Gigabyte, Asus CUII or CUII TOP Gtx 670?

8009

Weaksauce
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Apr 2, 2012
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Ok i m not making another thread of general reviews and opinions about these card versions, i m just seeking info that is suitable for my system. The system is the most powerful and expensive i have ever built, Lian Li 351, Asus Rampage IV Gene, i7 3820, 16gb 1600 Kingston HyperX, Force GT 120gb SSD, 1TB caviar black, i have the money ready for the gpu and i am between the three ones i mention on the title.

Specifics that apply to me: i have a 1900x1200 and a 1900x1080 screens. I am not planning on getting a bigger one any time soon. Also, i will use a single card. I also have the sff Lian Li case. Taking these into account, and that money for any of those three cards is not an issue, i am considering the following:

How likely is it i will have issues with the gigabyte one, with the pci 3.0 things, forced to turn to 2.0 for workability? I ve read that this problem exists.
Will there be a compatibility advantage/certainty if i get an asus one, since i also have an asus motherboard?
I am not an overclocker, but i may become one with the new system, how worth it is to go for the top asus instead of the non-top one?
How likely is i will have issues with the top model, since i read of cases that users are instructed to UNDERclock their top models to the non-top ones levels for them to work?
Can it be that all problems with gigabyte and asus will dissapear with updates since we are just in the beginning of their release to the public?
How much should i take my particular case under consideration? The Asus ones blow the hot air inside the case, the Lian Li has two big 120 fans blowing everything to the back, i think it must be a good airflow but i havent tested it in real life yet.
How much cooler is the top asus from the non-top? The "20%" cooler that it says on the box, refers to the non-top model or to the reference fan model?
WIll i see any real benefit with the top model over the non-top, in the resolutions i will be using?
Which of the three will be most cool itself, and most cool towards the insides of the Lian Li 351?

Any suggestions welcome
 
Well seeing that 7970 prices are about $20-40 more than the 670s, I would definitely go with one of those seeing that they are more powerful and are much better at higher resolutions with multiple monitors.

Otherwise, I would go with the ASUS TOP.
 
The difference between the two Asus cards (top vs non-top) is simply how highly binned the chip is, and therefore the clock speeds on the chip out of the box. The cooler is identical. Overclocking potential is always luck of the draw, but it should, in general, be higher on the TOP model.

Assuming the Gigabyte model costs $400 and the Asus ones cost $440 or so, I'd stick with the cheaper one, since you won't see a large performance increase.
 
i would suggest staying away from ASUS

bout to return mine to frys this week
 
note if you get the asus top, you might have to download the new bios update from the asus site. Many came too high overclocks and would crash. Also the card sags by the power connectors. The backplate isn't attached to the cooler/bracket so it doesn't help the sagging.
 
note if you get the asus top, you might have to download the new bios update from the asus site. Many came too high overclocks and would crash. Also the card sags by the power connectors. The backplate isn't attached to the cooler/bracket so it doesn't help the sagging.

Ouch.. thanks for the heads up. I might just deny my DCII that's on the way from Amazon now that I know this. I thought the backplate would help with sagging....
 
Gigabyte, but why are you going socket 2011 if you are never going to use SLI and mATX? What's the point in that platform for that use case. Get Z77 and IB for guaranteed PCI-e 3.0 support if you want it.
 
Gigabyte, but why are you going socket 2011 if you are never going to use SLI and mATX? What's the point in that platform for that use case. Get Z77 and IB for guaranteed PCI-e 3.0 support if you want it.

The case i mentioned is an MATX case and the motherboard i mentioned is also an MATX one. I m not "getting" that or the other, if i was about to do that i would ask 'what should i get'. What i have for the new system is what i already got, no going back now...

What do you mean guaranteed PCI 3.0 support in the Z77, as opposed to non-guaranteed support on the X79? I wasn't aware such an issue exists.

I don't really have any specific reason to utilize pci 3.0, just for better overall performance.
 
note if you get the asus top, you might have to download the new bios update from the asus site. Many came too high overclocks and would crash. Also the card sags by the power connectors. The backplate isn't attached to the cooler/bracket so it doesn't help the sagging.


What about my specific case senario? Any idea if the Top Vs the Non-top model will benefit me in the displays i will be using? Or will it be overkill anyway?


The difference between the two Asus cards (top vs non-top) is simply how highly binned the chip is, and therefore the clock speeds on the chip out of the box. The cooler is identical. Overclocking potential is always luck of the draw, but it should, in general, be higher on the TOP model.

Assuming the Gigabyte model costs $400 and the Asus ones cost $440 or so, I'd stick with the cheaper one, since you won't see a large performance increase.



So if i am not an overclocker, and i want to increase the chances of getting a stable card, i should go with the non-top one?
 
