I got an unusual GTX 560 Ti

I'm have a sort of Workstation Pc (I made it from parts, it's not a branded one) which I upgraded last month, it's not the fastest pc, but it gets the job done better than before, so I'm satisfied.
Basically I changed the motherboard, cpus and graphic card. Now it has a Supermicro X7DWE motherboard, 2x Xeon X5460 CPUs and a GTX 560 Ti graphic card.

I got the GTX 560 Ti for less than $90, It was listed as an OEM/Bulk version, new not used. I considered it a good deal (for the price, since a branded one costs a lot more) so I gave it a try.
The graphic card works fine, it's stable (no problems like artefacts or crashes etc.), and according GPU-Z and Nvidia Inspector it's a real GTX 560 Ti (please check the attached images) and it has an ASUS Subvendor ID.
Now the weird things:
1. The card has only one 6-pin power supply connector (I thought all GTX 560 cards have two).
2. It has GDDR3 1GB memory, not GDDR5.
3. It seems to be under-clocked (GPU Clock 650MHz, Memory 900MHz, Shader 1625MHz)
4. Now the weirdest thing, it has only 96 / 128 shaders. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought all the GF114 / GTX 560 Ti GPUs have 384 shaders, I thought this is how it's built from NVIDIA and none subvendor or anyone else can change that.

By the way GPU-Z and NVIDIA Inspector disagree on some things:
GPU-Z says the card it's an A1 revision has 96 unified shaders & 48 ROPs.
NVIDIA Inspector says it's an B1 revision and has 128 unified shaders & 24 ROPs.
You probably noticed that the card it's on a PCI-e x4 slot. I put the card there on purpose, because I don't play games much and I wanted the faster x8 slots for other things (for example SAS Raid cards)

So, I wanted to ask you guys/girls because you have more experience in graphic cards than me: What kind of card do I have? Don't get me wrong, I'm not dissatisfied with it's performance (as I said I don't play games much) but obviously this is not a normal GTX 560 Ti card.
I have two theories:
1. It might be an engineering sample, but it doesn't state anything like that on the PCB.
2. Perhaps the GPU failed to pass some tests on NVIDIA, so they under-clock it and made a cheaper graphic card.

So, what do you think? Any ideas? Have you seen something like this before?

NVIDIA Inspector:
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/4166/nvidia1yh.jpg

GPU-Z:
http://imageshack.us/a/img546/9291/gpuza.jpg

Seems to me like GPUZ, and Nvidia inspector may not be fully aware of this card. Try opening nvidia control panel (right click on desktop) and click "System Information" on the lower left hand corner.
See what that has to say about the specs.

Run 3D Mark11 @ Xtreme Preset and show us the score ( screen cap, we need to see the individual fps and scores )

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CrazyNutz

Seems to me like GPUZ, and Nvidia inspector may not be fully aware of this card. Try opening nvidia control panel (right click on desktop) and click "System Information" on the lower left hand corner.
See what that has to say about the specs.

---

This is the system information:
NVIDIA System Information report created on: 12/11/2012 04:02:13
System name: ARMOR

[Display]
Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate, 64-bit
DirectX version: 11.0
GPU processor: GeForce GTX 560 Ti
Driver version: 306.97
DirectX support: 10
CUDA Cores: 128
Core clock: 650 MHz
Shader clock: 1625 MHz
Memory data rate: 1800 MHz
Memory interface: 384-bit
Total available graphics memory: 4095 MB
Dedicated video memory: 1024 MB GDDR3
System video memory: 0 MB
Shared system memory: 3071 MB
Video BIOS version: 70.26.25.00.00
IRQ: 56
Bus: PCI Express x4

[Components]

easyDaemonAPIU64.DLL 1.10.8.0 NVIDIA Update Components
WLMerger.exe 1.10.8.0 NVIDIA Update Components
daemonu.exe 1.10.8.0 NVIDIA Update Components
ComUpdatus.exe 1.10.8.0 NVIDIA Update Components
NvUpdtr.dll 1.10.8.0 NVIDIA Update Components
NvUpdt.dll 1.10.8.0 NVIDIA Update Components
nvui.dll 8.17.13.0697 NVIDIA User Experience Driver Component
nvxdsync.exe 8.17.13.0697 NVIDIA User Experience Driver Component
nvxdplcy.dll 8.17.13.0697 NVIDIA User Experience Driver Component
nvxdbat.dll 8.17.13.0697 NVIDIA User Experience Driver Component
nvxdapix.dll 8.17.13.0697 NVIDIA User Experience Driver Component
NVCPL.DLL 8.17.13.0697 NVIDIA User Experience Driver Component
nvCplUI.exe 4.8.750.0 NVIDIA Control Panel
nvWSS.dll 6.14.13.0697 NVIDIA Workstation Server
nvViTvS.dll 6.14.13.0697 NVIDIA Video Server
NVSTVIEW.EXE 7.17.13.0697 NVIDIA 3D Vision Photo Viewer
NVSTTEST.EXE 7.17.13.0697 NVIDIA 3D Vision Test Application
NVSTRES.DLL 7.17.13.0697 NVIDIA 3D Vision Module (0)
NVMCTRAY.DLL 8.17.13.0697 NVIDIA Media Center Library
nvDispS.dll 6.14.13.0697 NVIDIA Display Server
PhysX 09.12.0604 NVIDIA PhysX
NVCUDA.DLL 8.17.13.0697 NVIDIA CUDA 5.0.1 driver
nvGameS.dll 6.14.13.0697 NVIDIA 3D Settings Server

