First GTX 670 review(s) up (tt & oc.net) * TT OC review added*

[aaksheytalwar]

2 years NO

Within less than 10-15 months we will see (a) card(s) which will at least compete/beat (with) 670 at $300ish.

 

[mple]

Another Gigabyte Windforce on the street. Note the high Turbo 1059 matching the gtx680.

Add in the better custom pcb and cooling, higher potential dynamic turbo, if a ref gtx680 can hit 1.2ghz, these things prolly should easily do 1.2ghz or more. custom 670 > reference 680.

So, gtx670 not only smashes 79xx, it also beats the 680 in a) value and b) power use and probably c) higher turbo OCs and overall performance!!

We can't be certain on the value yet. While these cards may carry an MSRP of $400, I could see availability and price gouging driving the cost up to $450

 

[guskline]

http://www.overclock.net/t/1253432/gigabyte-gtx-670-oc-version-hands-on

This thing is faster than my GTX 680, I wonder if should of waited 1 week. o.o

If we wait a week, something is always faster. BUT we will always wait aweek, and wait a week and wait a week ....

 

[ShintaiDK]

Dont compare OC versions with stock and base a judgement on the entire line from that.

 

[aaksheytalwar]

Dont compare OC versions with stock and base a judgement on the entire line from that.

agreed

 

[tviceman]

Those cards aren't equal once both are O/C'd. The 7970 is equal to the 680 both are O/C'd. you're moving the goalposts here.

I'm not moving goalposts or redefining anything. You said you don't think overclocked gtx670's will equal a gtx680 (notice I did not say OVERCLOCKED gtx680), and I showed you based on the last few releases from both camps that this holds true.

 

[aaksheytalwar]

The point is, a No.1 card can be overclocked to the extent that the No.2 card once overclocked still lags by a certain extent at least. And so has been the case for pretty much all GPUs so far and we don't have much solid proof to think otherwise, at least not until more reviews come out.

 

[3DVagabond]

If the 670 = 7970 then it will also = 680 once the cards are O/C'd. I don't think we'll find that this will be the case after they are released. Remember, this is an unofficial review.

If we aren't supposed to listen Charlie then why is it OK to listen to someone who has lifted his schtick almost word for word. LOL

I'm not moving goalposts or redefining anything. You said you don't think overclocked gtx670's will equal a gtx680 (notice I did not say OVERCLOCKED gtx680), and I showed you based on the last few releases from both camps that this holds true.

Yes, I said cards, plural. I didn't say anything about the 670 O/C'ing to 680 stock speeds.

Let me reword it. Since the 7970 O/C'd = 680 O/C'd if the 670 = 7970 then once all of the cards were O/C'd the 670 = 680. I don't think this will end up the case. I think the 670 will end up slower than the 680 and therefore the 7970. Nowhere was I talking about the 2nd card being able to O/C to catch the stock clocked top card.

 

[SirPauly]

Gainward GTX460 GLH (one of NV's partners):

- 4-phase VRM circuitry.
- ~320mm^2 die (some say it was closer to 340).
- 2x6-pin power connectors
- 256-bit bus
$229

Nvidia GTS450 $129 card PCB:

GTX670 $400 card PCB:

- 294mm^2 die
- 256-bit bus
- 2x6-pin power connectors

GF104 mid-range $229 ---> GK104 mid-range $400

Why do I have a feeling we just got trolled because GK104 keeps up with 7970.....

On the positive side, GTX670 will be epic for micro-ITX builds.

When AMD raised prices by 50 percent and set 28nm pricing, believe there were high fives and dancing in the halls at nVidia's HQ in Santa Clara.

 

[maddie]

Possibly wrong thread, but here goes.

These questions have troubled me for a while

In the design of mid-range cards, both AMD and Nvidia prevent the use of tri and Quad multi-card setups. We saw the ability to use quad XF in the 6870 series only by using special dual 6870 cards.

How come the 680GtX and 670GTX have 2 sli connectors on the card if they were originally meant to be mid-range cards?

Can you retrofit the use of 2 sli or XF connectors just by modifying the card or is the GPU chip itself the determining factor?

These answers should tell us which side of the controversy is right in whether 680GTX/670GTX was designed as high end or not.

 

[SirPauly]

I think the lack luster price/performance with a new node and arch tell the story.

 

[Subyman]

When AMD raised prices by 50 percent and set 28nm pricing, believe there were high fives and dancing in the halls at nVidia's HQ in Santa Clara.

It really depends. They can set the price at what ever they want, but they may not move nearly as many units as they did last gen with these prices. If you look at it, a 570 purchased a year ago is still a very good card for playing games these days. There is not a "killer" app that would make someone pay 400+ dollars for a 670 for a 30-40% increase in performance.

Sure enthusiasts will, but we can't float both companies alone.

 

[RussianSensation]

In the design of mid-range cards, both AMD and Nvidia prevent the use of tri and Quad multi-card setups. We saw the ability to use quad XF in the 6870 series only by using special dual 6870 cards.

