Gtx 670 ???

[Frag Maniac]

EVGA are not using the GTX 670 reference heatsink. They are using the GTX 680 heatsink on all their reference design GTX 670s.

I can't find anything that verifies that. Can you divulge your source please? This is the closest I've seen to any full details on it, and it only refers to the Signature models, not all ref models.
http://videocardz.com/32820/evga-gef...ted-for-409-99

As the article says, these are upcoming vs current models. None of the 670s currently on EVGA's site are Signature models with vapor chamber coolers. So if anything most of what they carry, or currently ALL of what they carry for that matter, has the ref 670 cooler.

[Meteor|WAR]

EVGA are not using the GTX 670 reference heatsink. They are using the GTX 680 heatsink on all their reference design GTX 670s.

That's the eVGA SC version, I just have the regular stock eVGA 670.

[Mungri]

I can't find anything that verifies that. Can you divulge your source please? This is the closest I've seen to any full details on it, and it only refers to the Signature models, not all ref models.
http://videocardz.com/32820/evga-gef...ted-for-409-99

As the article says, these are upcoming vs current models. None of the 670s currently on EVGA's site are Signature models with vapor chamber coolers. So if anything most of what they carry, or currently ALL of what they carry for that matter, has the ref 670 cooler.

I heard it on the EVGA forums, its not a GTX 680 heatsink sorry, but it is an improved vapor chamber one.

[Frag Maniac]

I heard it on the EVGA forums, its not a GTX 680 heatsink sorry, but it is an improved vapor chamber one.

Both are types of HSs, whether vapor chamber or not. I'm pretty sure it's wrong info though, as you stated it anyway. Rather than ALL EVGA ref 670s having the vapor chamber, only the Signature series will. There's also a Signature+ with full alu backplate. The standard Signature model will be $410 and have ref PCB and clocks. While that might sound like a good price, I can't help but think the ones other brands have with non ref PCBs and pretty good custom air coolers are a better buy, even if $10 more.

As you indicated above though, on this GPU model it's going to come down to availability for a lot of people. Many like myself have already been waiting a long time for a card like this. Further waiting when some cards go out of stock is kinda hard to take.

What about that question I asked about your clearance for RAM sinks though? Might be a good idea if you have the room. I've seen some that are very low profile, like these at only 5mm tall.
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/15...html?tl=g40c21

[FedericoUY]

Are the ASUS GTX 670 DirectCU II models for sale anywhere?

[Mungri]

Are the ASUS GTX 670 DirectCU II models for sale anywhere?

Available at overclockers, but not worth the price:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/produc...914&subid=2294

Most expencsive version, and its not even the cherry picked TOP version either.

What about that question I asked about your clearance for RAM sinks though? Might be a good idea if you have the room. I've seen some that are very low profile, like these at only 5mm tall.
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/15...html?tl=g40c21

I already have something like 32 VGA ramsinks lying around, I just cant be bothered buying any new thermal tape for them.

[Frag Maniac]

I already have something like 32 VGA ramsinks lying around, I just cant be bothered buying any new thermal tape for them.

The bigger bother would be cutting them down to size if they're too tall. I would think just getting the tape or pre cut pads would be easy by comparison, and worthwhile if that's all it took to keep that RAM from getting as hot as it probably is.

[Blackwhite]

Available at overclockers, but not worth the price:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/produc...914&subid=2294

Most expencsive version, and its not even the cherry picked TOP version either.

I just got one and very pleased

[PatRaceTin]

Gigabyte GTX 670 OC price is amazing

wait to see how AMD adjust 7970/7950 price

[Chickenfeed]

Gigabyte GTX 670 OC price is amazing

wait to see how AMD adjust 7970/7950 price

I just put mine in last night and so far I am quite happy with it. The heatsink does a great job

[Frag Maniac]

I've read some more reviews on the Giga. Now that I recall the worse than ref temp was the slightly higher numbers Bjorn3D recorded on idle temps. However at least two or 3 sites have reported 70c load temps, which is no better than Zotac's AMP version.

It's not bothersome really, now that I've seen more results on more sites. What DOES concern me though is that there's a wide range of customer performance results reported, including some having lockup or crashing issues. This inconsistency usually means they are not getting good bin selection on the chips that go on them, so it's like a lottery on chip quality and the resulting performance you get. I'm not sure the possibility of getting higher clocks is worth the risk.

I like the HS and fan design, and love the RAM and VRM cooling, but this might be a model that's best purchased after the first batch inconsistencies of the GPU itself are ironed out and production runs on the chips themselves become more predictable and reliable. It seems like it's going to be a while before you can count on them being in stock anyway, or ANY 670 for that matter.