As you can see, system information claims my card has DirectX10 support, however GPU-Z claims that it has DirectX 11 support. This is weird.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BenchZowner

Run 3D Mark11 @ Xtreme Preset and show us the score ( screen cap, we need to see the individual fps and scores )

---

3D Mark 11 couldn't run because it says that my card doesn't have DirectX 11 support, so I run 3D Mark Vantage.
Here are the results: http://www.3dmark.com/3dmv/4447206 The graphic score is lower than expected. If you click "Detailed Scores" you can check the individual fps.

Any ideas anyone?

EDIT:
I just found this: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Users...s-219512.shtml
Could my card be a fake? I mean, someone could print a fake name on the box/decals etc. but is it possible to fake the hardware name & GPU code name (GTX 560 Ti / GF114)?

128 cuda cores
384 bit
GDDR3

This is a 8800gtx (g80). I think you may have a fake.

Can you take some pictures please?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CrazyNutz

128 cuda cores
384 bit
GDDR3

This is a 8800gtx (g80). I think you may have a fake.

Can you take some pictures please?

---

Interesting, I didn't know that graphic cards can be faked. I thought it wasn't possible. It's a bit difficult to remove the card and take pictures (because this pc has to stay on most of the time 24/7), but I can provide a link: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/GTX56...643539809.html (you might need to click "see full item description" to see the pictures). This is the same card as mine, only mine has NVIDIA logo decals on the fans, and a red PCB.
I'll be more careful next time, no more OEM cards for me.

The 650 MHz core / 1625 MHz shader lines up with a GeForce 8800 GTS, but it has too much memory (the 8800 should be 512 MB) running too slowly (900 MHz instead of 970 MHz) and the wrong bus width (384-bit instead of 256-bit). It could also be an overclocked 8800 GT (stock 600 MHz core / 1500 MHz shader / 900 MHz memory) which also came out in a 1 GB version, but even then the bus is too larger and PCB also seems too short for an 8800 GT?

Here's the card be bought:

http://i01.i.aliimg.com/wsphoto/v0/6...desktop-pC.jpg

From the from of a graphics card (by the DVI/VGA connectors) to the back of the PCIe connector is about 258 mm, so the above card is about 314 mm long. The 8800 GT seems to be about 328 mm long.

It could be an overclocked 8800 GTX (stock 575 MHz core / 1350 MHz shaders / 900 MHz memory) but the memory size is wrong.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by [XC] Oj101

The 650 MHz core / 1625 MHz shader lines up with a GeForce 8800 GTS, but it has too much memory (the 8800 should be 512 MB) running too slowly (900 MHz instead of 970 MHz) and the wrong bus width (384-bit instead of 256-bit). It could also be an overclocked 8800 GT (stock 600 MHz core / 1500 MHz shader / 900 MHz memory) which also came out in a 1 GB version, but even then the bus is too larger and PCB also seems too short for an 8800 GT?

Here's the card be bought:

---

The card was bought from http://www.aliexpress.com/item/GTX56...643539809.html and this picture is more precise http://i01.i.aliimg.com/img/pb/938/2...238938_334.jpg (however the fan decals and the pcb color is different).
In case it matters, the connectors on the bracket/back are: DVI at the bottom, HDMI in the middle and VGA at the top.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by [XC] Oj101

From the from of a graphics card (by the DVI/VGA connectors) to the back of the PCIe connector is about 258 mm, so the above card is about 314 mm long. The 8800 GT seems to be about 328 mm long.

It could be an overclocked 8800 GTX (stock 575 MHz core / 1350 MHz shaders / 900 MHz memory) but the memory size is wrong.

---

Can we find out what card is it, if I extract/provide the BIOS using GPU-Z?
Also, here's a screenshot of NVIDIA Inspector with overclocking section open. The voltage adjustment is disabled:
http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/5900/nvidia2v.jpg

Well this is False Advertisement and I have seen it before, so I suggest taking it up with the seller.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by davidkozat

Well this is False Advertisement and I have seen it before, so I suggest taking it up with the seller.

---

This is a first for me, I wasn't expecting that a GPU information (read by GPU-Z etc.) can be faked.

