Gainward gtx 970 reference review

[Potatoking]

So here are few pictures of disassembled semi reference gainward gtx 970.
I picked it up as it was only one in stock and I actually like reference cards.
Card is plastic and feels kind of flimsy, the shroud is held only by four screws.
Fan sits on its own piece of plastic and is probably glued.
Heatsink is small but with 2 thick heatpipes and is held with 4 screws, one has seal.
Separate heatsink for VRM, held by 2 metal screws.
At least the card is very light and doesnt sag.

I ran haven and card holds about 70 degrees with full boost clocks, when fan at 100% the cards keeps around 55 degrees.

It is relatively quiet at idle.

BUT!! the fan makes really annoying rattling/buzzing sound from 30% until about 80% where airflow becomes louder.

I returned the card next day as cant live with the sound.

Drivers seems stable.

 

[W1zzard]

Do you have more photos? This looks like the NVIDIA reference design. NVIDIA gives 2 designs to AICs, this seems to be the cheaper one.

 

[Hilux SSRG]

Sorry to hear it happen. Shoddy reference coolers is why I have bought custom cards the last three times.

What are your plans to replace it with?

 

[droopyRO]

Damn i just orderd one, should i cancel the order and wait for a MSI or Asus ? i have a 8800GTX atm and the load noise is ok for my ears. Thanks.

 

[Sasqui]

Too bad about the fan problem.

So the fan dangles off the back end of the card? SLI aside, I'd rather take up three slots and see a fan blowing directly on the heatsink/card.

 

[bubbleawsome]

Too bad about the fan problem.

So the fan dangles off the back end of the card? SLI aside, I'd rather take up three slots and see a fan blowing directly on the heatsink/card.

Isn't that how all the blower cards work? I don't know of any that blow on the heatsink.

 

[Sasqui]

Isn't that how all the blower cards work? I don't know of any that blow on the heatsink.

Yes. It's very inefficient and typically loud though. On the plus side, it only takes up 2 slots.

I'd rather have this:

 

[erixx]

thanks PotatoKing for sharing that review!

 

[droopyRO]

Could an Accelero S1 be attached to it or a similar aftermarket cooler ? with the vRAM heatsinks it would make a little powerful card.
Do you have a picture of the back of the card ? thanks.

 

[Potatoking]

sorry no more pictures and sorry for blurry ones, blame xperia z1 20mpix camera...
VRM heatsink is same height is main heatsink so no aftermarket coolers without cutting or removing vrm heatsink

 

[Potatoking]

Damn i just orderd one, should i cancel the order and wait for a MSI or Asus ? i have a 8800GTX atm and the load noise is ok for my ears. Thanks.

I owned 8800gtx reference and this gainward is definitely quieter, but the noise is different, its clicking like some cheap fans make when undervolted.

 

[seanmac]

So here are few pictures of disassembled semi reference gainward gtx 970.
I picked it up as it was only one in stock and I actually like reference cards.
Card is plastic and feels kind of flimsy, the shroud is held only by four screws.
Fan sits on its own piece of plastic and is probably glued.
Heatsink is small but with 2 thick heatpipes and is held with 4 screws, one has seal.
Separate heatsink for VRM, held by 2 metal screws.
At least the card is very light and doesnt sag.

I ran haven and card holds about 70 degrees with full boost clocks, when fan at 100% the cards keeps around 55 degrees.

It is relatively quiet at idle.

BUT!! the fan makes really annoying rattling/buzzing sound from 30% until about 80% where airflow becomes louder.

I returned the card next day as cant live with the sound.

Drivers seems stable.

Hey mate !

I've ordered the same version as you. Easy fix. Just grab yourself a NZXT Kraken G10 Bracket and a Corsair H55 AIO and all fixed ! Nice and cool and very quiet !!!! Looks great too

 

[droopyRO]

Hey mate !

I've ordered the same version as you. Easy fix. Just grab yourself a NZXT Kraken G10 Bracket and a Corsair H55 AIO and all fixed ! Nice and cool and very quiet !!!! Looks great too

Are you sure it will work ? any other alternatives ? 10q
http://www.arctic.ac/eu_en/accelero-twin-turbo-iii.html i`m thinking of using this, the board looks like the reference GTX 760 what do you people think ?

 

[seanmac]

Hey man. Yep, 100% sure. You can find the compatibility list here. Reference GTX 970's / GTX 980's are compatible with the NZXT Kraken G10.

http://www.nzxt.com/product/detail/138-kraken-g10-gpu-bracket.html#

Edit. Corsair will release their version sometime soon.

http://www.corsair.com/en-us/landing/hg10

 

[droopyRO]

Well availability in my country (even if theoretical its part of the European Union ) is low. I was looking at this http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NVIDIA/GeForce_GTX_760/images/front.jpg and looks the same setup as the one Potatoking posted. So a cheaper more reliable air cooling is what i would opt for. I rarely keep a GPU more than 2 years even less now that i switched to 1440p.

 

[tom_mili]

Could be just a defect on the fan but I would definitely return it if it is severe enough.
If I were buying some reference model I would buy the one with NVTTM cooler because it looks beautiful and I've been loving my reference 780 since the day I bought it.

 

[Potatoking]

I would love gtx970 with titan style cooler, but it is not available, and i am not prepared to buy gtx980.

 

[Potatoking]

I found review of kraken g10 on same pcb...
http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/kraken_g10/images/26.htm
the fan will blow air to nowhere, but it should work

 

[2legsakimbo]

you know, i registered just to answer this post. I too bought on of these cards and it's pretty silent, i hardly can even tell its pumping out the frames as it's quiet. all my games are pretty smooth and thankfully no high level noise as the above guy was unfortunate to get.

 

[droopyRO]

What temps do you get at load ?

 

[2legsakimbo]

will check this evening and let you know.

 

[droopyRO]

Thanks, i have a Phantom GTX970 and in Battlefield 4/Shadow of Mordor i get a maximum of 81º.

 

[2legsakimbo]

53 in arma3. b4 low-mid seventies. that's with a 15'C ambient temperature. think it hits low seventies on mordor once but i must check. never noisy though. pretty happy with the pruchase as the orginal posters comments made me have buyers remorse with the damn thing in the bag. shouldn't have worried as it exceeds my expectations currently.

 

[droopyRO]

Thank you, i have a higher ambient though about 24º C last night it hit 80 in Mordor and 79 in BF4 running on Ultra.

 

[2legsakimbo]

bf4 hits 63'C. Mordor low seventies still with 100+ frame rate at nearly all times. Pretty happy with this card as the lowest cost card of the bunch.