ASUS GTX 670 DCII vs. DCII Top

birthdaymonkey

Golden Member
Oct 4, 2010
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I'm currently considering upgrading to a 670, and from the reviews I've read the ASUS DCII Top is an amazing card, especially with regard to its cooler and PCB design (better voltage regulation than reference, e.g.). I'm very neurotic about noise and hoping for a card that won't exhibit capacitor squeal/coil whine or require aftermarket cooling to be silent.

I can get a DCII Top for $469 or the regular DCII for $419. Does anyone know whether the two cards are different in any way other than the clocks? i.e. if I save the $50, am I getting the same hardware?
 

d3fu5i0n

Senior member
Feb 15, 2011
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I would personally save the $50. But that's what I'd do.
Wait until some other people give you more opinions.
I don't have any personal experience with ASUS branded cards; especially their own designed DCII cards, so I'm unsure if they put some incredibly high-binned chip in the 'Top' versions - or whatever.
 

toyota

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
12,957
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why is 50 bucks difference in price there? here they are 419 for regular and 429 for top which makes getting the top a no brainier.
 

birthdaymonkey

Golden Member
Oct 4, 2010
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Unfortunately the Top is now OOS at Newegg, but they still have the non-Top in stock. No other Canadian retailer seems to have availability at the moment.

The Top is available at NCIX, but their price is $469.
 

Axon

Platinum Member
Sep 25, 2003
2,541
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The DCII is the exact same card. Same PCB, same cooler, same chip. The supposed difference is that ASUS "bins" the TOP chips.

IMO, the TOP branding is something of a marketing gimmick. I saw the ASUS process of establishing TOP cards and found it to be...I don't want to say lackluster, but I just didn't see any difference from how they test and QC normal cards.

Anyway, for $10 it was probably worth getting the TOP, for $50, no way. You can OC or flash the BIOS of the regular edition to the TOP BIOS.
 

spinejam

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2005
3,503
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I've had several "TOP" branded cards that weren't much more spectacular as their reference counterparts when it comes to overclocking prowess. They certainly do keep things quiet & cooler though compared to reference.
 

Jaydip

Diamond Member
Mar 29, 2010
3,691
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I'm currently considering upgrading to a 670, and from the reviews I've read the ASUS DCII Top is an amazing card, especially with regard to its cooler and PCB design (better voltage regulation than reference, e.g.). I'm very neurotic about noise and hoping for a card that won't exhibit capacitor squeal/coil whine or require aftermarket cooling to be silent.

I can get a DCII Top for $469 or the regular DCII for $419. Does anyone know whether the two cards are different in any way other than the clocks? i.e. if I save the $50, am I getting the same hardware?
Don't waste 50$ for something which really isn't TOP
 

Kenmitch

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
8,505
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newegg in the USA has the top in stock. Might wanna check the ca site to see if it's back in stock also.
 

JAG87

Diamond Member
Jan 3, 2006
3,921
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Unfortunately the Top is now OOS at Newegg, but they still have the non-Top in stock. No other Canadian retailer seems to have availability at the moment.

The Top is available at NCIX, but their price is $469.


Price match it with Newegg or Memory Express at $439
 

birthdaymonkey

Golden Member
Oct 4, 2010
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Price match it with Newegg or Memory Express at $439

I would have preferred this route, as I like NCIX's customer service and have a VIP membership for free RMAs, but unfortunately they won't price match OOS items.

Decided to go for the non-TOP from Newegg for $419.

This is my first ever "high end" GPU purchase. Looks like it'll be a good one based on the press.
 

T_Yamamoto

Lifer
Jul 6, 2011
15,007
795
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I would have preferred this route, as I like NCIX's customer service and have a VIP membership for free RMAs, but unfortunately they won't price match OOS items.

Decided to go for the non-TOP from Newegg for $419.

This is my first ever "high end" GPU purchase. Looks like it'll be a good one based on the press.

Remember flash the top bios
 

JAG87

Diamond Member
Jan 3, 2006
3,921
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76
I would have preferred this route, as I like NCIX's customer service and have a VIP membership for free RMAs, but unfortunately they won't price match OOS items.

Decided to go for the non-TOP from Newegg for $419.

This is my first ever "high end" GPU purchase. Looks like it'll be a good one based on the press.


They have for me in the past... weird.


Remember flash the top bios


Please don't do anything stupid like this. Just apply higher clocks at windows start up with NV Inspector.
 

IGhzI

Member
Nov 6, 2011
131
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I wondered that myself after I bought the dcii.. which was last night but i saw a video where some guy oced his dcii to run at 1250 so I'm not really worried its a great card for the money