I reckon it just reads whatever the BIOS tells it to report?

Yeah some companies are very good at playing dumb and they offer a product that looks and feels the same for a cheaper price... my instinct makes me avoid cheap hardware all together... reason to what I dont like buying hardware on Ebay or sites like that... anyway man good luck, if the seller is stupid enough to provide an image with the information.

http://i00.i.aliimg.com/img/pb/933/2...238933_916.jpg

and then that information doesnt match, you got pretty good evidence of wrong doing...

http://imageshack.us/a/img546/9291/gpuza.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by [XC] Oj101

I reckon it just reads whatever the BIOS tells it to report?

---

I see, they modified the BIOS to make it display what they wanted.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by davidkozat

anyway man good luck, if the seller is stupid enough to provide an image with the information.
and then that information doesnt match, you got pretty good evidence of wrong doing...

---

Actually there is not much I can do, this card costed me 67 euros but If I send it back using a courier (otherwise the seller might claim he didn't receive the item), the postage is about 35 euros, so basically I'll get only 32 euros ($41) of my money back. Also, Aliexpress disputes can be more frustrating than ebay disputes. It seems too much of a hassle.
Probably I'll just buy a branded card for that pc, and keep the fake card as a spare, or put it in some old pc.

Lesson learned, never by :banana::banana::banana::banana: that doesnt look legit, if is too cheap, is for a reason. Sorry to hear that Bro

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by davidkozat

Lesson learned, never by :banana::banana::banana::banana: that doesnt look legit, if is too cheap, is for a reason. Sorry to hear that Bro

---

Yeah, the whole thing started because I thought that a graphic card can't be "masqueraded"/faked like that. Lesson learned now, at least I learned something I didn't know before.

I ended up with a fake card a couple weeks ago too. My "GTX460" was basically a GT430 with 256MB of memory. I got my money back though.

If you remove the HSF, what does the core say?

Take the cooler off and take a pic of what it says on the GPU. Its very rare to happen but not uncommon for a graphics card to have a vBIOS thats not fully functional but the only cases like that I've heard / seen are ES samples. As this card is supposed to be OEM, who knows, maybe its just got a ES vBIOS on it. Its a long shot though, I think you have more than likely been duped.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by K404

I ended up with a fake card a couple weeks ago too. My "GTX460" was basically a GT430 with 256MB of memory. I got my money back though.

---

Fortunately you got your money back. Was it from ebay or aliexpress?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by K404

If you remove the HSF, what does the core say?

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ket

Take the cooler off and take a pic of what it says on the GPU. Its very rare to happen but not uncommon for a graphics card to have a vBIOS thats not fully functional but the only cases like that I've heard / seen are ES samples. As this card is supposed to be OEM, who knows, maybe its just got a ES vBIOS on it. Its a long shot though, I think you have more than likely been duped.

---

If I remove the heatsink I'll probably have to remove the old thermal paste and apply new one, right? I don't have thermal paste right now to try this, but I'll get some in the next days and I'll attempt this. I'm curious to see what GPU chip is underneath.
I'm planning to buy some Arctic Cooling MX-4, is it good enough for this, any suggestions?

Yeah MX-4 is godd enough just be careful not over doing it... too much is worse that not enough in my opinion...

i too want to see a core pics !!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by davidkozat

Yeah MX-4 is godd enough just be careful not over doing it... too much is worse that not enough in my opinion...

---

Yeah I'll be careful.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Boulard83

i too want to see a core pics !!!

---

When the thermal paste arrives, (this might take a while) we'll see what's underneath, it's probably an 8800 series GPU, it doesn't seem faster than that.

EDIT
Arctic Cooling MX-4 is not available so I'll purchase Arctic Ceramique 2. I guess I should purchase thermal pads too, or can I use Arctic Ceramique 2 wherever a thermal pad is placed?
For thermal pads, I'm thinking to get some Phobya WLP XT Thermal Pad 120 x 20 x 1mm. I suppose most graphic cards use 1mm thermal pads, right?
Also, I googled up the BIOS version number of the graphic card (70.26.25.00.00). I don't know if the number is real/accurate or not, but some GTS 450 graphic cards have the same BIOS version number.
However the GTS 450 timings (GPU clock, memory, shaders) are different.

I would be surprised if it were an 8800 series.

Its not uncommon for "workstation" cards to be underspeced from their desktop counterparts, but the amount of neutering on yours seems rather large. If anyone remembers the TNT2/M64/Vanta that was a similar amount of neutering..

Any further news on this? If this card truly is a GF114 its sure as hell not a 560Ti... more like the severely deformed mentally retarded brother of the 560Ti that was supposed to be killed at birth.