I've installed an Asus 7970 TOP and didn't notice any sagging. I have to say I'm increadibly impressed with the DCII cooler.

All options you listed are good in my opinion.
 
What about my specific case senario? Any idea if the Top Vs the Non-top model will benefit me in the displays i will be using? Or will it be overkill anyway?

They're the same card; with the same components. People say that there is better binning (doubtful with the dismal availability of this chip) involved with the TOPs, but the amount of unhappy buyers that can't run at stock settings tells me otherwise. Too many for comfort can't remain stable out of the box. Many non-TOP owners are also getting pretty nice overclocks from their cards (TOP level clocks).

So if i am not an overclocker, and i want to increase the chances of getting a stable card, i should go with the non-top one?

If you don't want to deal with the hassle of returning a bad card / waiting for a new one to ship out, then I suggest you stick with the non-TOP or the gigabyte card. On the other hand... a guaranteed overclock has it's appeal... I don't know if it's worth the extra $30 (if you can find it at that price!) however. Right now both the gigabyte/DCII are going for $400. I got tired of waiting for the top so I pulled the trigger on the DCII.
 
Gigabyte products are excellent these days. I hear good things on the TOP, but myself, I went with the gigabyte.
 
I love my Gigabyte windforce OC 670. Whisper quiet and it was a good upgrade from my ref. evga 580. Would buy Gigabyte again.
 
Yeah, the Gigabyte GTX 670 is good, have a pair of them in SLI and they both run cool and quiet, never seen temperatures over 65C under full load.
 
Keep in mind: The latest batches from 7970 DCII/TOP are voltage locked!


Best GTX670 version is the DCII without a single doubt, amazing components used and build quality.
 
Love my Gigabyte 670's, I have two of them both stay between 50-60c under load and the fans are inaudible under load. The Gigabytes are built on a full size 680 board unlike some other 670's.
 
OWNERS OF THE ASUS CUII: how thick is the backplate??? I just read in the seven card review in tomshadware that there may a problem in some motherboards, in fact i now see that in my Asus matx motherboard, there are only 4mm space between the ram levers and the opening of the pci slot! Will i have a problem?
 
OWNERS OF THE ASUS CUII: how thick is the backplate??? I just read in the seven card review in tomshadware that there may a problem in some motherboards, in fact i now see that in my Asus matx motherboard, there are only 4mm space between the ram levers and the opening of the pci slot! Will i have a problem?

No thicker than two credit cards stacked.
 
I recently received the Asus 670 TOP and although I worried about the mixed reviews, mine has been amazing out of the box. The best part about the card is that its virtually silent even under load. My other PC has a 6990 with an Accelero Twin Turbo and I have been more impressed by the 670.
 
670 DCII top is the card to get. Reason being great out of the box clocks and solid build as well as vrm that lets it go even further. The custom pcb is really solidly build.

Being faster than a stock 680, it even goes further for its ability for even being clocked higher with a slight voltage tweak. Must buy at $429.

That said, the 7970ghz is a Fuuuuuu release to be honest that doesn't bring anything out of the ordinary and another failure attempt from amd to launch 7950ghz edition to topple the mighty 670.

But that seems highly unlikely after seeing the current abysmal performance of 7950.
 
670 DCII top is the card to get. Reason being great out of the box clocks and solid build as well as vrm that lets it go even further. The custom pcb is really solidly build.

Being faster than a stock 680, it even goes further for its ability for even being clocked higher with a slight voltage tweak. Must buy at $429.

That said, the 7970ghz is a Fuuuuuu release to be honest that doesn't bring anything out of the ordinary and another failure attempt from amd to launch 7950ghz edition to topple the mighty 670.

But that seems highly unlikely after seeing the current abysmal performance of 7950.

What makes it so solid and better built that no one is able to overclock them any further than any other non-reference board? Sounds like you've fallen for Asus marketing. They're good at it though, you're not the first to fall for it.
 
Nothing to worry about, the Gigabytes has been very reliable for most everyone and good overclockers. They're also extremely quiet. I have two of them and love them both dearly. Quite possibly two of the of the most impressive video cards I've ever owned and I don't just mean the fastest, I mean build quality, overclocking, fan noise, heat, etc...

They really are awesome. WAY too many complaints on the Asus DCII cards for me to ever consider one of those, I don't know that I would even pay $50 less for one of those than a Gigabyte Windforce.
 
I ve already read that review, its just that these written here http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2252408 are making me worry, call me paranoid but i am trying to minimize the problem-factors that may arise.

Just get the regular DCII and overclock it, no need to pay 10$ more for TOP version. And don't listen to Blkout hes well known forum troll. The build quality on DCII cards is alot better then WIndforce.
 
