Friday, May 22nd 2015

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti Core Configuration Revealed

May 22nd, 2015 09:49 Discuss (47 Comments)

It looks like NVIDIA's GTX 980 Ti launch, which is imminent, won't be a repeat of the GTX 780 Ti, in that it won't be faster than the TITAN product at the time of launch. According to Korean tech publication HWBattle, the GTX 980 Ti will feature fewer CUDA cores than the GeForce GTX TITAN-X, at 2,816. NVIDIA gets that count by disabling 2 of the 24 SMM (streaming multiprocessor Maxwell) units on the GM200 silicon. The texture memory unit (TMU) count will be proportionately lower, at 176 (compared to 192 on the GTX TITAN-X). The ASIC bears the model number GM200-310, according to older reports.

We can't take a call on the ROP count and L3 cache amount. Normally we would deduce that it has a full complement of 96 ROPs, but given that Maxwell allows SKU designers to disable components in a way they previously couldn't, it's possible that the GTX 980 Ti could have a different ROP count than the GTX TITAN-X, just as the GTX 970 has a lower "effective" ROP count at 56, compared to the GTX 980, despite the same memory bus width. We know from other reports, that the GTX 980 Ti will feature 6 GB of memory. The TDP is a very arbitrary number, and 250W shouldn't surprise us. What also wouldn't surprise us is NVIDIA reusing the PCB and NVTTM (NVIDIA Time-to-Market) cooler design from the GTX TITAN-X (and several older SKUs). NVIDIA could allow its AIC (add-in- card) partners to come up with custom board designs from day-one.

Just a quick recap.

SKU name: GeForce GTX 980 Ti
ASIC: GM200-310, 28 nm
2,816 CUDA cores
176 TMUs
Unknown ROP count
384-bit GDDR5 memory interface
6 GB standard memory amount

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47 Comments on NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti Core Configuration Revealed

#26

Casecutter

FluffmeisterUnlikely, the full GM200 running at 1410Mhz only increased the total system power consumption by 44 watts:

Yea, it’s amazing... like W1zzard and Brent Justice got two completely different ends of TitanX production? Brent OC like crazy and didn’t appear throttle, although that’s with fan at 100%. Let’s see how W1zzard collects the data in a couple of weeks from now.

#27

btarunr

Editor & Senior Moderator

Nejcis this going to be full 6GB of full speed ram or is it going to be cca. 5,5GB as is the case with the 970? (just curious)

That we don't know yet. Not until someone takes a 980 Ti, installs its driver, and runs GPU-Z to spit out ROP count, which is NOT backed by a lookup table. There's an actual method to count ROPs by software.

#28

Fluffmeister

CasecutterYea, it’s amazing... like W1zzard and Brent Justice got two completely different ends of TitanX production? Brent OC like crazy and didn’t appear throttle, although that’s with fan at 100%. Let’s see how W1zzard collects the data in a couple of weeks from now.

It happens, but if you honestly think Maxwell's perf/watt is suddenly going to tank on the 980 Ti I think you'll be disappointed.

#29

Xzibit

qubitUgh, something had to give, didn't it? :shadedshu: I don't like cut down GPUs.

With the 780 Ti, it was the same GPU as the Titan Black, but now they're giving us less, so the only way to get the top GPU is to spend £900. No thanks NVIDIA, I'm not that big a sucker.

Expect the giving us less to continue. Pascal is emphasizing mix precision with more half precision 16-bit floating point.

Benefits
Less storage leads to more bandwidth, power savings

Cons
Less image detail, shadows, effects, real time changes, Even lazier gaming industry

At the moment it might not be a big deal for the current state of games but if the industry is to move forward and adapt more 4k games are going to have to start looking better and I don't mean just high resolution texture packs more detail is going to be required.

#30

arbiter

2big2failConsidering the now confirmed crippled configuration of the 980ti and that nvidia is launching the 980ti 2 weeks earlier than Fiji, its definitely the second.

Um i bet that 980ti will be pretty damn close to a 390x in performance. Disableing only 200 cuda cores won't effects performance that much, maybe 10% at most.

the54thvoidWhen Fiji XT drops and Titan X looks threatened, Nvidia green lights Titan X-treme.

A 4gb card that is if rumor is right 150$ cheaper which when spending 850$+ isn't much vs a card with 12gb ram that much of a threat? 4gb might work out for a short time but 4k gaming can use 4gb+. Funny how its Nvidia that has cards with more ram instead of AMD.

Fluffmeisterit happens, but if you honestly think Maxwell's perf/watt is suddenly going to tank on the 980 Ti I think you'll be disappointed.

It should be around what Titan X should be maybe 25-50watts less, more likely closer to 25 since less memory chips to power.

btarunrThat we don't know yet. Not until someone takes a 980 Ti, installs its driver, and runs GPU-Z to spit out ROP count, which is NOT backed by a lookup table. There's an actual method to count ROPs by software.

Funny how people think 390x is gonna be a titan killer but if early benchmarks by AMD are anything, it a little slower then a titan and 980ti looks like could be almost same as 390x which if 980ti sells cheaper then AMD could be in trouble before getting outta the gate.

