Choosing the Best PSU for Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 980 GPU
Learn how to choose a power supply for Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 980 GPU based on power consumption and other factors.
In this article, I’ll go over the things you should consider when choosing a power supply for your computer with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 graphics card.
Check out my Recommended Power Supplies for GTX 980 GPUs below.
Best 650–1000 Watt PSU
EVGA SuperNOVA G5 Series Fully Modular Power Supply (220-G5-0650-X1)
Check Price on Amazon
Amazon Affiliate Link
How to Choose a Power Supply for the GTX 980 GPU
The main job of a power supply is to convert the alternating current (AC) from your wall outlet into the direct current (DC) needed by the components inside your computer.
Power Output
An important factor when buying a PSU is the supported wattage.
You will need to add up the power consumption of each computer component to determine the total output power requirements for your power supply.
The peak power consumption of Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 980 GPU is 165 W.
You can estimate your power requirements by using the following chart.
Component | Peak Power Usage |
---|---|
GTX 980 GPU | 165 W |
Top-Tier CPU (e.g., Intel Core i9 13900K) | 253 W |
Mid-Tier CPU (e.g., Intel Core i5 13600K) | 181 W |
Motherboard | 80 W |
Optical Drive | 30 W |
3.5″ Hard Drive | 9 W |
M.2 or 2.5″ SSD | 9 W |
140 mm Case/CPU Fan | 6 W |
120 mm Case/CPU Fan | 6 W |
80 mm Case/CPU Fan | 3 W |
By adding up these numbers, you can estimate peak power usage. Check out the top-tier and mid-tier example builds below.
It’s generally a good idea to add a 100–150 W buffer to your expected usage. This buffer will give you some flexibility in case of miscalculations and will allow you to add more drives, fans, or add-in cards in the future.
In most cases, buying a little more wattage than you need is a safer choice for ensuring system stability.
Don’t forget to account for the additional power required for overclocking if you intend to overclock your CPU or GPU. Overclocking could require roughly an extra 50–100 W, depending on how much you overclock these devices.
Check another Nvidia GPU:
GeForce RTX 4090 GeForce RTX 4080 GeForce RTX 3090 Ti GeForce RTX 3090 GeForce RTX 3080 Ti GeForce RTX 3080 GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GeForce RTX 3070 GeForce RTX 3060 Ti GeForce RTX 3060 GeForce RTX 3050 TITAN RTX GeForce RTX 2080 Ti GeForce RTX 2080 Super GeForce RTX 2080 GeForce RTX 2070 Super GeForce RTX 2070 GeForce RTX 2060 Super GeForce RTX 2060 GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GeForce GTX 1660 Super GeForce GTX 1650 Super GeForce GTX 1650 TITAN X Pascal TITAN Xp GeForce GTX 1080 Ti GeForce GTX 1080 GeForce GTX 1070 Ti GeForce GTX 1070 GeForce GTX 1060 GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GeForce GTX 1050 GeForce GT 1030 GeForce GTX TITAN X GeForce GTX 980 Ti GeForce GTX 980 GeForce GTX 970 GeForce GTX 960 GeForce GTX 950 GeForce GTX TITAN Z GeForce GTX TITAN Black GeForce GTX TITAN GeForce GTX 780 Ti GeForce GTX 780 GeForce GTX 770 GeForce GTX 760 Ti GeForce GTX 760 GeForce GTX 760 192-bit GeForce GTX 750 Ti GeForce GTX 750
Top-Tier Estimate:
Top-Tier Components | Peak Power Consumption |
---|---|
GTX 980 GPU | 165 watts |
Top-Tier CPU (e. g., Intel Core i9 13900K) | 253 watts |
Motherboard | 80 watts |
4 M.2 or 2.5″ SSDs | 36 watts |
3 Case Fans (120 mm) | 18 watts |
2 CPU Fans (120 mm) | 12 watts |
Total Estimate: | 564 watts |
Recommended Power Supply Wattage: | 700 watts |
Check the latest price of the 450–750 watt Corsair SF Power Supplies on Amazon (affiliate link).
Check out my Recommended Power Supplies for GTX 980 GPUs below.
