Overclockers

Some of us were at least a little disappointed with the GTX680′s …well, let’s say slightly under-built first offering. While they are performance behemoths, their intentionally hampered four-phase-with-blank-fifth-phase power section left something to be desired. EVGA has just announced their GTX680 FTW, with ”…an 8 Phase PWM design, an 8+6pin Power Input and Vapor Chamber cooling”, which sounds good to us.

EVGA GTX680 FTW (Image Courtesy EVGA)

EVGA GTX680 FTW (Image Courtesy EVGA)

EVGA GTX680 FTW (Image Courtesy EVGA)

These cards come clocked with a 1110 MHz base clock and 1176 MHz boost clock, a substantial increase over the stock offering. There is even a 4 GB version for those that thought the 2 GB initial release was a bit thin on video memory.

You can check out more details at EVGA’s page:

• EVGA GeForce GTX 680 Landing Page
• EVGA GeForce GTX 680 FTW
• EVGA GeForce GTX 680 FTW 4GB w/Backplate

EVGA isn’t the only partner coming out with upgraded cards. ASUS has a GTX 680 DirectCU II that also has upgraded specs. While it has a stronger PWM (10-phase), its default clock is a little lower, at 1084 MHz boost clock.

ASUS GTX680 DirectCU II (Image Courtesy ASUS)

Gigabyte and MSI have overclocked versions with upgraded cooling but don’t appear to have any physical PCB advantages over the stock card.

The GTX upgrade wars are under way and it looks like fun! Are any of you planning on jumping on the newly upgraded GTX 680s?

- Jeremy Vaughan (hokiealumnus)

Tags: 680, card, evga, ftw, Graphics, gtx, gtx 680, gtx680, new, nvidia, release

13 Comments:

SupaMonkey

05-09-12 05:43 AM

Nice looking card, but i don't understand. Why a vapour chamber? They are noisy and not as good traditional heatsinks.

Surely, the first thing to do is rip that off, put on better cooling and then overclock the hell out of it.

I.M.O.G.

05-09-12 03:31 PM

Vapor chamber is similar to heatpipes.

The thin flat looking parts at the top of this heatsink are the ends of the vapor chamber, with heatpipes just outside them:
http://www.frostytech.com/articlevie...articleID=2654

thebski

05-09-12 06:26 PM

Jacob over at EVGA said the vapor chamber cut 6C off the temps.

Loggitt

05-09-12 07:40 PM

I might as well ask my wife if I can buy a Ferrari. I'd get the same answer as I would attempting to purchase one of these! You lucky Joe's go for it, though!! I'll just get by with my EVGA GTX550 ti.

MattNo5ss

05-09-12 07:46 PM

109715

TsunamiJuan

05-09-12 10:12 PM

one of the party pieces of the Direct CU line has been the upgraded cooling and power control capabilites, while they don't usually up the clock they leave it to the end user or enthusiast to do that bit, and usually with quite good results. Having a few of the early directCu offerings pass through my hands. I can say the results are usually quite pleasing and easy to work with.

Though at the same time EVGA continues to have a very appetizing offering. TiN is a freak of nature, and you know that anything he puts work into is gonna perform quite a bit above expectations. I would be surprised if TiN didn't have at least some input into the design of this card. Since VGA power seems to be one of his party pieces.

jazon1

05-09-12 10:29 PM

looks like a nice card will be awhile before i can afford one for my system tho=( just broke down and ordered a sabertooth x79 and a 3820 a good GTX 680 is defiantly the next upgrade heading my way tho=)

Bobnova

05-09-12 10:46 PM

Vapor chamber is like a big, single, heatpipe.
Vastly more efficient than multiple small heatpipes.


The EVBot port on there looks promising

Metlcub

05-10-12 12:56 AM

Nice cards, I just HATE that stock Nvidia reference cooler. it's so F'ing loud it sounds like a hair dryer in your computer. I love the MSI twin frozer and Asus DCII coolers. Can not wait for these better cooled cards to really roll out.

SupaMonkey

05-10-12 04:15 AM

Ok, but i'm still not convinced. Can anyone show me a test where a vapour chamber outperforms arctic's accelero extreme (or any other decent heatsink)?

Tbrooks

05-10-12 08:11 AM

EVGA GeForce GTX 680 Hydro Copper or the CLASSIFIED Hydro. That's the ticket.

http://www.evga.com/products/moreInf...s%20Family&sw=

Janus67

05-10-12 02:28 PM

Classified looks pretty awesome with the EVBot port. I'm still holding out for the Lightning to see if they find a way to remove the limited overclocking/voltage without crazy hard-mods/zombie/TiN-ing. Otherwise I will probably stick to finding a 7970 lightning which appears to still do extremely well on the bot.

MongGrel

06-11-12 06:27 AM

I agree with Loggitt on this one I guess times have gotten a bit rough in the household here the last few years, I used to keep up with the latest and greatest things when I could :P

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