GALAX Launches HOF Series of Maxwell GTX 970 and GTX 980 Video Cards

Hopefully every single one of you have read our latest GTX 980 review on the GALAX GTX 980 SOC. If not, you better get reading as you missed a great card there for sure (along with the other GTX 980’s Lvcoyote has reviewed so far). If you read that review, you know I was waiting for their Hall Of Fame (HOF moving forward) series being the overclocker I am… and that wait is now over. GALAX is soon to release their latest HOF offering in the GTX 970 HOF and GTX 980 HOF!

Both the GTX 970 and 980 HOF continue their tradition of, ‘…each card being factory tuned with the highest core clock in its class.’ But as usual, they do not stop there. If we recall the Galaxy GTX 780 Ti HOF I reviewed a few months ago, there is a lot more to it than just clock speeds. The unique white and heavily modified from reference PCB the Maxwell core rides on, are made specifically for overclocking with a more robust power delivery area and higher quality components. The GTX 780 Ti HOF was a strong competitor in the highest of high end arena, and I personally expect this card to be right up there again with its overclocking potential. 

Listed below are some of the key features from their press release:

Key Features: 

• Completely redesigned PCB layout from the ground up, optimized for GM204
• 10 layer manufacturing process in HOF signature pure white color
• Extended PCB width for optimized layout and cleaner signal
• Advanced GALAX exclusive “Triple Force” cooler
• 2x 80mm fan + 1x 90mm fan
• 4x 8mm heat pipes + 3x 6mm heat pipes (total 7 nickel-plated heat pipes)
• Copper base cooler
• Integrated MOSFET heatsink
• Customizable top HOF LED (control blanking frequency, brightness with GFE)
• Plastic cover with premium die-cast aluminum accents
• Anodized aluminum backplate protects components and reinforces PCB
• Next generation IR3595 Digital PWM controller provides 2X switching frequency vs. previous generation
• 8 phase GPU + 2 phase memory power
• IR3555 with next gen DrMOS and 60A output
• Aerospace-grade GALAX Extreme Power Inductors provide ultra-long life, high endurance and low noise vs. normal power inductors
• Hyper Boost technology acts like a hardware turbocharger, increasing fan speed and maximum power delivered to the GPU with the push of a button
• Voltage tool (developed by enthusiasts) allows voltage beyond stock limits
• Hardware dual BIOS simplifies the tweaking process by enabling risk-free firmware updates and customization
• Prelim internal overclocking results: >1.5GHz on air, >2.1GHz on LN2

Speaking of that overclocking potential, even out of the box these will come in as the fastest GTX 980 currently available (with the old record being 1266 MHz base). The GTX 980 HOF will come in at 1304 MHz core (1418 MHz boost), while the GTX 970 HOF comes in at 1216 MHz (1380 MHz boost). Compare that to the reference models that come in at 1126 MHz for the GTX 980 and 1050 MHz on the GTX 970, we can see that is a huge jump for a factory overclock.

We are hoping to be one of the lucky few to grab one of these for review so we can show you first hand what a beast this card is likely to be. Stay tuned, and keep your fingers crossed! You can find these at the Galax store very soon, or you can visit the Galax website for more information.

~Joe Shields (Earthdog)