.

Asustek’s Strix GeForce GTX 980 Ti with DirectCU III cooling system is already one of the world’s highest performing graphics cards thanks to massive increase of its frequencies compared to Nvidia's reference design. Apparently, Asus wants to offer three more premium graphics cards powered by the GM200-310 graphics chip: the Asus Poseidon GTX 980 Ti, the Asus ROG Matrix GTX 980 Ti and the Asus Gold GTX 980 Ti Platinum 20th Anniversary, reports Cowcotland (1, 2, 3) web-site.

asus_geforce_Gtx_980_ti_poseidon

The Asus Poseidon GTX 980 Ti graphics card is based on a custom printed-circuit board with multi-phase VRM, one 6-pin and one 8-pin PCIe power connectors. The board comes with a hybrid liquid-air cooling system and features increased clock-rates. The GPU operates at 1114MHz/1203MHz base/boost frequency, whereas 6GB of GDDR5 memory work at 7GHz.

asus_geforce_Gtx_980_ti_20th

The Asus Gold GTX 980 Ti Platinum 20th Anniversary sports custom PCB design, two 8-pin PCIe power connectors and the company’s own DirectCU II cooler with 0dB fan technology that can shut down fans when in idle mode. The board features increased clock-rates, but Asus is yet to determine and announce them.

asus_geforce_Gtx_980_ti_rog_matrix

The Asus ROG Matrix GTX 980 Ti will likely be the fastest GM200-310-based graphics card from Asustem Computer, which will boast with a custom PCB featuring a digital 14-phase VRM that utilizes concrete-core chokes, solid-state black metallic capacitors and hardened MOSFETs. The board will feature two two 8-pin PCIe power connectors as well as a special memory defroster cooling system in a bid to make it easier for overclockers to use liquid helium or liquid nitrogen for cooling. Exact clock-rates are unknown, but expect them to be pretty extreme out-of-the-box.

Prices of the new graphics adapters are yet to be published, but do not expect them to be low.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Given the fact how powerful the GeForce GTX 980 Ti is, it is not surprising that the company decided to offer five adapters based on this GPU. It is noteworthy that four out of five Asus' GTX 980 Ti feature increased clock-rates and premium pricing.

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Asus Strix GTX 980 Ti: 14-phase VRM, new cooling, extreme clock-rates https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/asus-unveils-strix-gtx-980-ti-14-phase-vrm-new-cooling-extreme-frequencies/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/asus-unveils-strix-gtx-980-ti-14-phase-vrm-new-cooling-extreme-frequencies/#comments Fri, 03 Jul 2015 01:28:36 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=257175 Asustek Computer has officially unveiled its new Strix GTX 980 Ti graphics card, which promises to be one of the most advanced graphics adapters based on the GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics processing unit. The new solution boasts extremely sophisticated voltage regulator module (VRM), an all-new cooling system, high frequencies out-of-the-box as well as extreme …

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Asustek Computer has officially unveiled its new Strix GTX 980 Ti graphics card, which promises to be one of the most advanced graphics adapters based on the GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics processing unit. The new solution boasts extremely sophisticated voltage regulator module (VRM), an all-new cooling system, high frequencies out-of-the-box as well as extreme overclocking potential.

The Asus Strix GTX 980 Ti 6GB uses a custom printed circuit board that features 12+2-phase voltage regulator module based on concrete-core chokes, solid-state black metallic capacitors and hardened MOSFETs. The graphics card sports two 8-pin PCIe auxiliary power connectors that can deliver up to 300W of power to the graphics board (in addition to 75W supplied through PCIe x16 slot). In fact, the PCB of the Strix GTX 980 Ti inherits a lot of elements from Asustek’s ROG Matrix Platinum graphics cards, the company’s top-of-the-range solutions.

asus_geforce_gtx_980ti_strix

The new graphics card from Asus uses DirectCU III cooling system with three fans as well as multiple heatpipes, including two 10mm pipes and two regular pipes. The new fans utilized on the DirectCU III feature new wing-blade design that delivers maximum air flow and improved 105% static pressure over the heat sink, while producing less noise compared to standard fans. According to Asus, the DirectCU III transports 40% more heat away from the GPU and outperforms reference designs, achieving up to 30% lower temperatures during gaming. The graphics board features reinforcement frame, a backplate and even a special GPU fortifier frame designed to prevent PCB from bending over time.

asus_geforce_gtx_980ti_strix_exploded

Thanks to the sophisticated printed circuit board as well as advanced cooling system, the board sports increased clock-rates: 1216MHz/1317MHz (base/boost) for the GPU as well as 7200MHz for GDDR5 memory. In fact, this is the second GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics adapter with factory-overclocked memory. Compute performance of the Strix GTX 980 Ti is around 6.84TFLOPS, or 11 per cent higher compared to that of the GeForce GTX Titan X, which boasts with 6.144TFLOPS of FP32 processing power.

asus_geforce_gtx_980ti_strix_3

While Asustek’s Strix GTX 980 Ti 6GB is not the fastest GM200-310-based graphics adapter out-of-the-box, its 14-phase VRM will probably enable never-before-seen overclocking potential and eventually professional overclockers will set records using the card.

asus_geforce_gtx_980ti_strix_1

The Asus Strix GTX 980 Ti 6GB is already available for £659.99 at Overclockers UK and for €814.9 at Caseking. The new adapter will likely reach the U.S. market in the coming days.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It looks like Nvidia has finally allowed select partners to factory-overclock memory on GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics cards. Keeping in mind that pre-overclocked GeForce GTX 980 Ti solutions can beat Nvidia’s flagship GeForce GTX Titan X, it will be interesting to see Nvidia’s next move in the ultra-high-end part of the market… Titan X Ultra with 8GHz memory, anyone?

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Zotac debuts world’s only GeForce GTX 980 Ti with overclocked GDDR5 memory https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/zotac-starts-to-sell-worlds-only-geforce-gtx-980-ti-with-overclocked-memory/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/zotac-starts-to-sell-worlds-only-geforce-gtx-980-ti-with-overclocked-memory/#comments Thu, 02 Jul 2015 13:57:30 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=257092 Zotac, a well-known maker of advanced graphics adapters, has quietly started to sell its highest-performing factory-overclocked GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics card, which has enough performance to beat far more expensive GeForce GTX Titan X. The new graphics board not only features extreme clock-rates, but it is the world’s only GeForce GTX 980 Ti add-in-board …

The post Zotac debuts world’s only GeForce GTX 980 Ti with overclocked GDDR5 memory first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Zotac, a well-known maker of advanced graphics adapters, has quietly started to sell its highest-performing factory-overclocked GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics card, which has enough performance to beat far more expensive GeForce GTX Titan X. The new graphics board not only features extreme clock-rates, but it is the world’s only GeForce GTX 980 Ti add-in-board with factory-overclocked memory.

