Are OCed GTX 1080s worth it?

doughead

Limp Gawd
Joined
Sep 3, 2010
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I just browsed YouTube for benchmark comparisons between reference 1080FE and Custom 1080s with factory overclocks. The OCed benefits is about an average of +3-5 fps, depending on the games but most of the time its just a 3 fps improvement. So is it really worth it going for a custom board? I know that besides the OCed benefits, custom boards also benefit from a better custom cooling solution. A good example of a custom cooler 1080 which runs at stock speed is the Palit Jetstream. Since I intend to get 2 for SLI, would I be missing out on anything else if I were to pick 2 vanilla 1080s rather than 2 higher clocked 1080s? Somehow I just want to stay away from the blower-type 1080s like the 1080 FEs but don't mind cheaper 1080s since I intend to get 2.
 
If you need another 3 to 5fps then yes.
Remember to add another 70% ish to that for SLI.

Its hard to evaluate without knowing anything other than you want to buy 2 graphics cards.
 
Factory overclocks and extra power phases/plugs mean essentially nothing. Every 1080 will hit 2.05Ghz, and vanishingly few will do 2.1Ghz-- silicon lottery there.

AIB coolers won't get you to a higher overclock either, but they are quieter than the reference blower.
 
Oh yes I forgot to factor in that in SLI it would yield higher returns in framerates too. Probably will meet halfway and get a mid-tier OCed 1080 (eg, Jetstream instead of Super Jetstream or Amp instead of Amp Extreme). Just hope the price difference wouldn't be too drastic a jump.
 
Since it seems like every single card anyone tries to overclock hits 2.0-2.1Ghz, I'd say no. I personally would pay for a better cooler, but the factory OCs seem like a waste, at least based on what we've seen right now.
 
I'm not much of an overclocker anymore, I just want rock solid stability (it's a part of growing old I guess). So nowadays when I'm scoping out parts, I will try to get the best "out of the box" experience I can. In my particular case, these factory OC'ed cards fit the bill and are worth the few extra bucks. I'm guessing I'm not alone in this and that's the reason there's a market for these products. A little bit faster but still fully warranteed ...
 
Just go with two vanilla's and pocket the extra cash for a oced card. Down the road if you want that 3-5 fps then move the AB slider.
 
From where I am, we're still about a week+ away from seeing non-FE 1080s in the stores, with zero clue as to their cost at this point in time. We pay more at Asia end, there seems to be quite a hefty markup from the quoted MSRP once it lands at our side of the pond. If it follows US prices, I wouldn't mind paying slightly more for an OCed custom-cooler board. As an example, a 1080FE cost US$875 over here!
 
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