Generally speaking, I'm not much of an overclocker. Sure, I'll tweak my settings a bit and get a few extra MHz here and there, but I'm not anywhere near the enthusiast this card is aimed at. That being said, I needed an upgrade to my aging, yet still formidable, GTX 680 and wanted something to 'future-proof' my system. I've had very good results from ASUS, with three quarters of my rig from that company, and haven't any reason to complain yet. I consider them to make quality and premium components, and this card has only reinforced that ideology. I purchased it wanting the highest quality, the most options and with an emphasis on gaming, while also bearing in mind cost per performance. To me, something like the Titan series hasn't breached that ratio yet, so after much research and probing on my end, I finally fell with the GTX 980.
To begin, just so a potential customer knows a little about me so as to weigh my opinion against others, I have been building computers for about ten years now. I am A+ and Network+ certified, and have worked the area of computers officially for the better part of three years. What started as a hobby is now my job. I surely don't know everything nor should I be considered an expert on the topic, I just happen to know a couple things and my way around a computer. I'm sure many others can say the same. Take that with as many grains of salt as you wish. On to the review.
PHYSICAL DESIGN
Aesthetically speaking, this card takes the cake. The color scheme and design is of course user preference, but I for one find it absolutely fantastic. I have the Maximus Formula VII motherboard, also with the ROG scheme, so this matches my current setup perfectly. The backplate, while not providing any real thermal benefit, does give the card a bit rigidness and stability which the card does require because of its size. The fans are of decent size and are quite noiseless, even under load (so far to date). The load bearing LED is helpful though its accuracy is debatable; I suspect software patches will increase its effectiveness over time, so I can't fault the card just yet as it is relatively new. But it's still a nice touch. The power LEDs are very helpful and let you know if the card is receiving power; upon insertion into the slot, they will glow red indicating that the card is seated but power has not yet been applied. Once proper power is given, the LEDs turn solid white. I'm sure this will be helpful when diagnosing future problems when trying to rule out power-related issues.
PERFORMANCE
As stated earlier, I'm not a heavy overclocker as of yet. I have however been able to achieve stable clock speeds exceeding 1400MHz on the GPU, and 7060MHz on the memory side of things. Not jaw dropping mind you, but very reasonable considering I am only on air-cooling at the moment. Temperatures have also been quite good, with the card barely topping out in the high sixties (Celsius) during heavy gaming. At idle it sits very comfortably at twenty seven degrees. The reference cooler, if my memory serves correctly, allows for around eighty degrees under load - quite a big difference considering I haven't modified my cooling components. I think this speaks to ASUS and their design implantation. But that is one man's opinion.
SOFTWARE
I consider the software straight forward and simple, something others may or may not appreciate. With the click of the mouse one can modify clock speeds of just about anything as well as fan speeds. By default access is given for the boost clock, memory clock and fan speed but there are a host of other options available. And most tweaking can be done without touching the voltage. But if one wishes the voltage can be unlocked and cranked up, so seasoned overclockers aren't hindered by the over-simplified approach of GPU Tweak. The monitoring extension of GPU Tweak is very good, as it tracks anything and everything about your card. If you haven't been blessed with a second monitor where you can watch temps in real time as you game, the program tracks maximum and minimum values, so upon exiting a game for example, you can see what temp your card topped out at. Same goes for clock speeds and fan RPMs.
OVERALL IMPRESSION
I love this card. This card has taken everything I've thrown at it without breaking a sweat. Longevity will of course be the ultimate decider, but for now I'm very satisfied. Expensive? Yes, there's no denying that. And there's nothing wrong with other cards from EVGA or GIGABYTE or whatever. I just happen to like ASUS and don't mind paying a little more. Choice is yours. I'd recommend if you are a gamer and plan on doing some hardcore-like things in the future (liquid cooling/nitrogen), but there is nothing wrong with keeping it on air, at least in my eyes. I'd also recommend obtaining drivers from Nvidia and utilizing their GeForce Experience program - might be all just marketing, but the program will help keep your drivers up to date. Video-game specific drivers have also been released, most notably Advanced Warfare and GTA V, so that is helpful in keeping on track. My rig is posted below as are some of the games that I play, so as to help you gauge if my findings are even relevant to your situation. Average frames per second are also given.
Core i7 4790k 4.0GHZ (OC'd to 4.6GHz)
16GB 1600MHz RAM
Intel 730 SSD
Matrix GTX 980
Enermax Coenus Mid-Tower Case
ASUS 27" 120Hz Monitor
Dead Space 3: 80 - 110 FPS
GTA V: 50 - 60 FPS
Rome II Total War: 65 - 90 FPS
Battlefield 4: 55 - 75 FPS
Mirrors Edge: 60 - 75 FPS
Half-Life 2: 120 FPS
| Max Screen Resolution | 4096 x 2160 |
|---|---|
| Memory Speed | 7010 MHz |
| Graphics Coprocessor | Nvidia GeForce |
| Chipset Brand | NVIDIA |
| Graphics Card Ram Size | 4 GB |