The Zotac GeForce GTX 980 Ti AMP Extreme Edition graphics card is based on c highly-custom printed circuit board with a proprietary voltage regulator module that greatly improves GPU power plane to enable maximum overclocking potential. The graphics board is significantly taller than Nvidia Corp.’s reference design to accommodate additional inductors, MOSFETs and capacitors required for a sophisticated multi-phase (probably 10+2- or 12+2-phase) VRM.

zotac_geforce_gtx_980_ti_amp_extreme_edition

The graphics card uses sophisticated printed-circuit board for a reason. Nvidia’s GM200-310 graphics processor on the Zotac GeForce GTX 980 Ti AMP Extreme Edition is clocked at 1253MHz/1355MHz (base/boost), the highest out-of-the-box clock-rates of any GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics adapter to date. Moreover, Zotac decided to further improve performance of its product and overclocked memory of the card to 7220MHz, something that none of Nvidia’s partners has done to a flagship graphics adapter.

The board requires two 8-pin PCI Express power connectors and can consume up to 375W of power. To cool down the world’s highest-performing GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics card, Zotac uses triple-slot/triple-fan IceStorm cooling system. The monstrous cooler is equipped with LED lights in order to appeal to modders.

zotac_geforce_gtx_980_ti_amp_extreme_edition_1

Thanks to massively increased frequency of the GPU and memory, the Zotac GeForce GTX 980 Ti AMP Extreme Edition is at least 25 per cent faster than Nvidia’s reference GeForce GTX 980 Ti. In fact, compute horsepower of Zotac's eForce GTX 980 Ti AMP Extreme Edition is around 7056GFLOPS, which is approximately 15 per cent higher compared to that of Nvidia's GeForce GTX Titan X and is around 25 per cent higher compared to Nvidia's GeForce GTX 980 Ti. Moreover, thanks to 3 per cent higher memory bandwidth compared to competing solutions, the board from Zotac will provide even higher performance in ultra-high-definition resolutions, such as 4K (3840*2160).

zotac_geforce_gtx_980_ti_amp_extreme_edition_2
Zotac first demonstrated its GeForce GTX 980 Ti AMP Extreme Edition at Computex last month. Right now, the graphics card is available for sale at Overclockers UK for £599 for a limited amount of time. In the U.S. the board is available at Newegg for $699. Considering the fact that the product promises to outperform considerably more expensive GeForce GTX Titan X in almost all cases, its price does not seem excessive.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It is interesting to note that while end-users can overclock memory on their Nvidia GeForce GTX graphics adapters, suppliers of add-in-cards are not allowed to boost clock-rates of GDDR5 DRAM on their products. Memory controllers of Nvidia’s GM204 and GM200 graphics processors can handle clock-rates of 8GHz and higher, there are memory chips from Samsung and SK Hynix that can officially operate at 8GHz. It is a complete mystery why Nvidia does not use such chips and also does not allow its partners to utilize them and/or overclock memory on their GeForce GTX products. It is unknown how Zotac managed to convince Nvidia to let it overclock GDDR5 on its card and whether other manufacturers follow Zotac.

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Nvidia is considering a price-cut of high-end graphics cards https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-is-considering-a-price-cut-of-high-end-graphics-cards/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-is-considering-a-price-cut-of-high-end-graphics-cards/#comments Thu, 25 Jun 2015 01:32:46 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=256036 Nvidia Corp. is mulling to reconsider prices of select high-end graphics cards in order to further strengthen its positions in the market advanced graphics solutions. If the company proceeds with the plan, it will get considerably harder for Advanced Micro Devices to regain market share it lost to Nvidia in 2014. AMD’s recently introduced Radeon …

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Nvidia Corp. is mulling to reconsider prices of select high-end graphics cards in order to further strengthen its positions in the market advanced graphics solutions. If the company proceeds with the plan, it will get considerably harder for Advanced Micro Devices to regain market share it lost to Nvidia in 2014.

AMD’s recently introduced Radeon R9 300-series graphics cards are based on “Hawaii” and “Tonga” graphics processing units that have been available for several quarters and demand for such adapters is not strong in the channel, two sources with knowledge of the matter have revealed. AMD’s new flagship Radeon R9 Fury X graphics board is powered by a brand-new “Fiji” GPU and offers higher performance than its predecessors.

Even though Nvidia has a substantial competitive advantage over its rival even after the latter introduced its new products, the company is considering ways how to improve sales its high-end graphics cards.

nvidia_geforce_gtx_art

One of the ways to boost sales of GeForce products is to reconsider pricing of GeForce GTX 980 Ti and possibly GeForce GTX 970/980. Prices of GeForce GTX 980 Ti and GeForce GTX 980 are very competitive in the U.S., but in Europe and the U.K. they are pretty high. In a bid to make its GeForce GTX 980 Ti more popular, Nvidia may decrease its prices, at least in some countries, according to a market rumour.

If Nvidia changes prices of its GeForce GTX 980 Ti and GeForce GTX 980, AMD will have to reconsider prices of its Radeon R9 Fury X as well as Radeon R9 390X in a bid to stay competitive.

Nvidia did not comment on the news-story.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: At present the information about potential price-cuts from Nvidia should be considered as a channel market rumour. Recommended prices of Nvidia graphics cards seem to be too high in Europe, hence, it is logical for the company to reconsider its MSRPs.

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Rebadging of graphics adapters: Past, present and future https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/rebadging-of-graphics-adapters-past-present-and-future/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/rebadging-of-graphics-adapters-past-present-and-future/#comments Fri, 19 Jun 2015 22:19:32 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=255490 In the recent years both Advanced Micro Devices and Nvidia Corp. sold similar graphics processing units under completely different names, a practice many consider as deceiving. While stagnation in the market of graphics adapters and rebranding of graphics cards is hardly a good thing for the consumer, both GPU developers had serious reasons to delay …

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In the recent years both Advanced Micro Devices and Nvidia Corp. sold similar graphics processing units under completely different names, a practice many consider as deceiving. While stagnation in the market of graphics adapters and rebranding of graphics cards is hardly a good thing for the consumer, both GPU developers had serious reasons to delay new products and re-badge the old ones in the last couple of years.

