What is the verdict on "DirectCU" v. "WindForce"?

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Hauk

Platinum Member
Nov 22, 2001
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Also, my intel indicated that the DC2 top 670 would be released today. Flawed intel apparently. That card should be THE one to get for aftermarket cooling, hopefully it shows up at midnight on the egg.

Would be nice as I'm in for two. I'm thinking a week or so though.

Off topic, I was trying to find board details on the Galaxy custom 670 (to no avail), and found this one interesting
galaxy.jpg

http://www.galaxytechus.com/usa/productview.aspx?id=180
 

IlllI

Diamond Member
Feb 12, 2002
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you won't find a lot of information or reviews regarding that galaxy brand. however, their parent company in europe is called kfa2. the galaxy cards are identical to the kfa2 ones, so it must just be a brand renaming over here.
 
May 13, 2009
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Okay guys I think the gigabyte is a winner. This is just one run on heaven so far. 1280 core, crashed at 1292. Haven't really pushed memory yet as I want to make sure core is good first. Temps are low 60's and fan noise non existent. Card seemed heavy and I was impressed with build quality. This is an awesome card.
 

Zebo

Elite Member
Jul 29, 2001
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lopri - I'd read Asus review at TPU. It's a pretty awesome card. Reviewer claims it's the only perfect score he's given to a video card in all his years of reviewing. That impresses me and I'd opt for that if I were buying.
 

toyota

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
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lopri - I'd read Asus review at TPU. It's a pretty awesome card. Reviewer claims it's the only perfect score he's given to a video card in all his years of reviewing. That impresses me and I'd opt for that if I were buying.
its not very impressive when Asus cant even put the card together properly. missing a screw is just ridiculous.
 

Quantos

Senior member
Dec 23, 2011
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its not very impressive when Asus cant even put the card together properly. missing a screw is just ridiculous.

I got a question about that actually. The review wasn't entirely clear about it. Was it that a screw was actually missing, or just that a place that looked like it could hold a screw didn't have one in it? Are we sure there's supposed to be a screw there in the first place? Also, what are the consequences?
 

toyota

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
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I got a question about that actually. The review wasn't entirely clear about it. Was it that a screw was actually missing, or just that a place that looked like it could hold a screw didn't have one in it? Are we sure there's supposed to be a screw there in the first place? Also, what are the consequences?
yep it was missing. here is the pic from techpowerup and then a pic from guru3d review showing it with the screw it was supposed to have.




upload images




image host
 

mple

Senior member
Oct 10, 2011
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yep it was missing. here is the pic from techpowerup and then a pic from guru3d review showing it with the screw it was supposed to have.

Could have been a cherry picked card that ASUS rushed to put together for TPU to review, or maybe W1zzard forgot to put the screw back on after dissecting the card for the previous pics. Strange that neither W1zzard or anyone in the comments mentioned the missing screw.
 

toyota

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
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Could have been a cherry picked card that ASUS rushed to put together for TPU to review, or maybe W1zzard forgot to put the screw back on after dissecting the card for the previous pics. Strange that neither W1zzard or anyone in the comments mentioned the missing screw.
he DID mention it right below the pic though. "Below the power connectors you can see a metal tab sticking out, looks like someone forgot to put a screw there."

he seems to get a lot of defective cards though as even this Zotac card had an issue with cooler screws. http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Zotac/GeForce_GTX_670_Amp_Edition/
 
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Hauk

Platinum Member
Nov 22, 2001
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Well I pulled the trigger. Though I'd have liked to have grabbed the Asus, I just grabbed two Gigabyte's from Amazon. Was watching Amazon and Egg all day. Gotta grab them when sold by Amazon for the $399 price. 670 SLI goodness inbound :)
 

lopri

Elite Member
Jul 27, 2002
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I'll let you know soon. Had a dcii 580 & it was the best card I've ever owned. Got a wf 670 I need to install and try out. (works a biatch)
I'll know soon.:)

Well I pulled the trigger. Though I'd have liked to have grabbed the Asus, I just grabbed two Gigabyte's from Amazon. Was watching Amazon and Egg all day. Gotta grab them when sold by Amazon for the $399 price. 670 SLI goodness inbound :)

Have you guys received your new cards? Looks like both of you have gotten WindForce, and have prior experiences with DirectCU. How do they differ in your opinions? Hauk, I know you've already given me detailed information earlier in this thread which I appreciate much. Do you still feel the same when it comes to DirectCU v. WindForce?
 
