NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Reference PCB Pictured

[PcFixer]

Or the extra space is there so they can make a Nano version later on and change $100 more.

 

[truth teller]

wait a sec, the back plate is split into two parts? wtf, thats no backplate at all then, just a smd shield. im having a real wtf moment trying to figure out why did they do this. this so called "backplate" adds no value to the card, only aesthetics...

 

[arbiter]

We already saw that the AMD cards scaled better as main cards using DX12 multi-GPU so it sounds like it is at least part of it.

Probably due to how bad their DX11 performance was is the main cause of that.

 

[semantics]

Probably due to how bad their DX11 performance was is the main cause of that.

Well Nvidia's great driver optimization vs AMD terrible driver optimization. DX12 pushing optimization more of the developer and GPU makers less able to intercept and optimize the game in post, which I fear will just lead to most games being Nvidia only optimized because Nvidia can just offer developers more free development then AMD. Everyone crapping themselves over Ashes a terrible looking game that favors AMD deeply but it's strongly a corner case, imagine if Nvidia had deep roots in the development of that game.

 

[HumanSmoke]

I'm just confused as to why reference cards are going to cost $100 more. Isn't it traditional that non-reference designs with better coolers be more expensive? Or am I living in an upside-down world?

That used to be the case. Now you have reduced BoM cards that may or may not use cheaper components and certainly use a cheaper cooling solution. Sapphire's Flex range of cards were designed to imitate their Vapor-X in appearance only, and Nvidia's partners have been sending out cheap knock-off's of the reference style HSF for a while ...even when charging a premium price.
Reference used to to be the base level, but that has been undercut as AIB vendors have found ways to shave manufacturing cost down.

...some obviously are going in different direction

 

[arbiter]

Well Nvidia's great driver optimization vs AMD terrible driver optimization. DX12 pushing optimization more of the developer and GPU makers less able to intercept and optimize the game in post, which I fear will just lead to most games being Nvidia only optimized because Nvidia can just offer developers more free development then AMD.

AMD has had their hand in plenty games over the years, Nvidia just spends more on their driver team.

 

[Xzibit]

...some obviously are going in different direction

Which one does Vin Diesel drive in the next Fast & Furious ?

EVGA Mod confirmed this.

Hi Everyone,

We can confirm that 1080 cards only support up to 2-way SLI and anything above this will not work, no matter the SLI bridge. Please however keep in mind that if you do use the new SLI bridge along with two 1080 cards, then it gives more performance than 2-way SLI did in the past on previous series.

 

[dj-electric]

I love how the people who avoid being known as NDA breakers always pixelate and make these photos look potato.

This is 2016, not 1996. There's no modern camera that will make that stuff look that bad.

 

[newtekie1]

EVGA Mod confirmed this.

Seems Jay got different information.

 

[Caring1]

The heatsink in the shroud appears to be the same size as a 980 heatsink, so shrinking the PCB may not be possible without compromising cooling.

I see no reason why they don't have slots through the PCB to aid in cooling, it might make fans on them more efficient.

Seems Jay got different information.

his mention of 3 way SLI doesn't mention the use of the HB bridge which uses both sets of SLI fingers on the board.
Most likely they are doing it using a standard bridge.

 

[newtekie1]

his mention of 3 way SLI doesn't mention the use of the HB bridge which uses both sets of SLI fingers on the board.
Most likely they are doing it using a standard bridge.

That isn't what Xzibit/EVGA said though. They said anything beyond 2-way doesn't work at all, not matter what type of bridge you use.

 

[Tran Hong Duc]

I don't quite understand the purpose of these, especially since they charge MORE for them. I mean, ASUS released Ares GTX 970 with white shroud and it was an exhaust cooler card as well while wasn't being a reference design. Reference used to be the baseline everyone had to release initially. Then we got aftermarket versions. What prevented them from doing the same and not discontinuing the reference models? I just don't understand the marketing model behind this one. I just don't.

Well basically, nvidia has to come up with a different name rather than ref edition so they make it founders' edition and raise the price by 100$ from msrp so they don't compete directly with their pcb partners (evga, asus, msi...). And by renameming to founders' edition it makes more sense for people who want to buy a product made by nvidia to pay extra for kind of collection purpose.

 

[arbiter]

Well basically, nvidia has to come up with a different name rather than ref edition so they make it founders' edition and raise the price by 100$ from msrp so they don't compete directly with their pcb partners (evga, asus, msi...). And by renameming to founders' edition it makes more sense for people who want to buy a product made by nvidia to pay extra for kind of collection purpose.

news report on another site says AIB partner cards will launch along side them so have your choice from day 1.

 

[Slizzo]

news report on another site says AIB partner cards will launch along side them so have your choice from day 1.

All board partners + nVidia will sell Founders Edition cards. All founders edition cards must adhere to nVidia's design specs. Custom cards with aftermarket cooling will come soon afterwards.

 

[Tran Hong Duc]

yeah i stand corrected founders' edition is indeed also manufactured by AIB but follow nvidia's design and everything so i believe the quality is pretty much the same in comparison to founders' edition made by nvidia.