This week AMD introduced its Radeon R7 and R9 300-series graphics cards, which are based on GPUs introduced in 2012, 2013 and 2014. The lineup features no new graphics processors and does not introduce any new features or capabilities. The new boards are faster than previous gen solutions by 5 to 20 per cent in peak scenarios, which is not a significant performance difference, especially considering the fact that the new cards are significantly more expensive than existing AMD Radeon R9 offerings. The enthusiast community was outraged by AMD’s decision to plainly rebrand its old products and AMD’s partners among graphics cards makers were frustrated with the decision as well. But did AMD do anything extraordinary? In fact, not at all.

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AMD Radeon R9 390X aka AMD Radeon R9 290X with 8GB of memory

Rebadging: The origins

Selling old lamps as new is not something novel for the high-tech industry in general and graphics cards market in particular. When ATI Technologies introduced its Radeon 8500 (R200) in 2001, it rebadged the original Radeon (R100) to Radeon 7200 and Radeon 7500 (which were based on both R100 and RV200). In 2003, the company rebranded its Radeon 8500 to Radeon 9100. Nvidia has made a number of rebadges throughout its history too. For example, the GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB (G92) was renamed to GeForce 9800 GTX, whereas the GeForce 8800 GT was renamed to GeForce 9800 GT. Over the years, both companies have rebranded their products in order to integrate them into new lineups or to create “new” solutions for OEMs.

PC makers rebadge their PCs every year and sometimes even more often to show their customers that they have something new to offer. Usually, they force companies like AMD and Nvidia to rebrand their GPUs every year too, which is why we see OEM-only series like GeForce GTX 800M, Radeon HD 8000 and so on.

However, rebranding of high-end graphics cards for gamers in the recent years were conditioned by not only requests from PC OEMs or necessity to unify product lineups.

TSMC, 28nm and 20nm

Because Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.’s 20nm manufacturing technology was designed primarily for mobile system-on-chips (i.e., for Apple), it is unsuitable for mainstream graphics processing units. As a result, both AMD and Nvidia have to significantly redevelop their roadmaps several years ago (virtually all decisions about the roadmaps were made in ~2011, four years back) in a bid to keep introducing new products, but make them using TSMC’s 28nm fabrication process. In fact, AMD and Nvidia have to offer competitive products made using the same manufacturing technology for four years: from 2012 to 2016, an unprecedented amount of time.

nvidia_geforce_gtx_titan_x_gm200_maxwell
Nvidia GM200: The biggest 28nm GPU ever made

The two leading developers of graphics processing units chose generally similar approaches how to act in the situation when newer process technologies are not available, but little differences had serious impact on actual product lineups.

Nvidia’s approach: Stretch life-cycles, cut-down features

Nvidia’s method to keep the products coming involved stretching life-cycle of its “Kepler” and “Maxwell” architectures, cut-down functionality of “Maxwell” and introduce various bells-and whistles-type hardware and software features that require none innovations when it comes down to silicon, but which have impact on minds of end-users.

The first step in Nvidia’s multi-year strategy was to stretch the lifecycle of its GK104 and GK110 graphics processing units to over two years. The company introduced its GeForce GTX 670, 680, 690 and GTX Titan in 2012 – 2013 period and then launched GeForce GTX 760, 770, 780, 780 Ti and GTX Titan Black based on the same GPUs in mid-2013 and early-2014. To make old products look like new, Nvidia installed new cooling system on the second wave of “Kepler”-based graphics boards as well as introduced GPU Boost 2.0 software features.

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Nvidia GeForce GTX 770 aka GeForce GTX 680

The second step in the strategy was to shrink transistor count of “Maxwell” GPUs as significantly as possible without sacrificing performance in graphics applications and without eliminating any new GPUs from the roadmap.

Since Nvidia had to stick to TSMC’s 28nm fabrication process in 2014 – 2015 (normally, it would have adopted a newer node during the period), but still had to introduce new products for 2014 – 2016, the company cut-down functionality of “Maxwell” architecture, eliminated a number of HPC [high-performance computing]-related capabilities (e.g., FP64 units, unified virtual memory addressing) and cut-down some other features.

Nvidia successfully rolled out three “Maxwell”-based GPUs in 2014 – 2015 period. The company’s GM107, GM204 and GM200 graphics processors offer great performance in video games and even sport richer graphics functionality than predecessors (at least, Nvidia says so), but lacks a number of innovative technologies, which could be important in the future.

Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 970 and 980 have been on the market for over nine months now and the company does not have any new “Maxwell”-based chips up its sleeve (at least, we have not heard of any). One of the potential problems for Nvidia is that it will have nothing new until its next-generation “Pascal” hits the market in mid-2016. Moreover, as the top-of-the-range GP100 is expected to hit the market first, Nvidia will announce its next-gen GeForce GTX Titan ahead of any GeForce GTX 1800 or GeForce GTX 1700 products.

It remains to be seen whether Nvidia will introduce any new and faster versions of its GM204 and GM200-based products and how it will call them. In general, Nvidia’s positions in the market are rather good. But this market loves new things and product launches actually drive sales, so it is logical for Nvidia to refresh its family this fall.

AMD’s approach: Stretch life-cycles, cut-down the number of chips

In 2011 AMD faced the same challenge as Nvidia: four years without a new process technology ahead. The company also had to stretch lifecycle of its products, but instead of cutting-down features of future chips based on improved versions of GCN architectures, AMD probably decided to cut-down the number of chips it planned to introduce and change its introduction tactics.

Back in 2012 – 2013, AMD Radeon HD 7000-series lineup was among the most comprehensive families of products in the history of both AMD and ATI. While the lower-end parts were rebranded and featured Terascale 2 architecture, the series included GCN-based DirectX 11 hardware for all budgets.

Normally, AMD would introduce a new top-to-bottom lineup with GCN 1.1 architecture in late 2013 (it would consist of “Bonaire”, “Hawaii” and something in between) and then would come up with a new family featuring GCN 1.2 architecture and made using a more advanced process technology in 2015. But since the company had to stretch lifecycles of its products and save tens of millions of dollars on tape-outs of new chips, AMD decided to alter the very tactics of new GPU family roll-outs.

amd_radeon_r9_280
AMD Radeon R9 280X aka Radeon HD 7970

Instead of introducing a new flagship offering and then follow-up with mainstream and entry-level parts based on the same architecture, AMD decided to cease development of low-cost parts and either insert new products into existing families, or introduce all-new families featuring both new and old GPUs.

The company successfully inserted “Bonaire” and “Tonga” graphics processors into its Radeon HD 7000-series and Radeon R9 200-series families, respectively. The generally good lineups just got more comprehensive with new additions.