Anyways, it's been a LONG wait for a midrange price card with decent performance that can get me by until Maxwell, now it seems to be more hurry up and wait. $400+ is not my idea of midrange pricing, so I may hope for a better alternative in perhaps a 660 model. Just my luck those will cost $350 instead of $250. There's already rumors of them costing $300 to $330.
http://videocardz.com/33010/geforce-...en-299-and-329

[thegoatman]

Except the design of the 670 vs. The 680 suggest that 670s are all failed 680s... I don't know if any "ironing out" can even be done.

[Frag Maniac]

Except the design of the 670 vs. The 680 suggest that 670s are all failed 680s... I don't know if any "ironing out" can even be done.

There's still going to be varying thermal levels in the 670 lots though, and that may become less of an issue when production on 680s is perfected. From my understanding there's binning done for each level of GPU model the manufacturers sell, rather than only the source model. Otherwise how do you explain all the lower priced midrange cards that use the same GPU but with further cores, etc cut out. They have to make an informed decision as to what chips to use for them somehow. Otherwise they'd be potentially wasting bigger profits on better performance results on a higher model spec.

[PiLsY]

Most of that is done on wafer position . Id be surprised if any fails could be retained by simply disabling segments of the gpu. Any manufacturing errors are unlikely to be restricted to a single flaw in a single zone. Probably not worth the time in testing and not available in enough volume to supply the high volume mainstream market.

Its far more economically viable to section off the wafers so that the central zone goes to the higher end gpus and the everything else goes mid range.

[Frag Maniac]

Depends what you call a "fail". When a chip's transistors leak more heat than most that pass in a given model, it doesn't mean it can't be used, it's just better used as a chip that's going to be driven less hard to begin with. Honestly, the word "fail' here is being taken too literally.

[PiLsY]

True but then youd require full testing mounted to a pcb and reference cooler to be able to measure stuff like that. Everything is economocs driven these days, if you can eliminate a lot of the testing and binning process by simply picking from the wafer then you ultimately save money. OK a few good ones slip through, but the recovery cost at that level is insignificant if the manufacturing process is as well refined as it would appear to be for the 6 series. You often see binning going on when a chip design is hot running and doesnt have much oc overhead. That means youre at the limit of the silicon and you need to hunt for the best .

[Frag Maniac]

True but then youd require full testing mounted to a pcb and reference cooler to be able to measure stuff like that.

Seems to me they're getting the testing phase down to a science at the production level via using thermal cams. Just the fact that the 680s are performing noticeably more consistently than the 670s would tend to indicate that.

[PiLsY]

I dont understand why they wont just tell us. Thats an article id read.

Good arguments for it either way, probably both wrong!

[Frag Maniac]

I dont understand why they wont just tell us. Thats an article id read.

Good arguments for it either way, probably both wrong!

Industries such as those involved in making PC hardware, esp the bigger, more competitive players in it like Nvidia, don't even divulge release dates of new GPU models to their own sales staff until within a couple weeks of launch. So it's not surprising they don't reveal all the details of their binning process to the general public.

We CAN glean from end user performance results as to which lots and models are producing more consistent results though, and that is often times more reliable than trusting the speculation and claimed inside info of rumor mill sites.

[vhsownsbeta]

Are the ASUS GTX 670 DirectCU II models for sale anywhere?

In Australia, of all places...

[STEvil]

Canada too, just ordered 2.

[Jake211049]

for someone who games at 2560 x 1600, do you think 2gb can cut it?, or wait for the 4gbs

[Chickenfeed]

Today with moderate anti aliasing settings 2GB will do. Tomorrow... couldn't hurt to get the 4GB models if you think you are going to be using them for the forseeable future. If your one to frequently upgrade then honestly the 2s will be just dandy not to mention the fact they are avaialble and less expensive then the eventual 4s.

I'm using extreme levels of anti aliasing and supersampling to stop my 680s nodding off at 1080 That said high levels of AA can easily fill up the memory buffer and fast ( I've been able to triple memory usage in a game through AA alone : ie 16xQ transparency multisampling with 4x supersampling )

[Jake211049]

placed a order for gigabytes windforce 670, settled for the 2gb based on your above advice, by the time games need above 2gb the geforce version of GK110 will be out.
and theres the small issues that it would take even longer for non stock versions of the 4gb to come out and custom cooler/modified PCB versions like the windforce would be a damn sight more expensive
could always sli the 670 if GK110 gets delayed until mid-late next year or something.

[Chickenfeed]

I've been very impressed with the Gigabyte. I'm sure you will enjoy yours