May 13, 2009
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Have you guys received your new cards? Looks like both of you have gotten WindForce, and have prior experiences with DirectCU. How do they differ in your opinions? Hauk, I know you've already given me detailed information earlier in this thread which I appreciate much. Do you still feel the same when it comes to DirectCU v. WindForce?

The 670 Windforce is an awesome card. When I saw it I figured it'd be a light card cause I'm use to big heavy cards (gtx 480,580) but the thing was surprisingly pretty heavy. Which to me was a good thing. Just feels like a solidly built card.
As far as temps and fan noise its excellent on both regards. I've become a real stickler about a good cooler on gpus. I had a dcii 580 & sold it. I bought a cheap 480 to replace it and I had to buy an accelero cooler because the dcii spoiled me. I truly feel the windforce cooler is right up there with either of those coolers and does it in a dual slot instead of triple slot.
As far as overclocking I'm able to get to 1270 core and 6800 on the memory. From what I've been reading it is much better than what reference owners are getting. Not only that I'm running 10c cooler and with much less noise.
If you want one good luck. The secret is out and everyone and their cousin is wanting one for $399. Its not a matter of if its worth it. Its now a matter of finding one.
 

toyota

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
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copy and pasted from another forum. this review was just weird. there were even games where the oced Zotac AMP card was getting beat by the stock Zotac AMP card. there might even be some other oddities but I noticed that just form skimming the article.


The windforce 680 for some reason has performance anomolies, Check out this review from OC3D.

http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/gpu_displays/gigabyte_gtx680_windforce_review/1

Other factory OC'ed boards even at the same clock speeds are much faster. Maybe it has a faulty BIOS or something?
 

chimaxi83

Diamond Member
May 18, 2003
5,649
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If you're into any kind of volt modding, and are interested in doing it for the 680, DC II is definitely the way to go. Easily the fastest volt mod I've ever done lol, no Rampage IV board needed. I'm going to make a post with info and some tests soon.
 

RussianSensation

Elite Member
Sep 5, 2003
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The windforce 680 for some reason has performance anomolies, Check out this review from OC3D.

http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/gpu_displays/gigabyte_gtx680_windforce_review/1

Other factory OC'ed boards even at the same clock speeds are much faster. Maybe it has a faulty BIOS or something?

Perhaps that particular card did.

Guru3D and Vortez show good results.

If you're into any kind of volt modding, and are interested in doing it for the 680, DC II is definitely the way to go. Easily the fastest volt mod I've ever done lol, no Rampage IV board needed. I'm going to make a post with info and some tests soon.

Nice! Did you have to chop off one of the resistors? Did you crack 1400mhz on air?

Pics :)
 

mple

Senior member
Oct 10, 2011
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If you're into any kind of volt modding, and are interested in doing it for the 680, DC II is definitely the way to go. Easily the fastest volt mod I've ever done lol, no Rampage IV board needed. I'm going to make a post with info and some tests soon.

Looking forward to it :)
 

chimaxi83

Diamond Member
May 18, 2003
5,649
61
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Perhaps that particular card did.

Guru3D and Vortez show good results.



Nice! Did you have to chop off one of the resistors? Did you crack 1400mhz on air?

Pics :)

I'll post some stuff tomorrow. I did crack 1400, but not on air lol. Poor DC cooler is sitting in anti static bag, in the box. Kept it nice and cool before the mod, though. I did remove the one resistor, as well as bridge two connections. Then just solder two wires to the existing mod points, connect VR, and voila. 1.3V at 36C, with potential to go up to 1.5 or so... not that I will :D