Unfortunately, with every new top-of-the-range GPU, AMD introduced a brand-new family with a new flagship and a bunch of rebranded products. AMD’s Radeon R9 200-series featured only one new GPU – “Hawaii”. AMD’s Radeon R9 300-series includes no new GPUs because “Fiji” is not formally a part of it. Moreover, since AMD made decision not to invest resources in lower-end GPUs, its Radeon R7 300-series is based on graphics chips released in 2012 and 2013.

Right now AMD is finishing development of its next-generation products that will be made using 16nm FinFET or 14nm FinFET process technologies. We have no idea whether the company will come out with a family of FinFET GPUs a year from now, or will introduce only a flagship and will have to fill the gaps with older GPUs. Considering the fact how expensive FinFET chips are to design, it is unlikely that AMD will be able to roll-out a top-to-bottom family of FinFET GPUs in calendar 2016.

Final words

Even though marketing teams of both AMD and Nvidia introduced rebadged products several times in the recent years, engineering teams of both companies did amazing job. AMD's Radeon Fury X aka “Fiji XT” provides more than two times higher performance than AMD's Radeon HD 7970 aka “Tahiti XT” (the first flagship 28nm GPU from AMD). Nvidia's GeForce GTX Titan X aka GM200 is more than two times faster than the GeForce GTX 680 aka GK104 (the first flagship 28nm GPU from Nvidia). All four aforementioned chips are made using similar 28nm process technologies, but they deliver completely different levels of performance.

Development cycles of hardware are stretching since architectures get more complex. The costs of chip design is skyrocketing because of FinFET process technologies to $100 – $150 million per chip. It is getting extremely hard for chip designers to stay on the leading-edge of technologies.

Since releasing all-new products is getting harder, rebadging is a thing that is getting more tempting than ever these days because companies want to sell new products and a lot of customers want to buy products they consider new.

But all semiconductor companies are in the same boat and have similar problems. If everyone starts to rebrand old products to introduce them as new, there will be a mess in the market, which will deceive a lot of end users and will break their trust.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: The problem looks plain and simple: who needs new lineups if they do not introduce any new products or technologies? When Apple releases a new iPhone, it is a brand-new product with higher performance, newer features and all-new design every two years. When a new graphics card is launched, in many cases users have to investigate whether it is actually new or a rebatched old. That is not a good thing.

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Nvidia’s GeForce GTX Titan X gets more affordable in the U.K. https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidias-geforce-gtx-titan-x-gets-more-affordable-in-the-u-k/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidias-geforce-gtx-titan-x-gets-more-affordable-in-the-u-k/#comments Wed, 10 Jun 2015 22:59:49 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=253858 Nvidia Corp.’s latest ultra-high-end graphics cards offer unbeatable performance and do not really have direct rivals. Unfortunately, when it comes to prices, not everything looks truly good, especially in Europe. Fortunately, stores like Overclockers UK and their partners this week offer substantial discounts on Nvidia’s flagship product. The suggested retail price of the Nvidia GeForce …

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Nvidia Corp.’s latest ultra-high-end graphics cards offer unbeatable performance and do not really have direct rivals. Unfortunately, when it comes to prices, not everything looks truly good, especially in Europe. Fortunately, stores like Overclockers UK and their partners this week offer substantial discounts on Nvidia’s flagship product.

The suggested retail price of the Nvidia GeForce GTX Titan X graphics card is £899 in the U.K. Many graphics boards cost more because they come with custom cooling systems and are factory-overclocked, some adapters cost a little less to attract attention. For a limited time only, OcUK, Palit and Zotac will offer their GeForce GTX Titan X graphics cards for £799.

All flagship Titan X graphics boards are made by a contract manufacturer under Nvidia’s supervision. The company then sells add-in-boards to its partners, which is why all GeForce GTX Titan X graphics adapters look similar. As a result it does not really matter what brand name does a Titan X carry: they are all equally good from quality point of view.

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The Nvidia GeForce GTX Titan X is based on the GM200 graphics processing unit with 3072 stream processors, 192 texture mapping units, 96 raster operations pipelines and 384-bit bus. All Titan X graphics cards are equipped with 12GB of GDDR5 memory operating at 7GHz.

Keeping in mind that initial demand for Nvidia’s new flagship is over, there is GeForce GTX 980 Ti that offers similar performance and there is AMD’s Radeon Fury incoming, it is about time for resellers to start reconsidering premium prices of the GeForce GTX Titan X.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Without any doubts, the GeForce GTX Titan X remains a very expensive solution. Still, it is good to see that prices are getting a little bit lower.

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EVGA 980 Ti Classified K|NGP|N Edition: Engineered to overclock https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/evga-980-ti-classified-kngpn-edition-engineered-to-overclock/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/evga-980-ti-classified-kngpn-edition-engineered-to-overclock/#comments Fri, 05 Jun 2015 01:13:21 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=252841 At the Computex 2015 trade-show, EVGA is demonstrating its new graphics card that has all chances to become the highest performing GeForce GTX 980 Ti-based solution on the planet. The graphics adapter is designed to offer maximum overclocking potential and will also feature very high clock-rates out-of-the-box, when it becomes available later this year. Still, great performance comes …

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At the Computex 2015 trade-show, EVGA is demonstrating its new graphics card that has all chances to become the highest performing GeForce GTX 980 Ti-based solution on the planet. The graphics adapter is designed to offer maximum overclocking potential and will also feature very high clock-rates out-of-the-box, when it becomes available later this year. Still, great performance comes at a great price.

The EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti Classified K|NGP|N graphics card is built on a custom 12-layer printed circuit board with digital voltage regulation module featuring 14+3 power phase design. Thanks to enhanced PLL circuitry, improved GPU power plane as well as various voltage regulation enhancements, the Kingpin Edition of EVGA’s GeForce GTX 980 Ti Classified graphics card will provide unmatched overclocking potential, just like its predecessors.

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EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti Classified K|NGP|N graphics card. Photo by Benchlife web-site.

The new graphics board has three power inputs (8pin + 8pin + 6pin) and a very high-quality voltage regulation module, which can utilize up to 450W of power and up to 600A current to deliver great overclockability. The graphics adapter is also compatible with EVGA’s Evbot device that helps to adjust voltages of GPU and memory on the fly. The board even has a special circuitry that prevents GDDR5 memory from freezing when the card is cooled-down using liquid nitrogen.

The EVGA GTX 980 Ti Classified K|NGP|N uses a new version of EVGA’s ACX 2.0+ cooler with copper heatpipes and radiators. The decision to use copper radiators is a strange one, keeping in mind the fact that while copper quickly absorbs heat, it does not quickly dissipate it, unlike aluminium, which dissipates heat rapidly. Virtually all high-end coolers use a combination of copper and aluminium.