It depends entirely on what NV / AMD / AIB want to do. HD6870 can easily be fitted with 2 CF connectors just like 5830 was.

XFX 5830 = mid-range chip - 2 CF connectors

Sapphire 5830 = mid-range chip - 1 CF connector

Having 1 or 2 CF/SLi connectors is more about how the company wants to position the product and often what PCB they decide to use. In this case NV positioned GK104 as high-end, but that's the whole point of marketing. From a current product stack, GK104 is high-end since it's the best NV has at the moment. But that's like Porsche releasing a 911 S and holding off on the 911 Turbo until next year or 2014 and trying to tell us that their 911 S is highest end 911...except Porsche doesn't temporarily raise the prices of 911 S to Turbo levels until the Turbo is out.

Either way I don't think it matters at this point since enthusiast gamers will upgrade even for a 35% increase. The greatest consequence is not on high-end users, but low-end and mid-range gamers. We have already seen that with HD7850/7870 where the goal posts have been moved since HD6870 cost $239 and HD7870 (its successor) costs $349. HD7750 and 7770 are just awful. Given that GTX670 is going to drop for $400 or maybe more, GTX660Ti will most likely be no better than GTX570/HD6950. Now, that's the real problem of this generation. All it means is that those gamers will have to wait longer to upgrade at $250-300 price level because HD7850 is definitely not a worthwhile upgrade. The alternative is to pay $400 for 7950/670, which is exactly what NV and AMD want.

However, GTX670 OC ~ GTX680 level of performance at $399-429 is already progress from $550 7970 just 4 months ago

 

[SirPauly]

It really depends. They can set the price at what ever they want, but they may not move nearly as many units as they did last gen with these prices. If you look at it, a 570 purchased a year ago is still a very good card for playing games these days. There is not a "killer" app that would make someone pay 400+ dollars for a 670 for a 30-40% increase in performance.

Sure enthusiasts will, but we can't float both companies alone.

The point may be to try to sell as many units as possible, one may imagine, but if your constrained and limited to some degree, may try to price them at the right supply/demand ratio.

 

[RussianSensation]

If you look at it, a 570 purchased a year ago is still a very good card for playing games these days. There is not a "killer" app that would make someone pay 400+ dollars for a 670 for a 30-40% increase in performance.

I agree with what you are saying. It seems NV has a shortage of chips though and that means they can sell all the $400-500 GK104s they can make.

As a side note regarding "killer app", I am seeing a trend of developers poorly optimizing game engines since they know the GPU hardware got so much more powerful. Games that look miles worse than Crysis 1 from 2008 are starting to have horrible performance for no reason at all since their graphics, physics or particle details sure aren't awesome.

Look at the upcoming Dirt Showdown game which frankly looks average at best, and not any better looking than Dirt 3.

It's appauling to see such an average looking game get just 38 fps avg on 5850 and 48 fps avg on 6970 at 1920x1080, requiring a $500 HD7970 to achieve 68 fps. Up the resolution 1 level to 2560x1600 and 7970 is only getting 48 fps which is laughable for a racing game with avg. graphics on a $500 GPU! Now compare Dirt Showdown to Project C.A.R.S. :whiste: It seems mainstream developers are not interested in making next generation games until next generation of consoles launch.

I am interested to see how Max Payne 3 does since the DX11 / high resolution textures in that game have been hyped up a lot.

 

[maddie]

It depends entirely on what NV / AMD / AIB want to do. HD6870 can easily be fitted with 2 CF connectors just like 5830 was.

XFX 5830 = mid-range chip - 2 CF connectors

Sapphire 5830 = mid-range chip - 1 CF connector

Having 1 or 2 CF/SLi connectors is more about how the company wants to position the product and often what PCB they decide to use. In this case NV positioned GK104 as high-end, but that's the whole point of marketing. From a current product stack, GK104 is high-end since it's the best NV has at the moment. But that's like Porsche releasing a 911 S and holding off on the 911 Turbo until next year or 2014 and trying to tell us that their 911 S is highest end 911...except Porsche doesn't temporarily raise the prices of 911 S to Turbo levels until the Turbo is out.

Either way I don't think it matters at this point since enthusiast gamers will upgrade even for a 35% increase. The greatest consequence is not on high-end users, but low-end and mid-range gamers. We have already seen that with HD7850/7870 where the goal posts have been moved since HD6870 cost $239 and HD7870 (its successor) costs $349. HD7750 and 7770 are just awful. Given that GTX670 is going to drop for $400 or maybe more, GTX660Ti will most likely be no better than GTX570/HD6950. Now, that's the real problem of this generation. All it means is that those gamers will have to wait longer to upgrade at $250-300 price level because HD7850 is definitely not a worthwhile upgrade. The alternative is to pay $400 for 7950/670, which is exactly what NV and AMD want.

However, GTX670 OC ~ GTX680 level of performance at $399-429 is already progress from $550 7970 just 4 months ago

You have NOT answered the question.

The 5830 was a 5800 series chip that had a lot of shaders, etc fused off and entered the midrange market.

At it's core however, it was a high-end GPU, so this argument is invalid.

