Nvidia GTX980Ti Review

[Scoob]

While Vram is becoming an issue for me with just 2gb on my 680's, I do think it relevant that just because you see a game reporting to use over 6gb vRam that the game needs 6gb of vRam to run. Windows and the games are fairly smart, they cache a lot of stuff and if they've no need to purge it because they have ample vRam, they won't. An example might be playing a game for a few hours, seeing the vRam "full" - let's say 4 of 4gb used as an example - you might then think the game needs this amount. However, saving the game at this point, exiting to desktop before relaunching and reloading will often see a game needing much less vRam to render the exact same scene perfectly smoothly. This is because it's not got data from prior scene cached after a reload. A good example would be Skyrim, or possibly The Witcher 3 (to be more modern!) that let you save exactly where you are, not using the horrible checkpoint method.

The humble 2gb on my 680's generally copes ok at 1920x1200. However, as I modify stuff a lot, a game like Skyrim does use more and I do see it fill up to the full 2gb very soon after loading a game these days. This then leads to the slight FPS snags as the GPU purges data to load new data - then I see the classic fps hitching if a do a full 180 as it now needs that old data again to render what was behind me and would have been cached still if I had more vRam. I did get around this (mostly) by running Skyrim from a Ram Drive, but my Skyrim build has bloated a lot with even more mods now so it no longer fits - even 2x SSD's RAID0 seems slow vs. a Ram Drive.

Anyway, I rambled again didn't I?

Bottom line, I'm happy with the spec of the 980Ti, it's pretty much what I was expecting and I'm sure 6gb vRam will be ample for most of us. Looking forward to seeing AMD's new tech also, while I'm very much a fan of NV - they've served me well over the years - it would amuse me if AMD's new product spanked the 980Ti Certainly going to wait and see, my two 680's are far from useless so I'm in no hurry.

Scoob.

 

[Dawelio]

Exactly and i still have nigh on 1 week to return it but I'm not going to because from my own tests against OC3D's I beat the 980 Ti scores so there would be no point in me returning it.

True mate... I wouldn't have returned it either, unless money was a real issue to be honest. I want the Titan X, but the 980Ti is just unbeatable in my eyes... if the 980Ti would have the same matt black as the Titan X, then it would have been the perfect one for me

Glad to hear you've found your graphics card though Dice and are certain regarding your opinion ... Nice one, thumbs up for you dude!

 

[Dicehunter]

True mate... I wouldn't have returned it either, unless money was a real issue to be honest. I want the Titan X, but the 980Ti is just unbeatable in my eyes... if the 980Ti would have the same matt black as the Titan X, then it would have been the perfect one for me

Glad to hear you've found your graphics card though Dice and are certain regarding your opinion ... Nice one, thumbs up for you dude!

Thank you ^_^

 

[AlienALX]

Seriously if you can't even wait for three weeks I feel truly sorry for you.

It really beggars belief that people think £550 is cheap. Eek!!

It's your money guys do what you see fit

 

[Dawelio]

Seriously if you can't even wait for three weeks I feel truly sorry for you.

It really beggars belief that people think £550 is cheap. Eek!!

It's your money guys do what you see fit

You are surely entitled to your opinion and are free to say so... but please don't say it in such a way that is seemed like your trying to make him change his mind.

He's happy with his GPU dude and if he has spent that amount of money, who cares?... he's happy with it.
Is it your GPU?, no... is it your money that went into purchasing it?, no... then why even bother?

 

[Dicehunter]

Seriously if you can't even wait for three weeks I feel truly sorry for you.

Bit of a weird and slightly insulting thing to say.

I never said I couldn't wait 3 weeks but playing the waiting game is moronic in itself.

You forget you're not just buying the performance you're buying the way it looks, I do not like silver or red in general hence modding the 980 Ti to be black like I did with my 780 Ti would have voided the warranty and probably gone wrong in some way due to Nvidia using PITA screws on their shrouds, Hence I'm happy to spend more of my own money on getting the look I want as well as slightly better performance than the 980 Ti.

You are surely entitled to your opinion and are free to say so... but please don't say it in such a way that is seemed like your trying to make him change his mind.

He's happy with his GPU dude and if he has spent that amount of money, who cares?... he's happy with it.
Is it your GPU?, no... is it your money that went into purchasing it?, no... then why even bother?

Good to see someone who doesn't have to vent their opinion on other peoples cash spending all the time

 

[Dawelio]

Bit of a weird and slightly insulting thing to say.

I never said I couldn't wait 3 weeks but playing the waiting game is moronic in itself.