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EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti Classified K|NGP|N graphics card. Photo by Benchlife web-site.

Vince “K|NGP|N” Lucido, a leading extreme overclocker, likely took part in the development of the EVGA GTX 980 Ti Classified K|NGP|N graphics board. While it does not seem that the novelty has something that was not available on previous-generation Kingpin Edition products, certain minor refinements may help to further improve overclockability of the graphics adapter.

Mr. Lucido and other extreme overclockers have managed to push GeForce GTX 780 Ti (GK110) and GeForce GTX 980 (GM204) graphics processors to well over 2GHz on previous-generation Kingpin Edition graphics cards. It is highly likely that the new  will offer similarly great overclocking potential.

At present EVGA is only demonstrating  the graphics card at Computex and does not reveal any additional information about it. Actual clock-rates of the board are unknown, but since Classified K|NGP|N is EVGA’s top-of-the-range series, expect them to be very high. In fact, the EVGA GTX 980 Ti Classified K|NGP|N may be even faster than Nvidia’s flagship GeForce GTX Titan X graphics adapter thanks to massive factory overclock. Pricing of the new graphics card may also be comparable to that of the Titan X.

evga_geforce_gtx_980_ti_kingpin_1
EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti Classified K|NGP|N graphics card. Photo by Benchlife web-site.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Traditionally, it has taken EVGA three to four months to prep a Classified K|NGP|N version of its graphics adapters. This time the company showcases its GeForce GTX 980 Ti Classified Kingpin Edition several days after Nvidia’s announcement of the graphics processor. Perhaps, they novelty will hit the market in a month or two from now?

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Asus readies Strix GTX 980 Ti: The ultimate GeForce GTX 980 Ti https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/asus-readies-strix-gtx-980-ti-the-ultimate-geforce-gtx-980-ti/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/asus-readies-strix-gtx-980-ti-the-ultimate-geforce-gtx-980-ti/#comments Thu, 04 Jun 2015 02:13:11 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=252645 Asustek Computer is working on a new Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 Ti-based graphics card that promises to offer no-compromise performance. The new adapter is based on Asus’ own design and will feature increased clock-rates and an advanced cooling system. The board is demonstrated at Computex in Taipei, Taiwan. The Asus Strix GTX 980 Ti will …

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Asustek Computer is working on a new Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 Ti-based graphics card that promises to offer no-compromise performance. The new adapter is based on Asus’ own design and will feature increased clock-rates and an advanced cooling system. The board is demonstrated at Computex in Taipei, Taiwan.

The Asus Strix GTX 980 Ti will utilize a highly-custom printed circuit board developed by Asustek Computer in-house that will feature enhanced multi-phase voltage regulation module for the GPU and memory designed to ensure maximum stability and overclockability. Default clock-rates of the graphics card will likely be increased by 10 – 15 per cent compared to Nvidia’s recommended frequencies.

The Strix GeForce GTX 980 Ti will also use all-new DirectCU III cooling system with three 10cm fans and 10mm copper heat-pipes to ensure low temperatures and headroom for further overclocking. The fans automatically shut down when the GPU is under light load.

asus_strix_geforce_gtx_980_ti

Like the rest GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics adapters, the Asus Strix GTX 980 Ti will carry Nvidia’s GM200-310 graphics processing unit with 2816 stream processors, 176 texture units, 96 raster operations pipelines and 384-bit memory interface. The board will be equipped with 6GB of GDDR5 memory.

Asustek’s Strix-series products are designed for gamers and deliver considerably higher performance compared to devices based on reference designs. However, Strix products are not Asus’ top-of-the-range offerings. It is possible that eventually Asus will release GeForce GTX 980 Ti-based graphics adapter that will be a part of the ROG Matrix Platinum family, which is designed to provide absolutely best levels of performance and overclockability. Asus GTX 980 Ti ROG Matrix Platinum could feature 14-phase VRM, various tweaks for extreme overclocking and other advantages.

The Asus Strix GTX 980 Ti will likely hit the market in late July or early August. Pricing is unknown, but naturally it will be higher than default $649/£550/€749. The hypothetical Asus GTX 980 Ti ROG Matrix Platinum could be launched this fall.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It will be tremendously interesting to see what professional overclockers will be able to do with custom GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics cards by companies like Asus or EVGA. Chances are that those products could set more performance records than even Nvidia’s flagship GeForce GTX Titan X.

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Zotac reveals AMP! Omega GTX 980Ti at Computex https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/matthew-wilson/zotac-reveals-amp-omega-gtx-980ti-at-computex/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/matthew-wilson/zotac-reveals-amp-omega-gtx-980ti-at-computex/#respond Wed, 03 Jun 2015 18:35:25 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=252622 Nvidia launched its new flagship gaming GPU on Sunday evening, the GTX 980Ti. We have already reviewed the reference model directly from Nvidia and now we are starting to see custom cooled solutions from board partners pop up. At Computex 2015, Zotac is showing off a couple of new GTX 980Ti models with the beastly …

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Nvidia launched its new flagship gaming GPU on Sunday evening, the GTX 980Ti. We have already reviewed the reference model directly from Nvidia and now we are starting to see custom cooled solutions from board partners pop up. At Computex 2015, Zotac is showing off a couple of new GTX 980Ti models with the beastly AMP! cooler equipped.

While roaming the show floor, our very own Leo Waldock managed to spot two custom-cooled GTX 980Tis, one known as the AMP! Omega and the other known as the ArcticStorm.

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LWwBVOs8ajrZgfRzJytbUbMyLAYrViJiJgAlpwJx9lw,vIQdMXkLfOTawKFbv1WbmOGfnVEpa1wN823At1Kia-c,WRfufqC9KcI3f1upKlTvjP1Iyg350rE1u54lKIeRetk

Zotac's ArctisStorm model comes with a backplate and a hybrid cooling system that allows for easy connection to a custom watercooling loop. On the AMP! side of things, it also comes equipped with a backplate but sticks to air cooling only.

Prices and release date were not announced but we expect to see more and more Nvidia partners launch custom GTX 980Ti graphics cards over the next few weeks. Prices will vary from £550 to £650 from the looks of it. If you want to pick up a GTX 980Ti already, then Overclockers UK has them available for pre-order.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: We have reviewed Zotac's GTX 900-series graphics cards in the past, with the AMP! cooler often performing very well. Do any of you have experience with Zotac GPUs? Are you thinking about grabbing a GTX 980Ti at all? 

