GTX 670 Drops Tomorrow. Buying One?

[blastingcap]

I have a feeling once overclocked, the Galaxy dual fan, Gigabyte WindForce and Asus Direct CU's models with their 6+8 pin connectors, after market coolers, beefed up VRMs/power circuitry should provide 95-97% of the performance of $500 680 OCed. So it's not even 10% when pushed to the max. Most 680s on reference coolers drop off at 1240-1270mhz, while these after market 670s might push 1300-1400mhz!

Gimme a break, RS disses both sides, it's just that AMD lost this round in efficiency in high end cards (I think Pitcairn is still more efficient than gtx670 though) and everything percolated from there. This reminds me of Intel's response to their Netburst failure: turn to their Pentium M team and learn those lessons, making it into Core which was like a supercharged version of an energy-efficient architecture. NV's Netburst moment was Fermi; they decided to get more efficient, toss the HPC (saved for BigK), and issued Kepler.

 

[Leyawiin]

Would a GTX 670 be utterly wasted (bottlenecked to death) on my hoary old Phenom II X4 980? So tired of waiting on a GTX 660 (or whatever the HD 7870 equivalent is ).

 

[Ieat]

I have a feeling once overclocked, the Galaxy dual fan, Gigabyte WindForce and Asus Direct CU's models with their 6+8 pin connectors, after market coolers, beefed up VRMs/power circuitry should provide 95-97% of the performance of $500 680 OCed. So it's not even 10% when pushed to the max. Most 680s on reference coolers drop off at 1250-1280mhz, while these after market 670s might push 1300-1400mhz!

Yep I'm hoping for a negligible difference between the Gigabyte 670 and the evga gtx 680 I returned a few weeks ago. That card topped out at 1206 mhz stable.

 

[blastingcap]

Would a GTX 670 be utterly wasted (bottlenecked to death) on my hoary old Phenom II X4 980? So tired of waiting on a GTX 660 (or whatever the HD 7870 equivalent is ).

In most games no. In a few games you will be CPU bound no matter what, like in Starcraft II which is CPU bottlenecked even on the fastest Core i7 if you have a decent GPU or faster.

 

[Grooveriding]

I have a feeling once overclocked, the Galaxy dual fan, Gigabyte WindForce and Asus Direct CU's models with their 6+8 pin connectors, after market coolers, beefed up VRMs/power circuitry should provide 95-97% of the performance of $500 680 OCed. So it's not even 10% when pushed to the max. Most 680s on reference coolers drop off at 1240-1270mhz, while these after market 670s might push 1300-1400mhz!

Increased power phases and 6+8 pin connectors make absolutely no difference on the GTX 680/670. The small reference 670 boards are overclocking as well as the non-ref boards.

These cards need voltage, not meaningless bullet-points on the box about power phases.

Per the 1300-1400mhz, not going to happen at all. Why would you think that ? The one gpuz screenshot showing a 670 at 1400 was shown to be false and an error with not resetting the system after a failed OC. These cards are going to overclock just like a 680 does; 1250 as about the average. All the reviews are showing results in the 1200s, for reference and non-reference designs.

Still makes the 680 a non-buy with the 670's OC performance though, unless you just want the best regardless.

 

[Leyawiin]

In most games no. In a few games you will be CPU bound no matter what, like in Starcraft II which is CPU bottlenecked even on the fastest Core i7 if you have a decent GPU or faster.

Mainly Skyrim at the moment - probably should sit tight (its a little CPU bound).

 

[tviceman]

Wow the fact that Amazon has a card at launch means there was a TON of availability, as they almost never have a high-end card available at launch, and at launch prices. I guess gtx 680 yields really were that bad, so that there were tons of harvested chips to make gtx 670's out of. And at $100 less for 90+% of the performance, I don't know who would want a gtx 680 now unless they absolutely had to have that extra speed.

I'm betting money on the first-back wafers on GK104's current revision (A2) didn't get great yields, but that either Nvidia or TSMC identified why and saw a (relatively) easy fix so Nvidia launched the gtx680 at it's specs and TDP, knowing that batches from 6 weeks and on would be getting the yields closer to what they would need for allocation.

I'm still anxious to see if any AIB's will be allowed to make gtx680's with unlocked voltage regulators. I would still be interested in one of those.

 

[Ashenor]

I love Amazon, called them up switched my normal EVGA GTX 670 to the OC version. Will be here tomorrow.