You forget you're not just buying the performance you're buying the way it looks, I do not like silver or red in general hence modding the 980 Ti to be black like I did with my 780 Ti would have voided the warranty and probably gone wrong in some way due to Nvidia using PITA screws on their shrouds, Hence I'm happy to spend more of my own money on getting the look I want as well as slightly better performance than the 980 Ti.

Good to see someone who doesn't have to vent their opinion on other peoples cash spending all the time

So true mate... and I'm totally with you on the bigger part of your post. I really dig the color, not the silver though, but not ready to loose my wallet over it too... so it's the wallet that decides for me unfortunately ...

Got any friends that is watercooling it? and anyone know if it will fit a 980Ti? ...

Have read that bold text like 10 times now and still don't get it... must be dumb or really tired ^_^

 

[Dicehunter]

So true mate... and I'm totally with you on the bigger part of your post. I really dig the color, not the silver though, but not ready to loose my wallet over it too... so it's the wallet that decides for me unfortunately ...

Got any friends that is watercooling it? and anyone know if it will fit a 980Ti? ...

Have read that bold text like 10 times now and still don't get it... must be dumb or really tired ^_^

Cousin of mine has 2 x TX's and both are watercooled, The same waterblock will probably fit the 980 Ti

 

[Mysterae]

So you obviously didn't see the picture of Asus' triple fan Strix card?

Sorry mate but it just sounds like you're trying to talk yourself into making a mistake.

Three weeks. Is it really so hard to wait three weeks, maybe five when the price wars begin.

Remember this, £550 is still an utter pisstake for a graphics card.

I've seen most if not all the non standard cards and not one of them interests me. A good while ago I bought 2 670 Gainward Phantoms and returned them a few days later. The fan design played real havoc with the airflow of my case (FT02) and they just just couldn't keep cool. A cooler that is designed to expel the air out the case is favoured greatly for the FT02, for this reason all aftermarket coolers are off my want list.

I do agree that £550 makes a mockery of term value for money, but this market we are in. Remember the phrase, have a poo or get off the pot!

 

[Dawelio]

Cousin of mine has 2 x TX's and both are watercooled, The same waterblock will probably fit the 980 Ti

Free or how much? ... IF they do actually fit. Then I wouldn't mind if it said "Titan" on it, rather than 980Ti to be honest... since I can just plastdip that small part out, rather than the entire cooler and loose the warranty

EDIT.... ohh I just realized you wrote "the same WATERblock will probably fit the 980Ti" and not the reference Titan cooler on the 980Ti ...

And how come some people write "980Ti" and other "980 Ti"?... what is the real/correct name of it lol?...

 

[Feronix]

Guys, quit with the indirect conversations and insults.

Let's just respect each other's way of handling tech and appreciate the fact that not everyone does the same, aye?

Also the correct way to write it according to Nvidia themselves has always been with a space.

 

[Dawelio]

Also the correct way to write it according to Nvidia themselves has always been with a space.

I actually liked and preferred the 980Ti ... such a shame that.

 

[AlienALX]

Bit of a weird and slightly insulting thing to say.

I never said I couldn't wait 3 weeks but playing the waiting game is moronic in itself.

You forget you're not just buying the performance you're buying the way it looks, I do not like silver or red in general hence modding the 980 Ti to be black like I did with my 780 Ti would have voided the warranty and probably gone wrong in some way due to Nvidia using PITA screws on their shrouds, Hence I'm happy to spend more of my own money on getting the look I want as well as slightly better performance than the 980 Ti.



Good to see someone who doesn't have to vent their opinion on other peoples cash spending all the time

I wasn't referring to you. You've already bought a Titan X and good luck to you. I personally feel that I personally would have waited for the 980ti but hey, it's a Titan, nuff said.

Hmm. How best to explain this.. Let's just say I won a good few grand last year. Yes, without getting personal let's say I won the cash.

Hence, I bought Titan Blacks because hey, wasn't my money.

However, since then things have gone back to good old normal, and now I won't allow myself to be fooled.

As for the people that can't wait three weeks? honestly? I firmly stand by my opinion no matter how much people may find it insulting.

So you don't want AMD? fine. BUT. That AMD in question will absolutely, 100000% bring down the price of the TI. And it's three, meagre, silly weeks.

Right now the price is Nvidia launch price with the big old N tax attached. Screw that.

Guys, quit with the indirect conversations and insults.

Let's just respect each other's way of handling tech and appreciate the fact that not everyone does the same, aye?

Also the correct way to write it according to Nvidia themselves has always been with a space.