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Nvidia drops prices of GeForce GTX 980, GTX 980 Ti. But not for Europe https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-drops-prices-of-geforce-gtx-980-gtx-980-ti-but-not-for-europe/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-drops-prices-of-geforce-gtx-980-gtx-980-ti-but-not-for-europe/#comments Tue, 02 Jun 2015 15:16:57 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=252424 In an unexpected move, Nvidia Corp. reconsidered recommended pricing of its graphics cards following the introduction of its GeForce GTX 980 Ti early on Monday. Unfortunately, the GeForce GTX 980 Ti will be considerably more expensive in Europe than in the U.S. Nvidia will sell GeForce GTX 980 Ti for $649 in the U.S., not …

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In an unexpected move, Nvidia Corp. reconsidered recommended pricing of its graphics cards following the introduction of its GeForce GTX 980 Ti early on Monday. Unfortunately, the GeForce GTX 980 Ti will be considerably more expensive in Europe than in the U.S.

Nvidia will sell GeForce GTX 980 Ti for $649 in the U.S., not $799 as reported last week citing an online store. In addition, the company will lower the price of the GeForce GTX 980 to $499 from $549. The cost of the GeForce GTX 970 will remain at $329, whereas the GeForce GTX 960 will retain its recommended retail price at $199.

While the MSRP of both GeForce GTX 980 Ti and GeForce GTX 980 seems to be very competitive in the U.S., the same cannot be said about the prices in Europe. The official manufacturer’s suggested retail price of Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 980 Ti for the U.K. is £549 including value added tax (VAT), which is $752. The MSRP of the GeForce GTX 980 Ti for Eurozone is €739 – €749 ($824 – $835), depending on the country, which is considerably higher compared to the price in the U.S.

nvidia_geforce_gtx_980_ti_card_front_650

The reason why Nvidia decided to set the price of its new GeForce GTX 980 Ti so high in Europe is completely unclear. The price of Nvidia’s single-chip flagship – GeForce GTX Titan X – has been declining and gamers with unlimited budgets will prefer to get the top-of-the-range solution even though it is more expensive.

Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 Ti is based on the GM200 graphics processing unit with 2816 stream processors, 176 texture mapping units, 96 raster operations pipelines and 384-bit memory bus. The new graphics cards carry 6GB of GDDR5 memory operating at 7GHz.

nvidia_geforce_gtx_980_ti_emea

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Nvidia’s prices for Europe continue to disappoint. First, Nvidia made its GeForce GTX Titan X considerably more expensive in the European Union compared to the U.S. This time the price of the GeForce GTX 980 Ti in some European countries is nearly $200 higher compared to the MSRP of the product in the United States.

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MSI celebrates shipment of 100 millionth Nvidia GeForce graphics card https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/msi-celebrates-shipment-of-100-millionth-nvidia-geforce-graphics-cards/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/msi-celebrates-shipment-of-100-millionth-nvidia-geforce-graphics-cards/#comments Tue, 02 Jun 2015 12:01:48 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=252321 MicroStar International this year celebrates shipment of its 100 millionth graphics card based on Nvidia Corp.’s GeForce graphics processing unit. It took MSI over 14 years to ship 100 million GeForce graphics adapters and today the company is among the leading producers of such graphics cards with a number of industry’s firsts. To commemorate shipment …

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MicroStar International this year celebrates shipment of its 100 millionth graphics card based on Nvidia Corp.’s GeForce graphics processing unit. It took MSI over 14 years to ship 100 million GeForce graphics adapters and today the company is among the leading producers of such graphics cards with a number of industry’s firsts.

To commemorate shipment of its 100 millionth GeForce, MSI held a party during the Computex 2015 trade-show at the Grand Victoria Hotel in Taipei, Taiwan. During the event, MSI introduced a number of new products, but one slide generated more applause from the assembled audience than any other, and that was the one that declares that MSI has just passed the “One hundred million Nvidia graphics cards launched.”

msi_100_million

MSI has always been one of Nvidia’s key partners. Back in the nineties, the company sold Nvidia Riva-series graphics cards and started to sell GeForce-powered add-in-boards in 1999, right after the graphics chip designer introduced its GeForce 256 GPU. 100 million units shipped is clearly an achievement. For example, according to estimates of VGChartz, total life-to-date sales of all three generations of Xbox game consoles by Microsoft Corp. are about 122 million units.

Throughout the years, MSI introduced a number of innovations that by now have become the standard in the industry. For example, MSI was among the first makers of graphics cards to design advanced cooling systems with heat-pipes, it was also among the first suppliers to offer factory-overclocked graphics boards and so on.

In addition to Nvidia GeForce-based graphics cards, MSI also manufactures and sells laptops and all-in-one PCs featuring GeForce graphics processing units.

msi_980ti_liquid_cooling

To celebrate, MSI have got together with Corsair to create a liquid cooled GeForce GTX 980 Ti, which could launch as soon as August. It is a serious looking piece of kit and MSI seems sure that it will be the fastest “out of the box” GeForce GTX 980 Ti experience.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Selling a hundred million of any product is pretty impressive. Can't wait to get the new MSI Gaming Series products into the KitGuru Labs.

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EVGA introduces GeForce GTX Titan X with hybrid liquid cooler https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/evga-introduces-geforce-gtx-titan-x-with-hybrid-liquid-cooler/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/evga-introduces-geforce-gtx-titan-x-with-hybrid-liquid-cooler/#comments Sat, 30 May 2015 02:46:37 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=251887 EVGA on Friday introduced one of the world’s first mass-produced GeForce GTX Titan X graphics cards with a hybrid liquid cooling system. The new board will hit the market in June and will be one of the world’s highest-performing single-GPU graphics adapters. For those, who already own a GeForce GTX Titan X, EVGA offers to …

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EVGA on Friday introduced one of the world’s first mass-produced GeForce GTX Titan X graphics cards with a hybrid liquid cooling system. The new board will hit the market in June and will be one of the world’s highest-performing single-GPU graphics adapters. For those, who already own a GeForce GTX Titan X, EVGA offers to buy its hybrid LCS separately.

evga_geforce_gtx_titan_x_hybrid_2

At present Nvidia’s GeForce GTX Titan X graphics cards deliver unprecedented levels of performance for single-GPU graphics solutions. While there are numerous factory overclocked Titan X graphics adapters that can demonstrate even higher performance than the regular ones, the vast majority of them use Nvidia’s reference cooling systems. Coolers designed by Nvidia are rather efficient for stock clock-rates, but in overclocked conditions, they become loud and still cannot cool down graphics cards to acceptable temperatures. As a result, many suppliers of add-in-boards install their own cooling solutions on pre-overclocked Nvidia GeForce GTX Tian X graphics adapters.