I mean build quality, overclocking, fan noise, heat, etc...

The windforce uses a standard GTX 680 reference pcb. Just like a few other GTX 670s. Build quality is nothing to write home about. The only difference is the cooler which seems to be decent.

They really are awesome. WAY too many complaints on the Asus DCII cards for me to ever consider one of those, I don't know that I would even pay $50 less for one of those than a Gigabyte Windforce.

You mean the top version which which was just too aggressively clocked by default. I've actually heard a few complaints like that about the windforce on OCN too. No where near as many but then again its not as aggressively clocked.

The non-top direct cu 2 is a great card. You must be trolling or just ignorant if you honestly don't think that the direct cu 2 doesn't use higher quality components than a reference GTX 680 pcb.
 
The windforce uses a standard GTX 680 reference pcb. Just like a few other GTX 670s. Build quality is nothing to write home about. The only difference is the cooler which seems to be decent.



You mean the top version which which was just too aggressively clocked by default. I've actually heard a few complaints like that about the windforce on OCN too. No where near as many but then again its not as aggressively clocked.

The non-top direct cu 2 is a great card. You must be trolling or just ignorant if you honestly don't think that the direct cu 2 doesn't use higher quality components than a reference GTX 680 pcb.


Spot on, that's why i recommended the non top version, TOP cards where crashing because of the quality vrm which made them boost way to high, like 1300mhz...

He is trolling, its already proven like 10 times by now :D
 
They were crashing because Asus wanted to market those cards with such a high boost clock that most 670 or 680s for that matter can't handle. It backfired.

You can't go wrong with either card, I would lean towards the Asus personally though.
 
The windforce uses a standard GTX 680 reference pcb. Just like a few other GTX 670s. Build quality is nothing to write home about. The only difference is the cooler which seems to be decent.



You mean the top version which which was just too aggressively clocked by default. I've actually heard a few complaints like that about the windforce on OCN too. No where near as many but then again its not as aggressively clocked.

The non-top direct cu 2 is a great card. You must be trolling or just ignorant if you honestly don't think that the direct cu 2 doesn't use higher quality components than a reference GTX 680 pcb.

Cool story bro. I guess you're still mad we didn't get to finish our conversation in the other thread so you've decided to bring it here and start again.
 
They were crashing because Asus wanted to market those cards with such a high boost clock that most 670 or 680s for that matter can't handle. It backfired.

You can't go wrong with either card, I would lean towards the Asus personally though.

Correct, it backfired, they had too many problems and you confirmed what I said previously. I wasn't specific about TOP or not-TOP cards, I just said DCII which is also the TOP cards. I appreciate the confirmation even though you attempted to imply I was wrong in the previous post.
 
Spot on, that's why i recommended the non top version, TOP cards where crashing because of the quality vrm which made them boost way to high, like 1300mhz...

He is trolling, its already proven like 10 times by now :D

Really? Is there any thread where you don't jump in and recommend Asus products? You are the definition of an Asus fanboy to the point of fanatacism. A quick search by anyone on this forum can confirm your intentions.
 
Nope, but i least speak the truth, my recommendations are justified, if we exclude Lightning cards, tell me a better card then GTX680/GTX670 (non top) DCII? only a mad man won't notice the difference in quality build/components going from Windforce to DCII cards.
 
Cool story bro. I guess you're still mad we didn't get to finish our conversation in the other thread so you've decided to bring it here and start again.

:confused:

I'm not sure what that has to do with anything that I said. Do you want to have an adult conversation or just troll?

Correct, it backfired, they had too many problems and you confirmed what I said previously.


No they had one problem with the top version only. It was clocked too high. If you're going to make those sorts of claims at least be accurate about it.

They aren't the only manufacturer to have that issue btw. Either way I'm done responding to you.
 
:confused:

I'm not sure what that has to do with anything that I said. Do you want to have an adult conversation or just troll?


They aren't the only manufacturer to have that issue btw. Either way I'm done responding to you.

Tried that in the last thread and all you wanted to do was cast insults so don't hand me that BS.

And yea...I've heard that before, and again, and again... You can't leave it alone, its just the way you are, you won't be happy until you get the last word in. See you soon, love.
 
Nope, but i least speak the truth, my recommendations are justified, if we exclude Lightning cards, tell me a better card then GTX680/GTX670 (non top) DCII? only a mad man won't notice the difference in quality build/components going from Windforce to DCII cards.

I certainly hope that Asus super engineered, designed, and built video card lasts 20-25 years to confirm your theory, meanwhile everyone will have forgotten your silly statements and you after we've all upgraded video cards another 10 times by then. If there's honestly any superiority in that card, that's the only place its ever going to be seen because everywhere else it gets beaten by many other cards on the market.
 
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