ASUS GTX 980 Ti STRIX Gaming 6 GB

[W1zzard]

The new ASUS GTX 980 Ti STRIX delivers the highest performance of all GTX 980 Ti cards we have tested so far, thanks to a large overclock and increased Boost Clock range. The DirectCU III triple-slot cooler turns off its fans in idle, media playback, and light gaming. Price-wise, the card clocks in at $670, which is similar to other custom GTX 980 Ti cards.

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[dwade]

Such a shame GM200 is a Fermi 2.0. Nothing can cool this beast with low noise, unless you use Accelero Xtreme 3 or 4, or go with crappy watercooling and deal with pump noise.

 

[The Quim Reaper]

..well done Asus, you've lost out on the sale of two of these by making the card 12mm too long to fit in the bottom slot in my Corsair 450D (with the drive cage).

Oh well, MSi will get my money then.

 

[EarthDog]

Such a shame GM200 is a Fermi 2.0. Nothing can cool this beast with low noise, unless you use Accelero Xtreme 3 or 4, or go with crappy watercooling and deal with pump noise.

Que? Quoi? Cosa?

Brother, I can't even hear the MSI card when gaming...

 

[Finners]

Is there no heatsink/plate on the memory chips at all?

 

[sith'ari]

Another great looking / great performing, card from ASUS.

 

[apoe]

Compared to MSI 980 Ti, it's 2.5 cm longer and 1 cm taller, yet it still manages to be louder and with higher temps. It's clocked slightly higher but I'd think the size would mean better cooling results.

Power consumption looks good though, 26W less average power consumption than MSI.

 

[HD64G]

Where is FURY non-X in the charts? I know it doesn't exist as a not customised one but it should be into the graphs just for reference reasons.

 

[7950 Flex]

Hello and thanks for the review, I've been waiting for this one. I've been waiting on this card to be restocked so I can order it. I thought this cooler was supposed to be one of the quieter ones as well as one of the best at it's job. Based on this review it turns out that it's neither of those things? It's one of the loudest and hottest...
Um maybe the ambient temp in the test room was higher when you tested it? Anyway, I'm sure it's still a great card but I was expecting better results in the noise/cooling department. I could have ordered the Classy off Newegg but decided to hold out and wait for your review of both of them.
Both of your reviews of the new DirectCUIII cooler (R9 Fury and 980 Ti) say that the shroud is made of all metal. This guy in this youtube video claims otherwise. In the video he compares the Strix to the MSI Gaming 980 Ti and basically says that besides being unstable at stock, the MSI card just feels cheap and underwhelming. He does say it looks good from the side and has a nice backplate though. Can you please confirm that the shroud is in fact made of metal? Thanks.

Here's the video btw

Also, I am currently running MSI 780 Ti Gaming in SLI and I have to say they are great cards. When my room is cool the top card does not pass 75 degrees in my Fractal R4 case with an intake fan on the side panel. This is also why I'm surprised at the temps of some of these cards in your reviews. 76 degrees? With just one of these MSI 780 Ti installed the temp will never go over 72 degrees even if it's boiling in here. Anyway, these MSI cards are great and I was a little jealous when I saw the Twin Frozr 5 cooler on the 980 but I think I want to go with another brand this time around. I've narrowed my choices down to either the Strix or the EVGA Classy. I really like the Matrix because it's just sexy as hell but if it will be priced much higher then I won't buy it.

I'd appreciate anyones opinion though on my dilemma, the Strix or the classy.

 

[mstenholm]

Where is FURY non-X in the charts? I know it doesn't exist as a not customised one but it should be into the graphs just for reference reasons.

I was looking for that as well. I know that I can find the old review and find the numbers but why make comparision charts in the first place if the close (ok not that close) competitors are left out. Same thing happend in his last review.

 

[petedread]

I'm trying to decide between a Titan X and this card. I like this card better but as I will be buying a 4K monitor, and not buying a second card for a wile, I thought I mite be better off with a Titan X and waterblock. Surely a water cooled Titan X overclocked will be faster than the Strix 980ti? Any advice would be appreciated.

$20 more than a reference 980ti, in the UK it is a extra £150!

 

[BorisDG]

ASUS Matrix is the truth! Can't wait to be released!