The thermal paste & thermal pads should arrive here at Wednesday, once I get them, I'll remove the cooler and post pictures.
Even if we suppose that the GPU might be some 8800 series, shouldn't the 3D Mark Vantage scores be higher than what I got?
Maybe the card is even lower than an 8800 series GPU.

Probably not... the card really is crippled.

Time for some photos!
http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/7977/fansa.jpg
This is the card.
Since my motherboard has only PCI-E x8 slots, I had put a PCI-E x8 to x16 adaptor/riser. It wasn't necessary to remove it from the card, so I left it there.

http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/6714/portsbh.jpg
Front connectors: DVI, HDMI, VGA.

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/5310/backmh.jpg
Only one 6-pin power supply connector.

http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/3500/backpcbl.jpg
Back of the PCB. The cooler is secured with only 4 screws around the GPU. By the way, I think the HDMI connector is just for show, I don't see any traces for it on the PCB. I connected a monitor with an HDMI cable to check, and it didn't work. Only the DVI & VGA connectors work.
Let's see some more angles.

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/4341/downgm.jpg
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/8338/topdf.jpg
The cooler/heatsink is attached only on the GPU, the ram chips and everything else have no heatsink at all. I hope the air from the fans can cool them sufficiently.
As you can see the fans are wired together, they used heat-shrink tubes to cover the wires. I don't like how it looks, seems unprofessional.

Finally! Let's remove the cooler!
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/9...dandcooler.jpg
Some grey thermal paste was used, the heatsink was attached only on the GPU, everything else had no heatsink at all. I wonder if the card can survive like that. Well, I guess I won't be using my Phobya thermal pads after all.

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/1029/coolerback.jpg
A closer look of the back of the cooler.

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/5532/rams.jpg
The RAM chips are Hynix, H5RS1H23MFR-N0C.

http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/4092/gpuo.jpg
And last but not least, the GPU!
It has the following written on it:
NVIDIA
39N3FA 0839B1
A TAIWAN
PB0920.03V

What kind of GPU is this? Does anybody know?

The cloth I used to clean the GPU was terrible, definitely not lint-free. I cleaned it up better afterwards.
For now, I have reattached the cooler and put the card back in the pc (this is the only card I currently have, for it).
The idle temperature with the stock thermal paste was 53 Celsius, and now with the Arctic Ceramique 2 is 50 Celsius, not a very big difference, I guess the stock thermal paste wasn't very bad.

Definitely not a 560 Ti GPU, but you knew that. Looks like a 9600 GT or similar to me...

Couldn't get any info from the markings themselves...

Take a look at this link for a picture showing the exact same setup, so its a 9600 GT I'd say.

http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.c...id=2253&page=2

You're probably right, the core seems to be a G94 variant.

9600gt
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V...images/gpu.jpg

9500gt
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/G...images/gpu.jpg

GTS250
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/P...images/gpu.jpg

If I'm not mistaken, it's a 55nm G94b
This card has one that looks identical: http://xtreview.com/addcomment-id-60...55NM-G94b.html

The GPU core on my card: http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/4092/gpuo.jpg

55nm G94b (G94-300-B1): http://xtreview.com/images/GeForce%2...055nm%2003.jpg

The same core is used for GeForce 9600 GT & GeForce GT 130 cards.
It can also be found on ebay if you search for G94-300-B1.

I found alot of palit card with very similar PCB.

http://www.techpowerup.com/img/09-02-14/1a.jpg

Whoa that is certainly not a 560 Ti, I'd say its a 9500 or 9600 GPU of some sort without researching it thoroughly. OC the crap out of that card and it'll make a decent physics cruncher, but thats about it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ket

Whoa that is certainly not a 560 Ti, I'd say its a 9500 or 9600 GPU of some sort without researching it thoroughly. OC the crap out of that card and it'll make a decent physics cruncher, but thats about it.

---

Yeah, it's a 9600, I have replaced the card with a Radeon 7850 (HIS 7850 IceQ X 2GB). The fake card still works, I kept it as a spare.

Good move :up: Up to 1680 and 1920 resolutions a OC'd 2GB 7850 packs a decent punch still.

Wow dirty rat bastards! You should submit a complaint:
https://login.aliexpress.com/buyer.h...laint/home.htm

At the least It may help this from happening to others.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CrazyNutz

Wow dirty rat bastards! You should submit a complaint:
https://login.aliexpress.com/buyer.h...laint/home.htm

At the least It may help this from happening to others.

---

I thought about it when I found out the card was fake, but actually a "Product not as described" complaint can't be submitted without opening a dispute.
This will involve sending the card back, paying for postage, dealing with the seller again, etc.
Seems too troublesome, and I don't think it's going change anything. The seller seems to be selling fake cards for quite some time (he/she has over 700 transactions) and still doing it. Aliexpress probably doesn't care.

What you might of got is a OEM card, OEMs are dirty bastards sometimes, they sell re-branded crap to get rid of old stock.