evga_geforce_gtx_titan_x_hybrid

EVGA was among the first makers of graphics boards to offer a GeForce GTX Titan X with a pre-installed water-block for enthusiasts with DIY [do-it-yourself] liquid cooling solution earlier this year. On Friday, the company became the first maker of graphics cards to introduce a GeForce GTX Titan X with a hybrid closed-loop liquid cooler, which promises to combine maximum cooling efficiency and relatively quiet operation. EVGA’s hybrid liquid cooling solution features a water block with copper base, a large 120mm radiator, perfectly sealed tubes and a fan. The self-contained cooler is likely produced by a contract manufacturer, such as Asetek. According to EVGA, its hybrid cooling solution can cool down Nvidia’s GeForce GTX Titan X graphics processing unit to around 53°C under load, whereas the standard cooler can only cool the GPU down to 85°C under the same load.

evga_geforce_gtx_titan_x_hybrid_1

The EVGA GeForce GTX Titan X Hybrid graphics card is based on the fully fledged GM200 graphics processing unit with 3072 stream processors and carries 12GB of GDDR5 memory. The GeForce GTX Titan X Hybrid adapter uses printed circuit board designed by Nvidia, but has considerably higher out-of-box GPU clock-rates: 1152MHz/1241MHz base/boost frequencies compared to 1000MHz/1075MHz recommended by Nvidia. In fact, the add-in board has the same clock-rates as the liquid-cooled EVGA GeForce GTX Titan X Hydro Copper. Like other GeForce GTX Titan X graphics cards in the market, EVGA’s factory-overclocked add-in-boards come with 7GHz memory and end-users have to boost frequencies of GDDR5 themselves.

evga_geforce_gtx_titan_x_hybrid_temps

The EVGA GeForce GTX Titan X Hybrid graphics card will hit the market shortly. The company will sell the adapter for $1099. The EVGA all-in-one hybrid liquid cooling system for GeForce GTX Titan X boards is available separately for $109.

evga_geforce_gtx_titan_x_upgrade_kit

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: The EVGA GeForce GTX Titan X Hybrid looks like a very solid product with serious performance. If you would like to have something that is more powerful than just a Titan X and for some reason do not want to obtain a Radeon R9 295 X2 or wait for the Radeon Fury, then the new graphics adapter from EVGA may be just what you need.

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Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 Ti to cost $799, unless there is a last minute change https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-geforce-gtx-980-ti-to-start-at-799-unless-there-is-a-last-minute-change/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-geforce-gtx-980-ti-to-start-at-799-unless-there-is-a-last-minute-change/#comments Fri, 29 May 2015 22:59:29 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=251871 An online store from the U.S. has started to take pre-orders on Nvidia Corp.’s upcoming GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics adapters, which are expected to be introduced next week. If Nvidia does not change the price of the upcoming graphics card at the last minute, then the GeForce GTX 980 Ti boards will cost around …

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An online store from the U.S. has started to take pre-orders on Nvidia Corp.’s upcoming GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics adapters, which are expected to be introduced next week. If Nvidia does not change the price of the upcoming graphics card at the last minute, then the GeForce GTX 980 Ti boards will cost around $800 per unit.

Bottom Line Telecommunications, a U.S.-based online store that is known for listing unreleased hardware, recently started to take orders on EVGA’s lineup of GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics cards. The add-in boards are equipped with 6GB of memory and similar outputs (one DVI, one HDMI, three DisplayPorts), which may indicate that they are all based on the reference design, but feature different clock-rates and cooling systems.

EVGA’s GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics cards cost from $799 to $827, depending on frequencies and coolers. An independent source with knowledge of Nvidia plans confirmed to KitGuru that Nvidia’s suggested retail price of the reference GeForce GTX 980 Ti is $799. The official SRPs for the U.K. and mainland Europe are unknown, but expect something like £550 and €750 – €799.

nvidia_geforce_gtx_art

While everything about the GeForce GTX 980 Ti seems to be finalized and set, there could be major last minute changes incoming. According to South Korea-based HWBattle web-site, Nvidia may set the price of the GeForce GTX 980 Ti to $649 and cut the price of the GeForce GTX 980, which currently retails for $549. This information has not been confirmed by any source so far, but if it is true, this could be a serious deal breaker, especially considering the fact that the adapter is set to be bundled with Witcher 3 and Batman Arkham Knight, notes WccfTech.

Nvidia’s upcoming GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics card is based on the GM200-310 graphics processing unit with 2816 stream processors, 176 texture mapping units, 96 raster operations pipelines and 384-bit memory bus, according to various unofficial sources. Graphics cards makers will be allowed to pre-overclock GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics adapters and even design their own printed circuit boards for them.

Nvidia did not comment on the news-story.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Given the fact that performance of Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 980 Ti will be very close to that of the flagship GeForce GTX Titan X graphics card, it is very unlikely that Nvidia will sell this card for $649. Perhaps, Nvidia has a plan in place to cut the price of its GeForce GTX 980 and GTX 980 Ti graphics adapters if they are challenged by AMD’s forthcoming “Fiji XT” solution. However, the latter is not expected to hit the market next week, hence, at least initially Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 980 Ti boards will cost $799/£550/€799.

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Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 Ti: Specifications and photos revealed https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-geforce-gtx-980-ti-specifications-and-photos-revealed/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-geforce-gtx-980-ti-specifications-and-photos-revealed/#comments Sat, 23 May 2015 14:06:48 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=250852 As the launch of Nvidia Corp.’s GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics card is approaching, more details about the upcoming add-in-board get revealed. Two web-sites have published specifications of the new enthusiast-class graphics solution from Nvidia as well as the first photos of the reference GeForce GTX 980 Ti adapter. As expected, the novelty will be …

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As the launch of Nvidia Corp.’s GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics card is approaching, more details about the upcoming add-in-board get revealed. Two web-sites have published specifications of the new enthusiast-class graphics solution from Nvidia as well as the first photos of the reference GeForce GTX 980 Ti adapter. As expected, the novelty will be very similar to the flagship GeForce GTX Titan X, but will not match it.

Nvidia’s forthcoming GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics card will not be powered by the GM200 graphics processing unit with maximum configuration, according to an excerpt from a presentation published by South Korea-based Hardware Battle web-site. The GM200-310 GPU will feature 2816 stream processors and 176 texture mapping units. It is unknown whether the graphics processor has reduced amount of raster operations pipelines and a cut-down memory interface (akin to that of the GeForce GTX 970’s 224-bit + 32-bit memory bus), but the card carries 6GB of GDDR5 memory, according to market rumours.

nvidia_geforce_gtx_980ti_unofficial_2

VideoCardz reports that reference Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics card features 1GHz/7GHz clock-rates for GPU/memory, however, actual add-in-board manufacturers will be able to overclock the GPU. In fact, high clock-rates of actual GeForce GTX 980 graphics adapters from Nvidia’s partners will likely compensate for reduced amount of execution units compared to the GeForce GTX Titan X.

