NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti Core Configuration Revealed

[btarunr]

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

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[the54thvoid]

To release a product weaker than the flagship and still very expensive means:

1) the Fiji XT is not as good as Titan X, or
2) the Fiji XT is better than Titan X and Nvidia want to get it to market before AMD steals the sales.

Oh dear, flip a coin - what is it?

EDIT: either way, looks like Titan or Fiji XT for me

 

[Luka KLLP]

As long as it's also cheaper, I'm fine with it being slower than the Titan X.
It's definitely gonna be an exciting couple of weeks in Videocard Land

 

[dj-electric]

I love the smell of "we got the card, but gonna spill some info through pointing at other sources" before launches.

I take all the info from now on as a fact. Thanks

 

[qubit]

Ugh, something had to give, didn't it? 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.

 

[rtwjunkie]

Sooo, my PSU should be enough for this with the rest of my specs? I'm pretty sure 850W will have no trouble, just like reassurance.

 

[dj-electric]

^ in SLI, yes.

 

[lilhasselhoffer]

Green team believes that the 3xx series of cards must be crap because Nvidea is rushing to market with a cut down card.

Red team says this is a ploy by Nvidea to sell off its cards before the 3xx series comes and kicks its teeth in within a month.



How about some real world numbers from either side? Until then a fanboy will draw whatever conclusion supports their particular delusion. I just want to know which card will be better for the money.

 

[15th Warlock]

If AMD's new card ends up being faster than the 980Ti, I can see Nvidia releasing a fully featured GM200 card a là 780Ti with 6GBs of RAM to combat Fiji-XT.

Releasing a cut down card this soon may be a move to clear out the inventory of defective GM200 chips before AMD releases its new flagship card, either that or Nvidia anticipates Fiji is equal in terms of performance to a cut down GM200 or the high end model will be priced at around $800, making it more of a direct contender to Titan-X and/or a potential fully featured GM200 based card in the same price range.

 

[uuuaaaaaa]

This are getting hot!

Meanwhile on Johan Andersson's twitter:

This new island is one seriously impressive and sweet GPU. wow & thanks @AMDRadeon ! They will be put to good use

https://twitter.com/repi

(Fiji xt picture included?)

 

[rtwjunkie]

^ in SLI, yes.

So even up to SLI, you're saying? So a single card no problem!

 

[Petey Plane]

A 550W PSU is enough for a 980 and a 4790k, so yes, your 850W will be more than enough

 

[bogami]

yak, Again , to us will sell unsuccessfully cut processor for a lot of money !Typically known problems which we have had with GTX970 will be present. And it's not Nvidia card that has driven six monitors so there can not be a realistic comparison of the abilities of the processor. Hardly anyone knows compare only a FPS here nVidia serves many tricks at the expense of unfamiliarity with operation.
AMD in to us new generation made a lot of technological advances and the 20 nm so I waited. On GTX980ti is nothing new, yet the new carrier substrate, they could not make even a year to us throw away lies the head, not to mention the price.

 

[GhostRyder]

Well looks like it is after all going to be a cut down chip because it makes little sense to release something like that to undercut the Titan X's place in the lineup. It would just butcher sales of it and make it less worthwhile than it already is compared to a lower priced version (980ti). Cannot wait to see the performance of this card and how well it overclocks, hopefully we get a little more wiggle room on clocking this card than the Titan X!

 

[rtwjunkie]

I'm still going to wait till both cards are out to decide what my next upgrade will be. I want to see some good benchmarks and user opinions from both camps first.

 

[2big2fail]

1) the Fiji XT is not as good as Titan X, or
2) the Fiji XT is better than Titan X and Nvidia want to get it to market before AMD steals the sales.

Considering the now confirmed crippled configuration of the 980ti and that nvidia is launching the 980ti 2 weeks earlier than Fiji, its definitely the second. The only thing amd has to do now to pull ahead until Pascal next year is either not ask Titan X prices or completely fuck up driver support.

However, if nvidia cuts prices on the 980 to $375-450, amd might be in trouble from sales hemorrhaging after such a big product launch (i.e. Fiji).

 

[rtwjunkie]

Considering the now confirmed crippled configuration of the 980ti and that nvidia is launching the 980ti 2 weeks earlier than Fiji, its definitely the second. The only thing amd has to do now to pull ahead until Pascal next year is either not ask Titan X prices or completely fuck up driver support.

However, if nvidia cuts prices on the 980 to $350-400, amd might be in trouble from sales hemorrhaging after such a big product launch (i.e. Fiji).

All i know is it's going to be exciting to pull out the popcorn and watch this unfold, either way!

 

[Casecutter]

Given what W1zzard reported as "So what's all the fuss about?" with the TitanX this isn't looking as much.

Knowing that TitanX Average/Peak power numbers where up like 42/32% respectively over a 980, moving the clocks on something like this won't make those numbers improve. The upside if they use Samsung modules instead of what came about from 12Gb of inefficient (aka hot) Hynix, Nvidia could find some the saving there with half and better memory. It 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.

 

[64K]

If AMD's new card ends up being faster than the 980Ti, I can see Nvidia releasing a fully featured GM200 card a là 780Ti with 6GBs of RAM to combat Fiji-XT.

I'm thinking this has been Nvidia's plan all along. There's plenty of time before Pascal to release a cut down GM200 for gaming and then a maxxed out full GM200 6 GB for gaming later on. Like they did with 780/780 Ti. Nvidia knows how to profit from an architecture for all it's worth.

Sooo, my PSU should be enough for this with the rest of my specs? I'm pretty sure 850W will have no trouble, just like reassurance.

I doubt with a single 980 Ti and the rest of your system at max with overclocks you will ever pull more than 450 watts so that puts you right in the most efficient zone for your PSU and you could even SLI them later on.

 

[the54thvoid]

Got it figured out.

When Fiji XT drops and Titan X looks threatened, Nvidia green lights Titan X-treme. This is very simply GM200-400 with all intact plus a balls to the walls unlimited power limit. Core clocks at 1400Mhz, Boost 1500+.
It'll cost £1000 and be made only to say - we're still the best. 10 will be made.

At which point, AMD release Bermuda (390X2) and because the memory chips are on die, it'll be small and easy to manufacture (relatively speaking pcb wise). The Bermuda dual card will be called Cronos, as this was the boss of the Titans.

I rest my case and I'm off to the patent office.

 

[techy1]

Worst case scenario for us - Nvidia got info that Fiji XT is nothing to be afraid of - can release gimped GM200 now and save non-gimped GM200 for latter (and for ridiculously rounded up price tags)

 

[rtwjunkie]

@the54thvoid you missed your calling! Very creative.

 

[Casecutter]

Got it figured out.

This is very simply GM200-400 with all intact plus a balls to the walls unlimited power limit. Core clocks at 1400Mhz, Boost 1500+.

The problem even with just 6Gb, I 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.

 

[Fluffmeister]

The problem even with just 6Gb, I 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.

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

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2015...gtx_titan_x_video_card_review/13#.VV9iWJdViko

 

[Nejc]

is 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)