NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti custom cards have arrived (Updated)

Updated on 3 June 2015:- The article has been updated to include details on custom card offerings from ASUS.

Originally published on 2 June 2015:-

Add-in card manufacturers have now announced custom versions of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics card, following up quickly on its release just yesterday. Yes, this means sleek designs, custom coolers and factory overclocks!

This is a change from when NVIDA first released the GeForce GTX Titan X back in March, which saw it initially restrict add-in card manufacturers to its reference design. This meant that manufacturers like ASUS and Gigabyte were essentially selling the same version of the card with their brand names slapped onto the box.

With the GeForce GTX 980 Ti, NVIDIA has given its card partners the freedom to implement custom designs and cooling solutions.

ASUS

The ASUS GeForce GTX 980 Ti STRIX OC is based on a triple-fan DirectCU III cooler that promises to keep things chilly on the 250 watt TDP card. Each 100mm fan features something ASUS calls a Triple-Wing-Blade 0db fan design that is geared toward delivering maximum airflow while remaining quiet. 

In addition, the card features a large aluminium fin stack that channels heat directly away from the GPU via thick 10mm nickel-plated copper heatpipes. It has also been beefed up with Super Alloy Power II components, which translates into higher quality parts that should help to improve reliability, stability and overclocking. There's no word yet on how much of a factory overclock the card will ship with, but we'll be sure to update when we know more. 

The ASUS ROG Poseidon GeForce GTX 980 Ti incorporates the DirectCU H2O hybrid cooling solution that combines a vapor chamber with built-in water channels to enable users to maintain cooler temperatures at lower noise levels. Like the ASUS GeForce GTX 980 Ti STRIX OC, the Poseidon also features Super Alloy Power II components for better quality and reliability. 

Both cards will also support ASUS GPU Tweak II software with XSplit Gamecaster for fine tuning performance, overclocking, and gameplay streaming.

EVGA

EVGA has introduced a comprehensive line-up for the GeForce GTX 980 Ti, comprising a total of eight different cards, including both factory overclocked and non-overclocked versions of the same card and cards with hybrid cooling. Here’s a list of the cards for easy reference:-

• EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti Superclocked+ ACX 2.0+ (with backplate)
• EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti Superclocked ACX 2.0+
• EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti Superclocked
• EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti Classified ACX 2.0+
• EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti ACX 2.0+
• EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti Hybrid
• EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti Hydro Copper
• EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti

The EVGA Superclocked ACX 2.0 utilizes EVGA’s ACX 2.0+ cooler, which includes features like a memory MOSFET cooling plate that supposedly helps reduce MOSFET temperatures by up to 13% and triple 8mm straight heatpipes that EVGA claims further reduces GPU temperatures by 5°C.

The cooler also features swept fan blades, double ball bearings and a low-power motor that combine to deliver increased air flow with less power and quiet performance.

The same cooler is found on the EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti Superclocked+ ACX 2.0+ and the EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti ACX 2.0+ (base clock: 1000MHz, boost clock: 1076MHz). All cards with the Superclocked moniker have a factory overclock of a 1102MHz base clock and 1190MHz boost clock, while the Classified ACX 2.0+ card sports a slightly higher overclock of 1152MHz base speed and 1241MHz boost speed. The Superclocked+ version differs from the non-plus versions because of the inclusion of a backplate.

The EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti Hybrid combines both air and liquid cooling for improved cooling performance. It features a zero-maintenance all-in-one watercooling solution that includes a 120mm radiator and fan. EVGA has adorned the cooling shroud with bold accents of gold on a black design, successfully combining elegance with an aggressive design.

The card has a base clock of 1140MHz and boost clock of 1228MHz.

The EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti Hydro Copper is designed for watercooling enthusiasts. The Hydro Copper waterblock is a full-cover block that spans the entire length of the graphics card, complete with a swappable inlet/outlet for compatibility with custom watercooling solutions.

It is also factory overclocked, with a 1140MHz base speed and 1228MHz boost speed.

Gigabyte

The Gigabyte GeForce GTX 980 Ti G1 Gaming features Gigabyte’s signature WindForce 3X cooling system with three 11-blade fans. According to Gigabyte, the cooler utilizes a special fin architecture that delivers superior heat dissipation up to 600 watts. Furthermore, the fans come with a new silent semi-passive profile that enables gamers to game in silence when the system is idle or handling light workloads.

Unlike previous all-black WindForce coolers, the Gigabyte GeForce GTX 980 Ti G1 Gaming also sports a new black-and-silver aesthetic for its cooling shroud. And as expected of a custom card, the WindForce LED emblem now offers more illumination options in the form of seven colors and more lighting effects.

Gamers will be able to pick their favorite lighting scheme with Gigabyte’s OC Guru II software. They can also use the same utility to overclock their card via its one-clock overclocking feature or do it manually by fine-tuning parameters like core clock, power and temperature. Gigabyte says that the GPU chips have been selected for overclocking performance, so gamers should be able to achieve decent overclocks.

MSI

MSI has decided to pay homage to the 6GB of GDDR5 memory on the GeForce GTX 980 Ti with the MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti Gaming 6G. The card boasts a base speed of 1178MHz and boost speed of 1279MHz, which are among the highest we’ve seen from the custom cards so far.

It is based on MSI’s stellar red-and-black Twin Frozr V cooler and features a metal backplate for extra rigidity.

In addition, MSI is introducing two other reference models. The MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GD5 will have NVIDIA’s reference cooler and design, while the MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GD5 V1 will have a modified silver shroud and Military Class 4 components for improved reliability.

Zotac

Zotac has unveiled a total of five variants of the GeForce GTX 980 Ti, including the Zotac GeForce GTX 980 Ti, a reference card that features NVIDIA’s original cooling shroud and blower-style fan. With so much variety, Zotac is hoping that customers will find a model to suit their individual needs or preferences.

On the custom design front, the Zotac GeForce GTX 980 Ti AMP! boasts a factory overclock with a 1051MHz base speed and 1140MHz boost speed. It is cooled by Zotac’s IceStorm cooler, which incorporates a triple-fan design, copper heatpipes and a tight array of aluminium fins for more silent and better cooling.

The Zotac GeForce GTX 980 Ti AMP! Extreme has an even higher core clock of 1253MHz and a boost speed of 1355MHz. Its memory clock speed is also the highest among Zotac’s cards at 7210MHz. In addition to a IceStorm-based cooler, it features EKO fans which have unique mini-blades on each individual fan blade. Zotac says this helps increase airflow by up to 30%.

Other features include Carbon ExoArmor, a metal wraparound backplate and metal fan shroud frame with carbon detailing that adds durability and a new aesthetic with LED illumination. It also supports Power Boost, which Zotac says helps reduce reduce ripple noise and power fluctuations for a longer lasting and more stable graphics card.

The Zotac GeForce GTX 980 Ti Arctic Storm has a core clock of 1025MHz and a boost clock of 1114MHz. As suggested by its name, it packs the heftiest cooling system of the bunch with the ArcticStorm hybrid cooling system. The card comes with an all-copper water block so users will be able to add on their own custom liquid cooling loop.

The card also sports Zotac’s Carbon ExoArmor and three 90mm fans.

Finally, Zotac also announced the Zotac GeForce GTX 980 Ti AMP! Omega, but did not release any further specifications. All we know is that the card will also feature the unique EKO fans (only available on the AMP! Extreme and Omega cards), Power Boost, and focus on achieving better cooling for improved speeds.

Source: EVGA, Gigabyte, MSI, Zotac

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