Thanks Ieat on the heads up they had that one.

 

[RussianSensation]

Damn bro, you never EVER miss an opportunity to diss AMD, do you? Its almost like a job for you. So much negativity, even when nobody is talking about them. You ok man? Wanna talk about it?

:hmm:

I have said a lot of positive things over 10 years since my Radeon 8500 regarding ATI/AMD. I like AMD cards but I am disappointed in 7000 series no doubt. It has nothing to do with some "bias" against AMD. My last 2 of 3 cards in fact were from AMD. I think ATI/AMD made excellent cards other than 2900XT. 3800 series wasn't great but for the most part they did really well. This round, they straight up raised prices, and under delivered in performance, which requires overclocking. NV's line-up has highlighted that clearly.

In the past AMD offered either very competitive/fast cards at high prices (9700 Pro, 9800XT, X800XT, X850XT, X1900XT/X1950XT) or amazing price/performance (HD4850/4870/4890/5850/5870/6950). This round outside of the 7850, they brought neither.

Me stating that HD7950 needs a price cut is not me "dissing AMD" but simply stating an opionin. This would be no difference when I stated that GTX260 needed immediate price cuts when HD4870 launched for $299. Of course you don't remember that....

 

[Termie]

I agree. But all you can go by is what's available. Unless a 3rd Co comes in prices are what they are. Currently between the two Nvidia is offering much better value.

As for me, like I said earlier, until they give me 30-40% more perf from a gtx 480 for $250 I'm not buying.

I'm such an idiot. lol

Just ordered the evga. lol

I love it!!!!! Good stuff, and good sense of humor, too!

BTW, see below...we are all guilty of upgrade-itis despite our best intentions...

:hmm:

I have said a lot of positive things over 10 years since my Radeon 8500 regarding ATI/AMD. I like AMD cards but I am disappointed in 7000 series no doubt. It has nothing to do with some "bias" against AMD. My last 2 of 3 cards in fact were from AMD. I think ATI/AMD made excellent cards other than 2900XT. 3800 series wasn't great but for the most part they did really well. This round, they straight up raised prices, and under delivered in performance, which requires overclocking. NV's line-up has highlighted that clearly.

In the past AMD offered either very competitive/fast cards at high prices (9700 Pro, 9800XT, X800XT, X850XT, X1900XT/X1950XT) or amazing price/performance (HD4850/4870/4890/5850/5870/6950). This round outside of the 7850, they brought neither.

Me stating that HD7950 needs a price cut is not me "dissing AMD" but simply stating an opionin. This would be no difference when I stated that GTX260 needed immediate price cuts when HD4870 launched for $299. Of course you don't remember that....

I agree - AMD really didn't come through this generation.

P.S. Just ordered an EVGA GTX670 from TigerDirect (edit: Newegg, b/c TD pulled a bait-and-switch on availability). Woo-hoo! I will be saying goodbye to my beloved HD5850s so that they may continue the good life somewhere else.

 

[Ieat]

Increased power phases and 6+8 pin connectors make absolutely no difference on the GTX 680/670. The small reference 670 boards are overclocking as well as the non-ref boards.

I'm not sure if they make no difference. I've seen 2 gigabyte reviews so far and both got overclocks close to 1300mhz. 1289mhz and 1293mhz that does seems a bit higher then the average we are seeing from reference cards.

http://hothardware.com/Reviews/NVIDIA-GeForce-GTX-670-Reviews-EVGA-and-Gigabyte/?page=12

http://www.ninjalane.com/reviews/video/gv-n670oc-2gd/page12.aspx

 

[ShintaiDK]

Newegg finally got em too. All in stock.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...+670&x=21&y=14

 

[RussianSensation]

Increased power phases and 6+8 pin connectors make absolutely no difference on the GTX 680/670.

Maybe you are right. Perhaps there is more power tune available in EVGA Precision with the GTX680 PCB models and their 6+8 pin connectors. Also, it's not 6+8 by itself but that 6+8 pin comes on larger PCBs with beefed up VRMs and better cooling system. It's a combination of these factors and a better cooler that should ensure better overclocking than non-reference cards.

The small reference 670 boards are overclocking as well as the non-ref boards.

Maybe, we should wait for a larger sample size. I am not seeing too many after market 670s being tested in reviews. Either way, 670 already has a substantial lead over the 7950.

These cards need voltage, not meaningless bullet-points on the box about power phases. Per the 1300-1400mhz, not going to happen at all. Why would you think that ?

