What's the final say on these? I'm leery only of the blower cooler as I wasn't all that impressed with the PNY I had earlier. My particular card would only top out at 1440 core. How do these reference cards overclock? I'm going to go hit BB and see what they will do for a price match.
![[H]ard|Forum](/styles/hardforum/xenforo/logo_dark.png){kind=logo}
Verdict on Nvidia Reference 970?
- Thread starter melk
- Start date
SnowBeast
[H]ard|Gawd
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2003
- Messages
- 1,312
They won't do a price match on a card made specifically for Best Buy. Specially when most cards are selling between $350-380 already. There are no other Reference cooler cards out there period besides at BB.
misterbobby
2[H]4U
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2014
- Messages
- 3,814
You can get a 10% off coupon from the movers pack at the post office.
Have the OCUK variant (probably identical, but ostensibly uses different inductors). Nice and quiet - even the heatpipe-type NVTTM is vastly overspecced for the 970 - and no coil-whine under normal use. You can make it whine at 1500-2000fps, but pretty much anything will. Works well for a compact ITX case. If you have a large ATX case with good airflow and/or are not running SLI, then you can probably find a card with a non-blower OEM cooler for cheaper.
The PNY blower is just a 670 blower with a different label on. Most OEMs are reusing 670 and 760 PCBs and coolers for their low- and mid-range 970s.
The PNY blower is just a 670 blower with a different label on. Most OEMs are reusing 670 and 760 PCBs and coolers for their low- and mid-range 970s.
Dayaks
[H]F Junkie
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2012
- Messages
- 9,779
Just did a 250D build with a 970 from BB for my sister. I was impressed by it for a blower. Initially it was about 1800 RPMs stock and ended up around 2400 @1525 core and 75C. Max is 4200 rpm IIRC. So you could begin to hear it but nothing obnoxious. May have been able to push core higher since I didn't touch voltage. It was going across the country so I locked it in at 1400 for stability / it'll likely never get cleaned.
If you are into OCing make sure you aren't afraid to BIOs mod, power limit is quite low at stock.
If you are into OCing make sure you aren't afraid to BIOs mod, power limit is quite low at stock.
I never got around to modding the BIOS on my PNY 970 (which I have since returned) but one thing I noticed with that one is that it didn't like ANY additional voltage. Had to leave it alone and was only able to push the core clock up to 1440. Any additional voltage and it would crash.
Damar
Supreme [H]ardness
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2004
- Messages
- 4,613
I havent had time to OC mine at all, but the two I bought, (that the clerk DID price match on Amazon to an EVGA 970) are quiet and cool most of the time. They made Dragon Age Inquisition far smoother than my 670's used to be able to do and while I've had a couple driver hiccups, I dont regret the purchase at all.
My short tests (which arent worth very much), I was hitting 1500 without a problem, but I need time away from working tons of OT to do a proper burn test, which sadly may not be until next year.
Also, thread here with more owners info on OC'ing and opinions....
http://www.overclock.net/t/1525046/best-buy-sells-the-reference-970
SnowBeast
[H]ard|Gawd
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2003
- Messages
- 1,312
Finally bit on one:
Bonus: The name lighting up. Wasn't expecting that. Will get to play with it more over the weekend.
Bonus: The name lighting up. Wasn't expecting that. Will get to play with it more over the weekend.
This is pure bs they will price match sometimes not even with the same model, newegg has this model for 354
SnowBeast
[H]ard|Gawd
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2003
- Messages
- 1,312
Bored and had to troll post or what? I just bought mine at the Farmington Hills Michigan store and they WOULDN'T price match online no matter what. But hey thanks for calling me a liar. So captain smartass, its not PURE BS, because that would insinuate them price matching at every store which is NOT the case.
Thank you and feel free to troll somewhere else 1.8.
Damar
Supreme [H]ardness
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2004
- Messages
- 4,613
Which they wont sell you unless you buy the whole package with the PC as I recall, so moot point and adds to the odds they wont price match it because of that fact.
The price matching to other brand cards is hit or miss and depends ENTIRELY on the sales clerk you get and how dumb they are. If they are paying attention at all they shouldnt price match to a different brand of card, but if you get a lazy clerk without a clue, you might get lucky.
I got lucky, some others got even luckier and scored cards for $299, but those were really rare. It doesnt hurt to ask at the store, but dont go in expecting it is what I've been telling people.
Its a nice card, and built like a tank. Even at the full price, I wouldnt feel too bad for spending the money on it.
Damar
Supreme [H]ardness
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2004
- Messages
- 4,613
Grats and let us know what you can hit for clocks, it will give me some ideas where to start when I finally get time to work with mine after Christmas.
Yes, it's the same set as the 980, just with a '7' stamped instead of an '8'. In comparison to the NVTTM used on the Titans 780ti etc, the end of the shroud is slightly different to accomodate the DVI connector placement, the fan is the same, the VRM heatsink is the same, and the heatsink over the GPU uses multiple heatpipes rather than a vapour chamber.
misterbobby
2[H]4U
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2014
- Messages
- 3,814
What do you mean? They have existed from day 1 and every single 980 review used one.
ah ok, cannot find any in Australia thats all, shoulda looked further
misterbobby
2[H]4U
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2014
- Messages
- 3,814
Looking at Newegg here I only see 3 right now so maybe they are cutting back on making them. When the 980 launched though pretty much every card maker offered a reference cooled one here.
misterbobby
2[H]4U
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2014
- Messages
- 3,814
Yes its exactly the same as the reference 980.
Yea like I said it's pure bs. I just bought one from local best buy and the guy price matched one for $339. He said as long as it's shipped and sold by amazon as a gtx 970 they can price match. Don't be mad if you got screwed over
maybe your too soft, and yes you are a liarNewEgg link for those that need it...for some reason it does not show up when you browse by GPU type/etc. Sneaky bastards.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814132038
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814132038
Damar
Supreme [H]ardness
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2004
- Messages
- 4,613
Just pray they dont spot the fact you cant buy that card without buying the whole PC package thats part of the deal......
misterbobby
2[H]4U
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2014
- Messages
- 3,814
If all you show them is that then of course they will never know. I really doubt they are going to try to actually order it...
Damar
Supreme [H]ardness
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2004
- Messages
- 4,613
There's always the chance, just making sure people know.
I know I got lucky to get them to price match Amazon for a totally different card even cheaper than the NewEgg one. Some people managed it too, others weren't so lucky.
Even at full price, I wouldnt be upset after having the cards a while. I'm hoping to get some nice numbers when I finally have time to get into OC'ing them, but as it is, they've been rock solid and quiet in every game I play from SoM to TEW and FFXIV.
Its a really nice piece of hardware.
Well it picked one up and it doesnt seem to be the vapor chamber or whatever. looks just like this 680 heatsink.
Not like the 780 vapor chamber, not sure what's in the 980.
misterbobby
2[H]4U
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2014
- Messages
- 3,814
Its the same exact cooler as the 980 so of course there is no vapor chamber. No real need for it in this card.