Featured 750 Watt PSUs ›
Amazon Affiliate Links
Corsair RMX Series (2021), RM750x, 750 Watt, Gold, Fully Modular Power Supply
Check Price on Amazon
Thermaltake Toughpower 750W 80 Plus Gold Semi Modular PSU ATX 12V or EPS 12V Ultra Quiet Power Supply PS-TPD-0750MPCGUS-1
Check Price on Amazon
Mid-Tier Estimate:
Mid-Tier Components | Peak Power Consumption |
---|---|
GTX 980 GPU | 165 watts |
Mid-Tier CPU (e. g., Intel Core i5 13600K) | 181 watts |
Motherboard | 80 watts |
2 M.2 or 2.5″ SSDs | 18 watts |
2 Case Fans (120 mm) | 12 watts |
2 CPU Fans (120 mm) | 12 watts |
Total Estimate: | 468 watts |
Recommended Power Supply Wattage: | 600 watts |
Check the latest price of the 450–750 watt Corsair SF Power Supplies on Amazon (affiliate link).
Check out my Recommended Power Supplies for GTX 980 GPUs below.
Power Efficiency
PSUs with higher efficiency ratings use less energy and produce less heat, improving their reliability and reducing noise.
The 80 PLUS certification program for power supplies helps to promote energy efficiency by indicating its efficiency rating.
Higher efficiency power supplies may have a higher upfront cost. However, they could potentially save you money on electricity in the long run.
Lower wattage PSUs will be more power-efficient even when idle. For this reason, you may be able to save more on electricity by getting the correct wattage of PSU than by getting the one with the best 80 PLUS rating.
Certification Level | 10% Load | 20% Load | 50% Load | 100% Load |
---|---|---|---|---|
80 Plus | 80% | 80% | 80% | |
80 Plus Bronze | 82% | 85% | 82% | |
80 Plus Silver | 85% | 88% | 85% | |
80 Plus Gold | 87% | 90% | 87% | |
80 Plus Platinum | 90% | 92% | 89% | |
80 Plus Titanium | 90% | 92% | 94% | 90% |
Cables
Connectors
Make sure your PSU has the correct connectors to support the hardware in your system. Cheaper PSUs may cut costs on connectors and cables by offering fewer options and shorter lengths.
Check with your motherboard and graphics card documentation to determine which connector types are needed. Buy a popular, recently-released PSU; it will likely have the necessary connectors for a new PC build. However, if you use old components or an old power supply, you may find some incompatibilities.
Here are some common connector types that power supplies support:
- 24-pin connector for the motherboard
- 4/8-pin connector for the CPU
- 6/8/16-pin connectors for graphics cards
- SATA Power connector for each SATA HDD or SDD storage device
The latest graphics cards and ATX 3.0 PSUs support a new 16-pin PCIe 5.0 connector that replaces multiple 8-pin connectors.
Modular Cables
Typical power supplies come with various cables to connect your components. However, extra unused power cables can work against you by interrupting airflow.
In comparison, modular and semi-modular power supplies allow for attaching only the cables you need. As the name implies, semi-modular power supplies have some wires soldered on, while you can optionally connect others.
Cable Lengths
Most power supplies will have cables long enough to support mid-sized towers comfortably. If you have a full-size tower, you may want to check reviews and documentation to ensure that the cables are long enough to allow good cable management.
Power Supply Form Factors
Various form factors are available for power supplies. However, a standard-size desktop PC build will use an ATX power supply.
Small form factor PSUs allow for usage in many computer case shapes, including mini-PCs.
Power Supply Features
Overvoltage protection and short circuit protection can help to save your components in the case of a surge or accident.
LED lighting is another feature you might consider, depending on your PC goals.
Choosing a Cost-Effective Power Supply for the GTX 980
Perhaps you live in a dorm or a family member’s house and don’t pay the power bill. Or maybe you don’t expect the computer to have heavy daily usage. In those cases, the lower upfront cost of a less efficient PSU may be the better choice.
On the other hand, if you care more about the electric bill or the environment and plan to maintain higher CPU or GPU usage, then a more efficient PSU may be better.
Don’t go too far over 150 W above your expected power needs. Rightsizing your power supply will keep electricity costs to a minimum, as higher wattage PSUs will consume some additional power, even when idle.
Recommended 750-1650 Watt ATX 3.0 PSU
- The Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 ATX 3.0 Power Supply on Amazon (affiliate link) is our recommended 750-1650 watt ATX 3.0 PSU.
- GOLD 80 PLUS efficiency ratings.
- ATX 3.0 standard for supporting newer graphics cards.
- Fully modular cabling allows you to optimize airflow and minimize clutter.
- Ultra quiet design.
- 10-year warranty.
- This series of power supplies comes in power outputs including 750, 850, 1000, 1200, 1350 and 1650 watts.
Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 Series 80+ Gold Full Modular ATX 3.0 PCIe Gen 5 Power Supply
Check Price on Amazon
Amazon Affiliate Link
Recommended 650–1000 Watt PSU
- The Corsair SF Series Power Supply on Amazon (affiliate link) is our recommended 650–1000 watt PSU.
- Gold 80 PLUS efficiency ratings.
- Fully modular cabling allows you to optimize airflow and minimize clutter.
- Near silent during low usage.
- 10-year warranty.
- This series of power supplies comes in power outputs including 650, 750, 850, and 1000 watts.
EVGA SuperNOVA G5 Series Fully Modular Power Supply (220-G5-0650-X1)
Check Price on Amazon
Amazon Affiliate Link
Other Considerations When Building a PC
Want to brush up on other new technologies to consider when building a computer? Check out these articles:
- Cases:
- How to Choose the Best PC Case
- CPUs:
- The Best CPUs for Gaming
- Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support PCIe 5. 0?
- Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support PCIe 4.0?
- LGA 1700 CPU List
- LGA 1200 CPU List
- Look up an Intel or AMD CPU on TechReviewer for related recommendations:
- CPU Coolers:
- What is the Best Type of CPU cooler for a Gaming PC?
- How to Choose a CPU Cooler for Your PC
- Best LGA 1700 CPU Cooler for Intel’s 12th Gen Core Processors
- Best AM4 CPU Cooler for AMD Processors
- Storage:
- Can an SSD Improve PC Gaming Performance? and Does an SSD Increase FPS for PC Gaming?
- Storage Type Comparison: M.2, U.2, NVMe, SATA, SSDs, HDDs
- Memory:
- How to Choose the Best RAM for Your PC
- How Much RAM Do You Need for Gaming? and Is 32 GB of RAM Worth It for Gaming?
- DDR4 vs. DDR5? Which You Should Buy
- Is DDR5 Worth It? The Benefits of DDR5 and What Is DDR5?
- Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support DDR5?
- PCI-Express:
- Is PCIe 5. 0 Worth It?
- Motherboards:
- Which Motherboards Support PCIe 5.0?
- Which Motherboards Support PCIe 4.0?
- Which Motherboard Should You Buy for Intel’s 13th Gen CPUs?
- Which Motherboard Should You Buy for Intel’s 12th Gen CPUs?
- Graphics Cards:
- Which Graphics Cards Support PCIe 4.0?
- Power Supplies:
- How to Choose the Best Power Supply for a Gaming PC
- How to Choose a PC Power Supply
- Keyboards:
- Best Mechanical Keyboard for Gaming
- Monitors:
- How to Choose a Gaming Monitor
Have a suggestion or correction for this article? Send us an email at:
You can also contact the author at:
Intel Core i7-6700K NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 — PSU Calculator
Export PSU Calculator Part List — Reddit
Copy and paste the following markup into your post:
[OuterVision PSU Calculator part list](https://outervision. com/b/w2szAd)
Type|Item
:—-|:—-
**Motherboard** | Desktop
**Socket** | Socket LGA 1151
**CPU** | 1 x Intel Core i7-6700K
**CPU Speed** | 4000MHz
**CPU Vcore** | 1.2V
**Memory** | 1 x 8GB DDR4 Module
**Memory** | 1 x 8GB DDR4 Module
**Video Card Set 1** | 1 x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980
**Core Clock** | 1126MHz
**Memory Clock** | 1750MHz
**Storage** | 1 x SATA 10K RPM
**Storage** | 1 x M.2 SATA SSD
**Keyboard** | 1 x Standard Keyboard
**Mouse** | 1 x Standard Mouse
**Computer Utilization** | 4 hours per day
**Gaming / Heavy 3D Application Time** | 4 hours per day
**Monitor** | 0 x LED 21 inches
**Load Wattage** | 353W
**Recommended Wattage** | 403W
**Amperage** | +3.3V: 9.4A, +5V: 9.0A, +12V: 27.3A
**Recommended UPS Rating** | 700VA
Generated by OuterVision PSU Calculator 2020-11-22 11:32:27.0
Export PSU Calculator Component List — BBCode
Copy and paste the following markup into your post:
[url=https://outervision. com/b/w2szAd]OuterVision PSU Calculator part list[/url]
[b]Motherboard:[/b] Desktop
[b]Socket:[/b] Socket LGA 1151
[b]CPU:[/b] 1 x Intel Core i7-6700K
[b]CPU Speed:[/b] 4000MHz
[b]CPU Vcore:[/b] 1.2V
[b]Memory:[/b] 1 x 8GB DDR4 Module
[b]Memory:[/b] 1 x 8GB DDR4 Module
[b]Video Card Set 1:[/b] 1 x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980
[b]Core Clock:[/b] 1126MHz
[b]Memory Clock:[/b] 1750MHz
[b]Storage:[/b] 1 x SATA 10K RPM
[b]Storage:[/b] 1 x M.2 SATA SSD
[b]Keyboard:[/b] 1 x Standard Keyboard
[b]Mouse:[/b] 1 x Standard Mouse
[b]Computer Utilization:[/b] 4 hours per day
[b]Gaming / Heavy 3D Application Time:[/b] 4 hours per day
[b]Monitor:[/b] 0 x LED 21 inches
[b]Load Wattage:[/b] 353W
[b]Recommended Wattage:[/b] 403W
[b]Amperage:[/b] +3.3V: 9.4A, +5V: 9.0A, +12V: 27.3A
[b]Recommended UPS Rating:[/b] 700VA
[i]Generated by OuterVision PSU Calculator 2020-11-22 11:32:27.0[/i]
Export PSU Calculator Part List — HTML
Copy and paste the following markup into your post:
OuterVision PSU Calculator part list
Type | Item |
---|---|
Motherboard | Desktop |
Socket | Socket LGA 1151 |
CPU | 1 x Intel Core i7-6700K |
CPU Speed | 4000MHz |
CPU Vcore | 1. 2V |
Memory | 1 x 8GB DDR4 Module |
Memory | 1 x 8GB DDR4 Module |
Video Card Set 1 | 1 x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 |
Core Clock | 1126MHz |
Memory Clock | 1750MHz |
Storage | 1 x SATA 10K RPM |
Storage | 1 x M.2 SATA SSD |
Keyboard | 1 x Standard Keyboard |
Mouse | 1 x Standard Mouse |
Computer Utilization | 4 hours per day |
Gaming / Heavy 3D Application Time | 4 hours per day |
Monitor | 0 x LED 21 inches |
Load Wattage | 353W |
Recommended Wattage | 403W |
Amperage | +3. 3V: 9.4A, +5V: 9.0A, +12V: 27.3A |
Recommended UPS Rating | +3.3V: 700VA |
Generated by OuterVision PSU Calculator 2020-11-22 11:32:27.0 |
Export PSU Calculator Part List — Plain Text
Copy and paste the following markup into your post:
OuterVision PSU Calculator part list https://outervision.com/b/w2szAd
Motherboard: Desktop
Socket: Socket LGA 1151
CPU: 1 x Intel Core i7-6700K
CPU Speed: 4000MHz
CPU Vcore: 1.2V
Memory: 1 x 8GB DDR4 Module
Memory: 1 x 8GB DDR4 Module
Video Card Set 1: 1 x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980
Core Clock: 1126MHz
Memory Clock: 1750MHz
Storage: 1 x SATA 10K RPM
Storage: 1 x M.2 SATA SSD
Keyboard: 1 x Standard Keyboard
Mouse: 1 x Standard Mouse
Computer Utilization: 4 hours per day
Gaming / Heavy 3D Application Time: 4 hours per day
Monitor: 0 x LED 21 inches
Load Wattage: 353W
Recommended Wattage: 403W
Amperage: +3. 3V: 9.4A, +5V: 9.0A, +12V: 27.3A
Recommended UPS Rating: 700VA
Generated by OuterVision PSU Calculator 2020-11-22 11:32:27.0
Motherboard: | Desktop | |
Socket: | Socket LGA 1151 | |
CPU: | 1 x Intel Core i7-6700K | |
CPU Speed: | 4000 MHz | |
CPU Vcore: | 1.2 V | |
Memory: | 1 x 8GB DDR4 Module | |
Memory: | 1 x 8GB DDR4 Module | |
Video Card Set 1: | 1 x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 | |
Core Clock: | 1126 MHz | |
Memory Clock: | 1750 MHz | |
Storage: | 1 x SATA 10K RPM | |
Storage: | 1 x M. 2 SATA SSD | |
Keyboard: | 1 x Standard Keyboard | |
Mouse: | 1 x Standard Mouse | |
Computer Utilization: | 4 hours per day | |
Gaming / Heavy 3D Application Time: | 4 hours per day | |
Monitor: | 0 x LED 21 inches |
Load Wattage: | 353 W |
|
||||||||||||
Recommended UPS rating: | 700 VA | |||||||||||||
Recommended PSU Wattage: | 403 W |
Note: The above results may differ from the actual, current PSU Calculator results due to PC parts wattage updates, bug fixes, etc.