#31

Xzibit

This reminds me of all those leaks that ChipHell had about a 6gb GM200 cut

Revisiting the rumored leaks

They should re-calculate it and include TW3 make those Maxwells expecially the 960 move up a bit

#32

Gavin Wun

XzibitThis reminds me of all those leaks that ChipHell had about a 6gb GM200 cut

Revisiting the rumored leaks

They should re-calculate it and include TW3 make those Maxwells expecially the 960 move up a bit

Hmm totally missed the GTX 9** 3GB one in the chart - that a GTX 960 TI?

But either way seems like I don't need to sell my Titan X to get a 980 Ti :)

#33

Fluffmeister

Heh, the graphs are fairly interesting despite that dodgy 3GB 960. It certainly could be another fine card for Nv, basically 90% of the performance of Titan X/Fiji XT, healthy 6GB framebuffer, Maxwell's famous performance per watt and presumably being cheaper to manufacture than something like Fiji they could slot it into a price bracket that makes it very attractive indeed!

#34

Casecutter

FluffmeisterIt happens, but if you honestly think Maxwell's perf/watt is suddenly going to tank on the 980 Ti I think you'll be disappointed.

"suddenly going to tank" are not my words.

CasecutterIt probably going to come in slightly better perf/w, but as the TitanX wasn't a great 4K, this won't appear to fair better.

CasecutterI think "balls to the walls" clocks would end up with shocking Perf/W, and would make the legacy of Maxwell's design not remembered as significant when it was scaled up.

As it wasn't great to being with.

#35

Fluffmeister

Yeah, let's see if it has "shocking" performance per watt.

#36

dwade

A gutted TItan X. And not just a VRAM nerf. That doesn't look like nVidia is scared of 390x.

#37

Casecutter

dwadeA gutted TItan X. And not just a VRAM nerf. That doesn't look like nVidia is scared of 390x.

Its' not about "scared", more just they got binned chips, and realize they need to them to get then out in the market. Nvidia knows this is what they've got work with, and there no use waiting. I don't think they have a good feel to what this whole Fiji +HBM can offer, hard to even project. It's more about "getting out in front and control the message" smart marketing. I won't be surprised if we have info of a GTX 960Ti very soon.

#38

Xzibit

dwadeA gutted TItan X. And not just a VRAM nerf. That doesn't look like nVidia is scared of 390x.

Also remember that Maxwell is a poor double precision performer and there is only one Maxwell Quadro part being offered instead of a full line of products. That means more chips available for GeForce products

#39

net2007

Question.. How do they disable the SMX units? Is there way to re enable them?

#40

hapkiman

I have to say I am hoping AMD comes through with the 390X. They have a chance to redeem themselves and level the playing field a little with Nvidia. I have an MSI GTX 980 4GB now and it's a great card, but at 3840x2160, from what I'm seeing a 390X might give me a bump in performance.

I originally had a XFX R9 290, and was very disappointed with it. Not with its performance mind you, but with its drivers, its noise, it heat, and its power usage. The 980 is a much better trouble free card with great drivers and I've not had a single problem with it.

But I'm ready to give AMD a chance again if the 390X proves to be better than my 980, and better than the 980Ti.

#41

arbiter

XzibitThis reminds me of all those leaks that ChipHell had about a 6gb GM200 cut

Revisiting the rumored leaks

They should re-calculate it and include TW3 make those Maxwells expecially the 960 move up a bit

Those leak pages mean pretty much nothing. "19 games performance" grouped in to 1 bar yea that is a real reliable graph to go by.

#42

qubit

Overclocked quantum bit

Nejcis this going to be full 6GB of full speed ram or is it going to be cca. 5,5GB as is the case with the 970? (just curious)

970-gate all over again? I've been wondering that too.

Welcome to TPU. :)

net2007Question.. How do they disable the SMX units? Is there way to re enable them?

99% sure they fuse it off in the chip so there's no way to bring it back. Don't worry, if it was just a little BIOS hack, some clever enthusiast would find a way to reverse it. ;)

#43

ypsylon

Bottom line of this whole debate: if you want to buy new powerful VGA now wait 2 weeks or so. Purchasing now maybe biggest mistake you ever made (unless you're in the elite club of people who have no concept of money - like Arab sheiks for example :D, for them 10k$ is like buying a hotdog).

#44

erixx

thanks BTARUNR!!!
As a (cunning) linguist, I LOVE a lot the revelations of esoteric (a.k.a. fuckedup) industry acronyms, like
"NVTTM [???](NVIDIA Time-to-Market) cooler design from the GTX TITAN-X (and several older SKUs [???]). NVIDIA could allow its AIC (add-in- card)[???]"

I just want to state clearly that to begin with there is NO NEED to use them AT ALL.

NVTTM = is just "nvidia own design"
SKU = is just "model"
AIC = is just 3rd party factories or whatever.

We are making a fake complex world. IT IS NOT complex at all. Let's be normal, please.

#45

arbiter

erixx"NVTTM [???](NVIDIA Time-to-Market) cooler design from the GTX TITAN-X (and several older SKUs [???]). NVIDIA could allow its AIC (add-in- card)[???]"

Least its a ref cooler that WORKS and can cool the card without card throttling to heck unlike another companies i won't name that would kill 20% of its performance after 5min.

#46

Parn

Not a fan of cut down GPUs as it makes me feel that I'm paying a premium for wastes/rejects from the manufacturer.

#47

Fluffmeister

Damn the 980 Ti is quick

I hope that humble pie is delicious.

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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti Core Configuration Revealed

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