Anyone Have A MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GD5T OC (Non "Gaming" Version) - Throttling?

[flexy]

I am looking whether someone has this card, the blue MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GD5T OC, not the red "Gaming" version.

This one:

I have confusing information that the card may be underpowered and runs close to TDP right out of the box. People reported the card throttling even below BASE CLOCK, for example in Furmark.

Then I have other information that the card might not throttle that much with the latest BIOS update which is 84.04.2F.00.50

I'd like to know whether people have this card and see problems with low core clocks, throttling and whether they updated (or modded) the bios and it solved their problems.

I am NOT looking for a super-overclocker card but it should at least maintain say 1250 or better clock. Someone is offering this card and right now I am unsure whether to get it.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Furmark makes all cards throttle.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/8568/the-geforce-gtx-970-review-feat-evga/15

 

[tential]

The vast majority of the GTX 970s are within $20 of each other including this one.
Just for peace of mind, get one you're confident in. If you aren't confident in it spend $10 more...
Majority of the cards fall between $340 and $360, I'd get a cooler you're happy with.

 

[flexy]

The issue is that I have a tempting offer, I cannot just choose a better one for only $20 more. Anyway, I am almost certain I will pass on the MSI "non Gaming", all you need is look at this abomination of a HS:

I am not paying €300 for crap like this, my old Gigabyte 660 TI has a better HSF than this.
You can see there is even a place where a third pipe COULD go...but obviously MSI wanted to save costs so they only have a HSF with two measly pipes. (means: Cards get constantly more expensive but features and quality decrease at the same time).

 

[tential]

I missed the last line where you were being offered it.

I look at it this way at this point, someone purchased the card only a couple of months ago and is already dissatisfied with it.
I say treat yaself and get one with a decent cooler. You'll feel more happy about it.

That's what I'm basing my recommendation on anyway. Happiness, not raw performance.

 

[Cerb]

Toyota bought that one, and had throttling issues right out of the box.

Get a higher-TDP one. You'll be happier with it.

 

[kasakka]

Just thought I'd mention that just two heat pipes does not necessarily poor cooling. I have the Windforce 3X version of Gigabyte's GTX 970 (2 heatpipes) and it performs about the same as the slightly more expensive G1 version with four heatpipes.

That MSI cooler does look flimsy though.

 

[deanx0r]

I had that card and it only throttled when I tried to overclock it. It would boost itself but eventually revert back to the stock clocks. I would have kept it but there was some kind of greasy chemical left on the board I wasn't comfortable with.

I ended getting a G1, and while it overclocks better, I can hardly tell the difference in game.

 

[NomanA]

It's a great card. With the latest BIOS update, the power limit gets increased to 110% (from an earlier 106%). The throttling is reduced a lot. My card boots to 1450MHz at the current OC levels, and during Heaven/Firestrike runs, the core clock rarely changes from that level.