Gigabyte Launches GeForce GTX 970 Mini-ITX Graphics Card

[nthydro]

http://www.techpowerup.com/206524/gigabyte-launches-geforce-gtx-970-mini-itx-graphics-card.html

Will this card fit into a micro-atx or full atx motherboard?

 

[ShintaiDK]

http://www.techpowerup.com/206524/gigabyte-launches-geforce-gtx-970-mini-itx-graphics-card.html

Will this card fit into a micro-atx or full atx motherboard?

It will fit into any normal slot yes. Just like any normal card can fit in any normal slot MiniITX.

 

[nthydro]

It will fit into any normal slot yes. Just like any normal card can fit in any normal slot MiniITX.

Thanks for the response.

I don't understand how they could shrink the 970 card down this small without sacrificing performance or cooling. And it's cheaper than the standard size card. Why didn't they just build it this size to begin with? Would save people a lot of space

 

[VirtualLarry]

That's cool! Do want... but cannot afford.

Just purchased seven GT630 cards for my rigs recently. Two for my Q9300 @ 3.0 C2Q rigs, one for my unRAID server (Zotac card with passive cooling, prior X1300 card had a fan), and four for my quad-GPU cruncher (Folding@Home race event in Dec. coming up in the DC forum).

 

[crisium]

I just wish X99 had mini ITX. I'd love a mini Hex Core with a 970.

 

[Qwertilot]

Partially I think there's a strange sort of mind set where people expect their top end graphics cards to look massive

The 970's power draw is easily low enough that short versions were going to be possible. There'll probably be a few in time.

The question is going to be noise. Having a massive heat sink and a couple of big fans lets you runs those fans very slowly (or not at all at idle) etc, this sort of size of card might logically end up a chunk noisier.

Will have to see when it gets reviewed.
(Some comments pointing out that its too tall for some mITX cases.).

 

[nthydro]

Partially I think there's a strange sort of mind set where people expect their top end graphics cards to look massive

The 970's power draw is easily low enough that short versions were going to be possible. There'll probably be a few in time.

The question is going to be noise. Having a massive heat sink and a couple of big fans lets you runs those fans very slowly (or not at all at idle) etc, this sort of size of card might logically end up a chunk noisier.

Will have to see when it gets reviewed.
(Some comments pointing out that its too tall for some mITX cases.).

Yeah I get that the 970 is low power enough to make a smaller Itx version but why didn't they just do that from the get go? You do make a valid reason about the noise though. And I'm guessing this Itx version won't OC as well. But considering that it's already faster than reference speed I think it's more than adequate as is. I mean one would think there would be some kind of major trade off to shrink a card down to 50% of its original size.

 

[mhouck]

How can this be as powerful as the stock 970 when it only has a single 8 pin power connector? Nvidia lists stock supplementary connectors as 2x6 and you see plenty of MSI, Gigabyte, ASUS, etc. non-reference using a 6 and 8 pin connector on their boards. I understand that most of those are either factory overclocked or designed to be overclock friendly. Even so, can this really be as powerful with a single 8 pin as the 2x6 pin stock?

 

[yh125d]

How can this be as powerful as the stock 970 when it only has a single 8 pin power connector? Nvidia lists stock supplementary connectors as 2x6 and you see plenty of MSI, Gigabyte, ASUS, etc. non-reference using a 6 and 8 pin connector on their boards. I understand that most of those are either factory overclocked or designed to be overclock friendly. Even so, can this really be as powerful with a single 8 pin as the 2x6 pin stock?

Sure, 8 pin should be good for 150w, and 75 from the slot. TDP is only 145w. It shouldn't have any issues with power to make it slower than reference, but surely it won't overclock like the Gaming/Strix/WF3 models. That would be more due to cooling capacity and board space for more/better power phases than the power connectors it has

 

[fralexandr]

Yep 8 pin is spec'd to provide the same amount of power as 2x6 pin.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCI_Express#Power

 

[mhouck]

Thanks for the reply yh125d. I did not know the math, but that does look to be more than enough.

In most instances, you wouldn't really want to overclock it much anyway and generate more heat in an ITX case. It makes sense for the market segment it's designed for.

 

[Qwertilot]

Fairly sure the full size Strix card is 'only' 1 x 8 pin.

I know it seems silly, but the biggest reason they didn't launch small probably is simply peoples expectations of high end graphics cards. Just what sells. Even most of the 750's are full length, and that really doesn't need much cooling!

It might be interesting to see if that changes in the future as they keep really driving energy efficiency forwards with Pascal etc. Knowing people, perhaps not

 

[dave_the_nerd]

That's cool! Do want... but cannot afford.

Just purchased seven GT630 cards for my rigs recently. Two for my Q9300 @ 3.0 C2Q rigs, one for my unRAID server (Zotac card with passive cooling, prior X1300 card had a fan), and four for my quad-GPU cruncher (Folding@Home race event in Dec. coming up in the DC forum).

Maybe you should return them. Just based on clock speed and CUDA core count, the 970 is almost as powerful as all seven of those. And the newer architecture is probably faster, no?

And heck, if you paid more than $50 a card for the 630s, you'd save money buying a single 970 instead.

 

[nthydro]

Sure, 8 pin should be good for 150w, and 75 from the slot. TDP is only 145w. It shouldn't have any issues with power to make it slower than reference, but surely it won't overclock like the Gaming/Strix/WF3 models. That would be more due to cooling capacity and board space for more/better power phases than the power connectors it has

Okay that makes sense I guess. These itx cards won't have much overclocking headroom then? I know they're a little faster than reference but how much do you think they can overclock? Perhaps up to some factory OC cards like the G1 or Strix?

 

[Qwertilot]

Much smaller heat sinks/less fans so they'll ultimately end up over clocking less if you push it. Well so long as its heat limited of course.

Really can't see why someone keen on overclocks would get one mind. Hardly a logical choice

 

[nthydro]

Much smaller heat sinks/less fans so they'll ultimately end up over clocking less if you push it. Well so long as its heat limited of course.

Really can't see why someone keen on overclocks would get one mind. Hardly a logical choice

Well for someone with an itx or matx case they would be a logical choice :biggrin:

 

[BFG10K]

It looks like a nicely designed card - about the size of a reference 750 Ti, with all that extra performance.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Maybe you should return them. Just based on clock speed and CUDA core count, the 970 is almost as powerful as all seven of those. And the newer architecture is probably faster, no?

And heck, if you paid more than $50 a card for the 630s, you'd save money buying a single 970 instead.

No, they were only $35 ea. $175 total, for 1536 CUDA cores. I don't think that you can get a 970 for $175.