It's a nice card, but I don't think anyone who bought those cards would be crying as they have been using them for nearly 6 months. :p
Printable View
The smaller PCB is actually a bad thing rather than a good thing, Heat is concentrated more which lowers life of components and not to mention ability/capability of components is hurt when you use a smaller arrangement.
Thus i am quite interested in the GIGABYTE GV-N670OC-2GD
The Galaxy / KF2 EX OC version is the same as the Gigabyte windforce, but it uses a custom PCB instead of a reference 680 PCB like the Gigabyte.
The PCB used on the KFA2 EX OC that I ordered is identical to the PCB used on the KFA2 GTX 680 hall of fame edition, so its gotta be a good card. I'll dig up some pictures of PCB comparisons, give me a few mins to get it done.
Already snagged a Gigabyte on Amazon. I did consider the Asus but went with the Gigabyte instead after digging up some more reviews. The Asus is nowhere to be found anyway, hopefully I can get another one for SLI soon. :)
Ok so this is the KFA2 / Galaxy GTX 680 hall of fame edition PCB, non referrence PCB, supposed to be an improvement over the referrence 680 PCB:
http://www.guru3d.com/fullimage.php?image=38793
This is the KFA2 / Galaxy GTX 670 EX OC PCB which is the one I ordered:
http://i.imgur.com/7WPpW.jpg
Almost the same thing, but not completely identical like I thought it was.
This is the Gigabyte GTX 670 Windforce 3x PCB, which uses a full referrence GTX 680 PCB:
http://limages.vr-zone.net/body/15831/P1050726.jpg.jpeg
Because the Gigabyte one uses a referrence 680 PCB, any watercooling kits / backplates / other accessories that are designed for the GTX 680 will work on the Gigabyte.
The KFA2 EX OC uses a custom PCB, so it wont be compatible with water cooling kits designed for referrence PCBs, however it appears to be an improved and better than referrence PCB very similar to the GTX 680 hall of fame edition, but just with a lot less media coverage.
The Gigabyte is a great GTX 670, much better than the crappy reference design, but this KFA2 / Galaxy EX OC PCB is looking even more promising if it turns out to be an even better than the referrence GTX 680 PCB that the Gigabyte card uses, but only if you plan on sticking to air cooling.
Also its worth noting, that these are the only two GTX 670s with both a full length PCB and 8 + 6 pin power connectors (other brands with full length PCBs like Asus and Zotac are only using 6 + 6 pin, so less power for the GPU).
If you want the best GTX 670 possible, I wouldnt touch anything other than a Gigabyte Windforce 3x, or the KFA2 EX OC pictured above (Galaxy brand outside of Europe).
I forgot, Thanks OTH ! :up:
Asus CUII + Zotac AMP pictures here:
http://uk.hardware.info/reviews/2725...view-and-zotac
http://content.hwigroup.net/images/p...-dc2t-2gd5.jpg
http://content.hwigroup.net/images/p...-dc2t-2gd5.jpg
http://content.hwigroup.net/images/p...p!-edition.jpg
http://content.hwigroup.net/images/p...p!-edition.jpg
Lovely full length black PCBs, great cooling, and even a backplate on the Asus ... but both cards only have the standard 6 + 6 pin putting them behind the Gigabyte and KFA2 imo.
love the asus board.
this galaxy is nice has 8 +6 pins for some OC action
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814162109
Yea Galaxy are the same company as KFA2, both producing the same card I pictured above using their hall of fame PCB.
I have a feeling that this model is going to be the best overclocker, but not significantly better than the Gigabyte.
There are two models GTX 680 hall of fame edition PCB named GTX 680 LTD OC(KFA2 Europe brand) or SOC Limited white edition as Galaxy which is globalQuote:
Ok so this is the KFA2 GTX 680 , non referrence PCB, supposed to be an improvement over the referrence 680 PCB:
This is the KFA2 GTX 670 EX OC PCB which is the one I ordered:
Almost the same thing, but not completely identical like I thought it was.
http://www.kfa2.com/GTX680LTDOC.shtml
It use white PCB and a triple fan cooler mentionated in specification(and better VRM than EX OC)
An EX Oc series(KFA2) or GC series(Galaxy).
http://www.kfa2.com/GTX680_2GEXOC.shtml
Blue PCB, dual fan cooler, VRM as you have.
http://www.kfa2.com/GTX680_2GEXOC.shtml
Anyway sufficient VRM for your GTX 670 EX Oc. The only thing which is yet unkonw but you can tell us, the gpu voltage can be controlled with software, yes?
Because on reference GTX 670 it seems it can't.
And with 6+8 pins you can set a higher power limit.
GTX 670 White PCB LTD OC will appear later(on GTX 680 appeared later too) at a higher price of course.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/A..._Cu_II/31.html
asus board kicks butt
670 definitely has to force amd to lower 7970 and 7950 even more
I'll have to wait until I get it to confirm anything about it, but I dont think the voltage is controllable via software.
From all the leaks I've read up until now, both the Galaxy / KFA2 and Gigabyte custom versions are using an increased default voltage allowing them to clock to over 1300 Mhz on the stock cooler, but this is only speculation and I will only be able to test it once I have the card tomorrow.
Nice, thats showing that just 6+6 pins and a solid PCB + Cooler = pure win :D
Do you know if this Asus version is using a custom PCB or GTX 680 reference? I cant find any pictures of the bare PCB.
I picked up the Gigabyte OC card on the Egg before they went OOS this morning... I finally caved.. had watched the 7970 and 680 releases and kept telling myself my OCed 560Ti would be just fine for at least the rest of 2012... but the hype of the GTX670 on OC.net finally got to me.
The GTX670 is a beast when OCed...
I really liked the Gigabyte because it has a seperate heatsink on the VRMs.. perfect for me because I am going to slap a CPU waterblock on the card from day1.
Technically, the Giga isnt a 680 reference PCB because of the 8+6 side by side power instead of the stacked 2x6pin. Anyone know if full cover waterblocks go that far up into the corner of the card?
The pictures are on there:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/A...front_full.jpg
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/A.../back_full.jpg
It looks like a non-reference to me.
http://www.ozeros.com/2012/05/review...force-gtx-670/
in spanish ;)
Yea thats a non reference, and clocking extremely well with just 6 + 6 pin compared to the reference design, which proves that the reference GTX 670 is to be avoided at all costs.
The information on the connectors is wrong on that chart though, Asus are using 6 + 6 pin on their boards, and the only 6 + 8 pin boards so far are the Gigabyte and Galaxy / KFA2.
All the EVGA cards are also using the short reference PCB ... Kind of odd for them.
And no MSI Twinfrozrs yet either.
Awesome card for the money...
Thanks for taking the time to compile these lists OTH and your various other contributions to the News section.