El_MayoWhat do MSI have to gain putting a reference card in one of their boxes? Legit question, I've never seem this before. Presumably they can't charge a premium?

Also yeah I'd like that backplate for my 970 too :(

rtwjunkieMore sales. Some people want a reference card for the not dumping heat into the case...especially when the top reference cooler is really pretty good. Most of the manufacturers have provided them back to 780, usually for about ten to twenty dollars more. Reason being it's actually an expensive piece of metal housing with a vapor-chamber heatsink. This way they provide it and get their money back.

El_MayoSo they're exactly the same as the ones nvidia sell? how can they charge more?
although yeah I've heard the reference cards are actually decent, but i don't think any of them have the whole semi-passive thing

rtwjunkieYes, exactly the same as buying it directly from Nvidia. Yes, you are correct, they don't operate passively, the fan is always running. With a great fan profile using all 8 available points (using afterburner or precision, you can start it out at about 28% on the fan and work up from there. So most of the time it's operating very quietly.

With my reference 780, I don't even hear a bit of the fan until it's operating near 80%, and even then I have to listen for it, which if I'm gaming is only occasionally, just to be sure it's actually doing what it's supposed to.

prazeA bit late, but I found a picture of the V1 with an "all new premium silver shroud" at Computex. Strange they didn't picture it in the press release :|

rtwjunkieI wonder what the purpose of just putting a different shroud on it was?