The first images of the GeForce GTX 980 Ti prove that the card uses the same PG600 printed circuit board as the GeForce GTX Titan X with some minor tweaks. The graphics card has product ID 699-1G800-0030-800 B2. The upcoming high-end solution from Nvidia will use the same cooling system as many of its predecessors, so the adapter will likely be rather quiet.

nvidia_geforce_gtx_980_ti_specs_unofficial_hwbattle_1

It is expected that Nvidia’s partners will be allowed to design their own PCBs and cooling systems for the GeForce GTX 980 Ti. It is possible that at the Computex Taipei trade-show in early June at least some of proprietary GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics cards will be demonstrated.

Pricing of Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 980 Ti is still unknown.

nvidia_geforce_gtx_980ti_unofficial_1

Nvidia did not comment on the news-story.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It was completely illogical for Nvidia to use the fully-fledged GM200 for the GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics card, which is why it slightly reduced the amount of execution units inside the chip. Considering the die size of the GM200 and its possible yield, it is likely that eventually Nvidia will offer a yet another graphics adapter powered by the chip. There are rumours about the GeForce GTX 980 Metal, but its possible specifications are yet to be discovered.
it.

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Nvidia may announce GeForce GTX 980 Ti at Computex next month https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-may-announce-geforce-gtx-980-ti-at-computex-next-month/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/anton-shilov/nvidia-may-announce-geforce-gtx-980-ti-at-computex-next-month/#comments Mon, 18 May 2015 22:39:50 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=249891 Nvidia Corp. may announce its GeForce GTX 980 Ti at the Computex Taipei 2015 trade-show early next month, a rumour claims. It is also expected that sales of the new graphics card will start right after the announcement. Unfortunately, specifications of the product are still unknown. PC Games Hardware reports that Nvidia decided to postpone …

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Nvidia Corp. may announce its GeForce GTX 980 Ti at the Computex Taipei 2015 trade-show early next month, a rumour claims. It is also expected that sales of the new graphics card will start right after the announcement. Unfortunately, specifications of the product are still unknown.

PC Games Hardware reports that Nvidia decided to postpone the launch of its new high-performance graphics card from May to early June. The reasons for the delay are unclear, but Nvidia is in a very comfortable position at the moment because its arch-rival AMD does not have a direct rival for the GeForce GTX Titan X. While AMD’s partners sell dual-chip Radeon R9 295X2 solution – which is the world’s fastest graphics card – many enthusiasts prefer single-GPU graphics adapters.

The upcoming GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics card is expected to carry GM200-310 graphics processing unit. It is unclear whether the GM200-310 has the same configuration as the GM200-400, which powers Nvidia GeForce GTX Titan X. The Nvidia GeForce GTX Titan X graphics adapter features the GM200-400 graphics chip with 3072 stream processors, 192 texture mapping units, 96 raster operations pipelines as well as 384-bit memory interface. The GPU operates at 1000MHz/1075MHz base/boost frequency.

nvidia_geforce_gtx_art

PCGH reports that actual performance and specification of Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 980 Ti will determine its price. The graphic card will naturally cost more than the original GeForce GTX 980, but will be more affordable compared to the GeForce GTX Titan X.

Nvidia’s partners will be allowed to design their own printed circuit boards and cooling solutions for the GeForce GTX 980 Ti. If Nvidia announces its new graphics adapter at Computex, actual graphics cards will be demonstrated at the trade-show. Unfortunately, it is unclear whether manufacturers of graphics cards will demonstrate their own versions of GeForce GTX 980 Ti.

According to market rumours, Nvidia is also developing yet another GM200-based graphics card, which is called GeForce GTX 980 Metal Edition.

Computex Taipei 2015 starts on the 2nd of June, 2015.

Nvidia did not comment on the news-story.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Keeping in mind that the information about the GeForce GTX 980 Ti comes from unofficial sources, actual launch date of the graphics adapter may change. Nvidia does not need to release the GeForce GTX 980 Ti ahead of AMD’s Radeon R9 390-series, therefore, it may further postpone its announcement from June to July.

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Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 980 Ti to carry GM200-310 GPU – report https://www.kitguru.net/components/anton-shilov/nvidias-geforce-gtx-980-ti-to-carry-gm200-310-gpu/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/anton-shilov/nvidias-geforce-gtx-980-ti-to-carry-gm200-310-gpu/#comments Thu, 30 Apr 2015 22:58:55 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=247608 Although it was expected that Nvidia Corp.’s upcoming GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics adapter will be powered by the very same chip as the GeForce GTX Titan X, it now turns out that the new graphics board will be based on a version of the GM200 graphics processor with a different configuration of execution units. …

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Although it was expected that Nvidia Corp.’s upcoming GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics adapter will be powered by the very same chip as the GeForce GTX Titan X, it now turns out that the new graphics board will be based on a version of the GM200 graphics processor with a different configuration of execution units.

The Nvidia GeForce GTX Titan X graphics card features the GM200-400 graphics chip with 3072 stream processors, 192 texture mapping units, 96 raster operations pipelines as well as 384-bit memory interface. The chip operates at 1000MHz/1075MHz base/boost clock-rate. By contrast, the upcoming GeForce GTX 980 Ti will use the GM200-310 graphics chip, reports VideoCardz web-site.

NVIDIA_GeForce_GTX_900series_KeyVisual_HD_003

Nvidia marks graphics processing units with dissimilar configurations differently. For example, both GeForce GTX 970 and GeForce GTX 980 are powered by GM204 GPUs, but the number of activated SPs, TMUs and ROPs is different on these two graphics cards. As a result, the GTX 970 chips are marked as the GM204-200, whereas the GTX 980 processors are marked as the GM204-400.

The GM200-310 marking may indicate that the configuration of the graphics processor of the GeForce GTX 980 Ti will not be the same as that of Nvidia’s flagship graphics card. One thing that is clear at the moment is that the GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics board will carry 6GB of GDDR5 memory.

Nvidia did not comment on the news-story.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It is clearly logical for Nvidia to use a cut-down version of its GM200 for the GeForce GTX 980 Ti. The company has a lot of GM200 chips with defects and it needs to sell them somehow. At the same time, the company's product lineup requires a graphics solution that will be faster than the GeForce GTX 980, but slower than the GeForce GTX Titan X.

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