I am not saying on average 670s will hit 1300-1400mhz. I am saying some probably will, the after market versions especially. There were at least 2 guys who got > 1300mhz at OCN. I believe 1 ran at 1330mhz and 1 at 1380mhz in SLI. 2 others came at 1250-1265mhz or so. Agreed. Locked voltage really limits these cards.

 

[RussianSensation]

LIVE at NEWEGG

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...+670&x=32&y=11

Newegg shows 10 card limit per customer.

P.S. Just ordered an EVGA GTX670 from TigerDirect. Woo-hoo! I will be saying goodbye to my beloved HD5850s so that they may continue the good life somewhere else.

Congrats on the new card!!

 

[bunnyfubbles]

^_^ Look at all those failed 680s!!

I kid, I kid. I smell more price drops. 7950 @ $399 is an impossible sell now unless 670 goes OOS for months as 680 did.

Yeah, the 7950 is definitely out of place. The Three For Free promo doesn't do justice because I'm sure there will be many gamers who are like me who wouldn't care about 2 of the games, and not place much value in the 3rd, if not already own it.

Pretty sure it needs to come down another ~$50.

 

[Danik]

Newegg finally got em too. All in stock.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...+670&x=21&y=14

I just picked up a Gigabyte OC with the Windforce 3. It was that or the Asus, which was not available.

 

[exar333]

I am pretty sure the 670s built on 680 PCB have power at 195W. So in EVGA Precision, they can feed more power to begin with. Also, it's not 6+8 by itself but the fact that 6+8 pin comes on larger PCBs with beefed up VRMs. It's a combination of these factors and a better cooler that should ensure better overclocking than non-reference cards.



Maybe, we should wait for a larger sample size. I am not seeing too many after market 670s being tested in reviews. Either way, 670 already has a substantial lead over the 7950.



I am not saying on average 670s will hit 1300-1400mhz. I am saying some probably will, the after market versions especially. There were at least 2 guys who got > 1300mhz at OCN. I believe 1 ran at 1330mhz and 1 at 1380mhz in SLI. 2 others came at 1250-1265mhz or so. Agreed. Locked voltage really limits these cards.

I pulled the trigger on the Galaxy dual fan 670. First new video card since an almost launch-date 5870!!!!!

Excited to tweak this guy and have some fun. Thought about grabbing two, but I need a bigger PSU (or a less power-hungry CPU...LOL).

 

[exar333]

I just picked up a Gigabyte OC with the Windforce 3. It was that or the Asus, which was not available.

:thumbsup:

I stated just before the 7970/7950s were released that I would get whatever was sub-$400. Neither were, so I decided to wait for Kepler. This was just a hair over, but hopefully worth-it with the extra power-handling. Even so, it already starts with a 1000+ base freq.

 

[xp0c]

I just ordered the Gigabyte version for $399.

5870 is sold for $150!

 

[Valkyrie23]

Does anyone know when the Asus cards will be up for ordering?

 

[Danik]

:thumbsup:

I stated just before the 7970/7950s were released that I would get whatever was sub-$400. Neither were, so I decided to wait for Kepler. This was just a hair over, but hopefully worth-it with the extra power-handling. Even so, it already starts with a 1000+ base freq.

Base frequency is showing 980 mhz which is still good. Boost starts at 1000+. I see nothing that would stop a higher clock. I tend to avoid overclocking at the start, given it will play anything I want at good fps. Once it ages a year or two is when I start the OC'ing.

 

[exar333]

I just ordered the Gigabyte version for $399.

5870 is sold for $150!

LOL, sounds like we were waiting for the same upgrade for our 5870s.

 

[chuck232]

First time poster, long time lurker (2006). Picked up a Gigabyte 670 at Newegg. Kepler's looking mighty fine in this cut-down instance. It'll be a huge jump from the Radeon 5750 I'm using now.

 

[Ashenor]

Is my 5850 worth anything still? Upgrading from that and looking to sell it on craigslist probably.

 

[exar333]

Base frequency is showing 980 mhz which is still good. Boost starts at 1000+. I see nothing that would stop a higher clock. I tend to avoid overclocking at the start, given it will play anything I want at good fps. Once it ages a year or two is when I start the OC'ing.

Base shows as 1006 with boost at 1058 per Newegg and the mfgr site.

http://www.galaxytech.com/__en_gb__/Product277.aspx