The Nvidia GTX 680 Thread

[Duff-Man]

Local pricing is going public, looks like R6000 is what you can expect to fork out (for now)

Wootware has them on pre-order

GTX 680 : @R5999

Radeon 7970 : @R6100

Cheapest prices on Wootware that I could find for both of them

 

[wily me]

1080p, SLI 680 keeps the lead (no surprise there really). Pity they didnt do 1400p, or triple monitor setups, as (in my world anyway) thats what I'd expect you to be running if you can afford 2 top end GPUs

So now we wait for the GTX670, 660, and AMD price drops to make our lives more interesting

Makes for interesting reading. I must save for an major upgrade. :twisted:

http://nl.hardware.info/reviews/2628/nvidia-geforce-gtx-680-review
http://nl.hardware.info/reviews/2628/16/nvidia-geforce-gtx-680-review-crysis-2


[video=youtube;nSbDSwmvxjI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSbDSwmvxjI&feature=player_embedded[/video]

http://nl.hardware.info/reviews/2641/nvidia-geforce-gtx-680-quad-sli-review-english-version

Conclusion
In a nut shell, nVidia GeForce GTX 680 SLI scales really, really well. Overall perhaps a little bit less than AMD Radeon HD 7970 Crossfire, but in 5760x1080 it outperforms AMD's card. That's also the resolution where SLI truly comes into its own. If you only use one monitor, having two of these cards is overkill. But when gaming on three screens the second GTX 680 definitely improves performance, staying mostly above 60 fps without having to make (too many) concessions in terms of quality.

Combining three or four GTX 680s gives even better results, as you can see in the benchmarks, but in some cases it actually has the opposite effect. It's the usual story with triple- and quad-SLI and Crossfire configurations - it's primarily a treat for overclockers wanting to achieve the highest 3DMark scores. However, should you win the lottery or find that treasure in the back yard, playing around with four GTX 680s is great fun!

 

[cerebus]

Guru3d GTX680 Overclocking Guide

Some really impressive results here. 15-20% improvement with 1300/7128 base clocks, no added volts.

 

[Archer]

No added volts is completely false, as stated previously

 

[cerebus]

No added volts is completely false, as stated previously

Again Voltage tweaking was at the time of writing not yet available. EVGA's precision does support it upto 1.15V but it really didn't make a difference.

They widened the TDP to its upper limit but didn't increase the volts by the looks of it.

 

[Archer]

They widened the TDP to its upper limit but didn't increase the volts by the looks of it.

You are not understanding the underlying mechanism. Whether or not you fiddle with the voltage, the GPU will, and does, change GPU voltage as required.

Read more here

 

[cerebus]

You are not understanding the underlying mechanism. Whether or not you fiddle with the voltage, the GPU will, and does, change GPU voltage as required.

Read more here

Dude... all I said was they didn't add any volts. Whether the GPU adds volts is for the GPU to know. Underlying mechanisms be damned.

 

[Alan]

Dude... all I said was they didn't add any volts. Whether the GPU adds volts is for the GPU to know. Underlying mechanisms be damned.

 

[Archer]

Ok... and I said "no added volts" is incorrect, because volts are added, just not by the user.

 

[cerebus]

Ok... and I said "no added volts" is incorrect, because volts are added, just not by the user.

Hair-splitter! Pharisee!!! Pedant!

Whatevs... It's still a pretty darned good result.

 

[Archer]

Hair-splitter! Pharisee!!! Pedant!

Whatevs... It's still a pretty darned good result.

Let me put it another way then
If you can manage 1300mhz "with no added volts" in the past it meant that you, the user, could then go and add another 0.1V and get, lets say, another 100mhz. With the GTX6xx series this is no longer the case. So I think its an important distinction to make

And yes, its a good result, I never claimed otherwise. But again, notice how the performance doesnt scale quite as you'd expect, due to the chip throttling itself in certain circumstances. I really wish Nvidia would let you turn off the dynamic OC. That way, the general user could get his easy OC with it turned on, and the more enthusiast crowd could chase the high OC, without needing to resort to modified power circuitry, bios, etc

 

[wily me]

Let me put it another way then
If you can manage 1300mhz "with no added volts" in the past it meant that you, the user, could then go and add another 0.1V and get, lets say, another 100mhz. With the GTX6xx series this is no longer the case. So I think its an important distinction to make

And yes, its a good result, I never claimed otherwise. But again, notice how the performance doesnt scale quite as you'd expect, due to the chip throttling itself in certain circumstances. I really wish Nvidia would let you turn off the dynamic OC. That way, the general user could get his easy OC with it turned on, and the more enthusiast crowd could chase the high OC, without needing to resort to modified power circuitry, bios, etc

http://nl.hardware.info/reviews/2641/nvidia-geforce-gtx-680-quad-sli-review-english-version

Conclusion
In a nut shell, nVidia GeForce GTX 680 SLI scales really, really well. Overall perhaps a little bit less than AMD Radeon HD 7970 Crossfire, but in 5760x1080 it outperforms AMD's card. That's also the resolution where SLI truly comes into its own. If you only use one monitor, having two of these cards is overkill. But when gaming on three screens the second GTX 680 definitely improves performance, staying mostly above 60 fps without having to make (too many) concessions in terms of quality.

 

[Archer]

Sigh...

Since when does SLI scaling = overclocking scaling?

 

[wily me]

Sigh...

Since when does SLI scaling = overclocking scaling?

Since the overclocking is a mute point for most consumers it should not be such a huge factor as much especially when the card overclocks itself.

 

[nakedpeanut]

LOL.. Every is attacking poor Archer hahaha read dammit!

Just buy the card people if you want it! Most, most likely can't afford or just won't pay that much for a card.

 

[wily me]

LOL.. Every is attacking poor Archer hahaha read dammit!

Just buy the card people if you want it! Most, most likely can't afford or just won't pay that much for a card.

Nah, not really. Archer is still upset because the 680 outperforms his GPU. (Just a joke you know)

Yep, I cannot justify that expense. I will have to wait for a major price drop to lift an eyebrow in interest.

 

[nakedpeanut]

Nah, not really. Archer is still upset because the 680 outperforms his GPU. (Just a joke you know)

Yep, I cannot justify that expense. I will have to wait for a major price drop to lift an eyebrow in interest.

Ya well it's like saying I'm upset because the i5 2500k out performs my i5 750 for the same price I paid. It's technology, it happens.

 

[GreyBush]

LOL.. Every is attacking poor Archer hahaha read dammit!

Just buy the card people if you want it! Most, most likely can't afford or just won't pay that much for a card.

No one here is going to buy one...

 

[P924]

I'm planning on buying one, as soon as the price drops below R5k...

 

[Anniza]

Well I would love to buy one but the problem I have is that it is a total rip off in South Africa.

I meant 500$ = R3750 @ R7.5 to a $

How do they Get R 6000 for the same card even going to R 10 to a dollar its still R5000

I am all for making a profit but that is just insane I can import it for over R1750 cheaper with shipping.

At R 6000 per card it means we are paying 800$ a card, someone explain that to me ????