You say the 6870 can easily be fitted with 2 XF connectors. Do you know this for a fact or are you speculating with confidence? Have you EVER seen one? If true, I find it strange that no card maker, even the fairly unknown Chinese ones, ever did this.

PLEASE, ANYONE.

Can you design a card with 2 SLI OR XF connectors using a mid range GPU design, eg (6870, 460)?

As to what enthusiast gamers want. That is pretty irrelevant to getting my questions answered?

 

[RussianSensation]

You say the 6870 can easily be fitted with 2 XF connectors. Do you know this for a fact or are you speculating with confidence? Have you EVER seen one? If true, I find it strange that no card maker, even the fairly unknown Chinese ones, ever did this. Can you design a card with 2 SLI OR XF connectors using a mid range GPU design, eg (6870, 460)?

I answered the question = having 2 CF or SLI connectors has nothing to do with any GPU specific limitation the precludes mid-range cards from having 2 CF / SLI connectors just like high-end cards do. It mostly relates to:

1) How NV or AMD wants to position the product in their product stack at the time of release. If they want to position the card to support dual or Tri-fire SLI/CF they'll just redesign the PCB to support that for a particular GPU;
2) If AIB wants to create a custom PCB with more than 1 CF/SLI connector.

Here is HD6850 with 2 cross fire connectors.

Source

It's about the PCB and brand positioning, not about any limitations in the GPU.

We have already seen mid-range GPUs use dual CF connectors. $199 HD4850, clearly a mid-range card, had them.

 

[guskline]

My head is spinning! Glad I got a 680 GTX when I could!

 

[mple]

Taken from the OCN thread

This thing is a monster...

 

[RussianSensation]

Taken from the OCN thread

This thing is a monster...

His Gigabyte 680 OC is boosting to 1200mhz straight from the factory. That thing is going to mop the floor with the 7950. If NV can get these out in volumes at $399, that would seriously make people question 7970's/680's value. With no overclocking at all, at these speeds it's already as fast as a 7970.

EDIT: Looks like the 1200mhz was OCed settings.

That graphics score is 9797. I believe that's faster than a 680. The overall 3DMark score is basically equal to a system with a 680 in it.

Can you say GTX670 SLI $800 > GTX690?

 

[skipsneeky2]

His Gigabyte 680 OC is boosting to 1200mhz straight from the factory. That thing is going to mop the floor with the 7950. If NV can get these out in volumes at $399, that would seriously make people question 7970's/680's value. With no overclocking at all, at these speeds it's already as fast as a 7970.

That graphics score is 9797. I believe that's faster than a 680.

Would love some 7970 performance at $400,damn glad now that i got rid of my 7970 when i did,or else i would have been lucky to trade it for anything or even gotten $350 cash for it.:awe:

Only reason i got a gtx570 is cause the gtx680 is elusive,the gtx670 more then likely is gonna follow in its footsteps and i official hate amd with driver support,but 7970 performance out of a gtx670 at $400,i would firesell my gtx570 in a jiffy.

The 7970 was a beautiful card when it worked for me so looking for that performance again at the right price from nvidia and the gtx670 might be that answer.

 

[RussianSensation]

Would love some 7970 performance at $400,damn glad now that i got rid of my 7970 when i did,or else i would have been lucky to trade it for anything or even gotten $350 cash for it.:awe:

HD7970 came out for $550, with after market versions pushing $580-600 just 4 months ago.
If this guy comes out for $399, $349 HD7870 looks ..... :hmm:

I love competition.

Gigabyte 670 OC

Reference 680

 

[skipsneeky2]

HD7970 came out for $550, with after market versions pushing $580-600 just 4 months ago.
If this guy comes out for $399, $349 HD7870 looks ..... :hmm:

Rory Read is a predator alright, predator on gamer's wallets.

LOL i know,when the gtx680 came out,i was already thinking of selling off my 7970 in a hurry mostly cause i hated the drivers and that i knew if i wanted to get rid of it,no one will be paying me more then $400 for it.

Put up for sell locally i got not a single bite at $400 as i expected but got a sweet trade on a notebook worth $650.:biggrin:

I saw a couple forum members switching out their 7970s for a gtx680 or even two.:awe:

 

[Zanovar]

Hmmm,was gonna grab a 680,think im going to get this though.you gonna grab one Russian?

 

[tviceman]

Yes, I said cards, plural. I didn't say anything about the 670 O/C'ing to 680 stock speeds.

Let me reword it. Since the 7970 O/C'd = 680 O/C'd if the 670 = 7970 then once all of the cards were O/C'd the 670 = 680. I don't think this will end up the case. I think the 670 will end up slower than the 680 and therefore the 7970. Nowhere was I talking about the 2nd card being able to O/C to catch the stock clocked top card.

Wow, okay I see why no I had your post confused. So yeah, you're right. I think the gtx670 won't entirely catch up to a gtx680, but I think it will be able to keep pase or even close the gap more than the hd7950 does to the hd7970 when both are overclocking. All because of the memory bandwidth GK104 has.