I'm not out to insult any body but I stand by my opinions. Put it this way, graphics card prices have spiralled out of control over the past two years. We've gone from £430 for the absolute top end card to £960. And do you know why? because of all of the people out there who have sucked up Nvidia's prices and bought them.

I'm guilty of that too. But you know what? it p***** me off. And it pisses me off because it's making the "game" impossible to play for many people who are not quite as fortunate as others. It's become snobby, and I don't do snobbery.

So yeah, if that upsets people? tough, live with it. You're making the bed......

I've seen most if not all the non standard cards and not one of them interests me. A good while ago I bought 2 670 Gainward Phantoms and returned them a few days later. The fan design played real havoc with the airflow of my case (FT02) and they just just couldn't keep cool. A cooler that is designed to expel the air out the case is favoured greatly for the FT02, for this reason all aftermarket coolers are off my want list.

I do agree that £550 makes a mockery of term value for money, but this market we are in. Remember the phrase, have a poo or get off the pot!

Yeah it's blower coolers all the way for SLI. I had a pair of Palit Jetstream 670s and in SLI with a decent case the top card was hitting 97c. A mid range Kepler hitting 97c. As you can imagine I was absolutely horrified. I had to make serious adjustments to my cooling and they were noisy and even with two 120mm fans blowing directly at them the top card was still hitting 89c.

I vowed after that never, ever to SLI or Crossfire two 'open' cooled cards. They just suck balls in SLI.

 

[Dicehunter]

And it ***ses me off because it's making the "game" impossible to play for many people

Easy with the swearing dude remember the new clean language rule is in place.

And again it's not about waiting the 3 weeks, Go back and read what I wrote.

 

[AlienALX]

I wasn't even aware that that word was considered a swear word but noted.

 

[Kushiro]

I don't get why it is such a big deal what people buy.... It's their money end of story. It would be a different story if they were unsure of their purchase and was actually asking for opinions/advice.

As for your experience with the jetstreams Vault-Tec, are you sure it wasn't a problem with either the setup or the cards TIM? As I have personally owned and used those cards and they never got that high even during summer. Though if the top card was running at those temps your setup wouldn't have been usable.

The high end is not meant for value nor is it a necessity for the average user. Right now you could get a 290(x) or gtx 960 whatever you want and you will still be able to play games perfectly fine.

 

[NeverBackDown]

Just to comment on the memory use of games, most newish engines these days will use as much as they need and if you have more available it will purposefully use more if it will speed up the time it takes to load a texture or two more instead of processing them(something like that probably not a great example- to tired to think lol). Even if my example is a little off, the whole idea remains the same. Engines will use as much Vram as they can, they will either hit near the max(if it hit max Windows would automatically close the game) or they will use more than they can if you have enough. That's why most modern games will use up more vram on cards with more memory, for example the 290x 8GB or the TX 12GB. It's way more than enough and compared to the 290x 4GB or 980 TI 6GB card games will tend to use less vram on these versions as they are more limited. Hope it makes sense.. just remember engines aren't dumb and neither are the programmers

 

[realneil]

Watching the video now.. lmao with all those "other teams cards in the future" hints



Well power requirements/length(can't believe that was made into an argument lol) to me mean nothing. Honestly most people have more than enough for two cards.. who cares about power requirements when you're already ahead of the amount neeed? Ya the bill goes up.. hardly at all though. I just want price/perfomance and AMD have that advantage. I can get 290x's as cheaper as 970's. Also says a lot about how many people aren't buying AMD.. which is a shame because we need them in the Market. People keep saying we need them in the market but continue to buy Nvidia.. makes no sense to me.

My last purchase was an MSI R9-290X Gaming, but I do have a few NVIDIA cards here.
I also have three R9-280X OC cards, and three Radeon HD6970s.

 

[NeverBackDown]

My last purchase was an MSI R9-290X Gaming, but I do have a few NVIDIA cards here.
I also have three R9-280X OC cards, and three Radeon HD6970s.

I don't have a problem with that, my problem lies with the people who moan about losing AMD yet continue to buy Nvidia and don't really consider AMD cards.

 

[realneil]

I don't have a problem with that, my problem lies with the people who moan about losing AMD yet continue to buy Nvidia and don't really consider AMD cards.

One of the best three purchases I ever made was the AMD R9-280X OC cards. They have been almost bullet-proof in their durability and they're pretty good in Crossfire. (2 of them)

I'm using one in my InWin 901 case and have no problems with overheating with its limited airflow.
I have to admit that the 980Ti is compelling.