 

[mark-benney]

I got the Gigabyte G1 Gaming GTX980t1, Pictured in profile
Truly great card silent and a beast of a overclocker. Even with 150mhz added to core speed and 890mhz add to ram.
Max temp reached Firestrike Ultra 63c, FurMark 72c and still you only here just here the fans
Really worth a thought
Check result on here 3rd Highest tested card on Heaven
Was placed at 62nd in 3dmark Skydiver

 

[pat-roner]

Palit results on the OC page...

Palit review incoming @W1zzard ?

 

[SmokingCrop]

I wonder what noise it would've made with a 2-fan setup..
Asus was always one of the quietest, if not the quietest most of the time with the 2-fan ones.

 

[mascotzel]

5 Heatpipes, only 3 make contact with the GPU.
That has an effect on cooling.

EVGA got a lot of bad mouthing when they released their GTX970 this way.

I can't believe that at this point in time ASUS can screw like that a cooler design on a high end card.

 

[Joss]

5 Heatpipes, only 3 make contact with the GPU.

humm... can that make that much of a difference?

 

[EarthDog]

Touches nose with one hand points to Joss....

 

[HumanSmoke]

I wonder what noise it would've made with a 2-fan setup..
Asus was always one of the quietest, if not the quietest most of the time with the 2-fan ones.

You probably wont have long to wait to find out. Asus is prepping the 2-fan Matrix and Matrix Platinum.

 

[W1zzard]

Is there no heatsink/plate on the memory chips at all?

that's correct. the memory chips are cooled by the cooler's airflow. since memory OC is in the expected range this doesn't seem to be an issue

Where is FURY non-X in the charts? I know it doesn't exist as a not customised one but it should be into the graphs just for reference reasons.

ah right. I wrote most of the review before Fury non-X was reviewed .. I'll add its data to the graphs. not that it's that relevant, completely different price range

Um maybe the ambient temp in the test room was higher when you tested it? Anyway, I'm sure it's still a great card but I was expecting better results in the noise/cooling department

same ambient temps for all cards, I expected better results, too

Can you please confirm that the shroud is in fact made of metal?

I took another look for you, and the shroud is indeed made of plastic (I tried to scrape off paint, none there). It has a very high quality feel to it, that's why I confused it. I updated the review text.

I'm trying to decide between a Titan X and this card. I like this card better but as I will be buying a 4K monitor, and not buying a second card for a wile, I thought I mite be better off with a Titan X and waterblock. Surely a water cooled Titan X overclocked will be faster than the Strix 980ti?

Without watercooling the Strix is definitely faster, because Titan X will run into the 82° temp limit. With watercooling, I'm not 100% sure, even with manual max overclock on both, due to ASUS having a very large boost range. The price difference is so big I'd go for the Strix.

Palit review incoming

yes, card arrived here yesterday. Also got Colorful after that, oh and Sapphire Fury Non-X

 

[7950 Flex]

that's correct. the memory chips are cooled by the cooler's airflow. since memory OC is in the expected range this doesn't seem to be an issue


ah right. I wrote most of the review before Fury non-X was reviewed .. I'll add its data to the graphs. not that it's that relevant, completely different price range


same ambient temps for all cards, I expected better results, too


I took another look for you, and the shroud is indeed made of plastic (I tried to scrape off paint, none there). It has a very high quality feel to it, that's why I confused it. I updated the review text.


Without watercooling the Strix is definitely faster, because Titan X will run into the 82° temp limit. With watercooling, I'm not 100% sure, even with manual max overclock on both, due to ASUS having a very large boost range. The price difference is so big I'd go for the Strix.


yes, card arrived here yesterday. Also got Colorful after that, oh and Sapphire Fury Non-X

Thanks for the reply Wiz, certainly cleared that up. I was just about to order the 980 Ti Classy and it got sold out before I had a chance to checkout (newegg). I really wanted the Strix but now I don't know which one of the two I should go with.

 

[W1zzard]

Thanks for the reply Wiz, certainly cleared that up. I was just about to order the 980 Ti Classy and it got sold out before I had a chance to checkout (newegg). I really wanted the Strix but now I don't know which one of the two I should go with.

All 980 Ti's I reviewed are awesome, very similar, and the actual differences are rather small. Even more so if you plan on doing manual OC.

 

[Vario]

Just a heads up but be careful with GTA V benchmark, each patch R* released has hurt frame rate.

 

[Joss]

I find Palit the most attractive 980ti; it has a touch of Art Deco which is quite irresistible.

 

[Fluffmeister]

Another superb custom 980 Ti, Maxwell has completely dominated this generation.