Is there enough power for my power supply for the next iron: — Question
Is there enough power for my power supply for the next iron: — Question
Ekaterina Abramova
Hello, I have a computer with the current specifications: Intel Core i7-3820 4. 3GHz; 16GB RAM;GTX 760 2GB; SSD 256 GB, Power supply FSP Everest 85Plus 600W ATX modular. Motherboard asus p9x79.
My video card Palit GTX 760 is broken, bought a gigabyte gtx 980 g1 gaming http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=5208#ov
Will come by Monday, so I’m wondering if my power supply is enough for it? On some sites it says that 600 is enough, on others 700watt. I also found out that on some blocks they write, for example, 600, and the block itself gives much less power. So I’m wondering if it’s worth buying a new power supply or is mine enough?
I don’t know much about hardware, a friend who does this assembled a computer, I already invested about 2k euros in the computer …
- block
- food
- power
DE
Dmitry Edkov
If you are not a fan of overclocking, not an overclocker and not a modder, but just love high-quality hardware, not very good. If you understand this, then this is enough for you. If you have far-reaching plans about the company — then yes, you will have to strengthen your positions. Most of those who advised you to replace it with a more powerful PSU here are guided by the principle — the more, the better. Yes, this is useful, but in my opinion, 15% of the reserves will be enough if the assembly is author’s, and when the pros assembled it, and then you only replaced the spare part with an analog, you should not strain. Happy use. nine0003
Mariana
Enough
Video card requires 500 watts Power supply
and eats only 180-200
your BL is enough not to spend extra money
OZH
Oleg Zhuravlev
Enough.
Do you want a joke? 500 watts is enough for you.
RB
Roman Burmak
Enough
Sandal
Enough
MU
Margarita Ushakova
enough
KH
Konstantin Kharitonov
Enough.
MN
Marina Nazarova
Enough.
Natasha Karpova
cards of the 9xxx series are much more efficient than the old series.
Alina Posadskova
Enough, why pay extra money for a new power supply if the old one has enough power. nine0005 Although, on the other hand, you can take it more powerful with the condition that the hardware will be updated, so to speak for the future
shopping mall
Tigran Kobegkaev
Enough don’t be afraid
Calypso
plus the above answers
Alexander Valinurov
600 is enough only if you don’t overclock it!
with overclocking better than 700 watts
as they say stingy pays twice
Michael
believe my experience… . 10 years long. . if you buy a card, buy a power supply for it … since the blocks wear out very much from time to time . .. no matter how powerful it is, it will most likely die on a new card…
Timur Talantsev
enough don’t worry
Elena
In accordance with the spice Power requirement = 600W(with two 8-pin external power connectors) >> 8-pin connector is (and it is, based on the information from the previous video) everything is OK. nine0003
Aina Yusupova
Enough
*K
*** Karri ***
GTX 760
http://www.nvidia.ru/object/geforce-gtx-760-en.html#pdpContent=2
Power consumption — 170 W
Minimum system power requirements — 500 W
Power connectors — 6 -pin x2
——————
for your old graphics card — requirements met
GTX 980
http://www.nvidia.ru/object/geforce- gtx-980-en.html#pdpContent=2
Power consumption — 165 W
Minimum system power requirements — 500 W
Power connectors — 6-pin x2
—————- —
new video card has no higher requirements. And that power reserve is enough for the PSU to approach the slightly overclocked — gaming version
NL
Nikolai Lepeshkin
enough
OB
Olga Barakhova
enough is elementary … fershtein? nine0003
Nina Kukueva
Enough for the 980th with a margin — the recommended PSU power is from 500 watts, the thermal package of the vidyuhi itself is 165 watts (for 780s, 250 watts and 600 watts, respectively). http://www.thg.ru/graphic/obzor_videokart_nvidia_geforce_gtx_970_i_980/index.html
SG
Sergey Gladyshenko
migom.by›article/test…pitaniya…everest_85plus_600/
Considering the younger models of Everest power supplies, we can say that they turned out to be very successful. So successful that they can be considered one of the best offers of the FSP company. ..Samsung T311 Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 16GB 3G Jet Black. nine0003
Elena Aleksandrova
700-800 OK
Elena Menzeleva
I have two such cards at 600 watts and the processor is more powerful and everything is fine, so don’t worry
LL
Lis Lisitsyn
If 600W is written on the official site, then that’s enough. Especially since you have a PSU from a normal manufacturer.
Tatyana Marchenko
nine0002 If a lot of money has already been invested, it is better to buy a new block and more powerful
NB
Natalia Bronnikova
no not enough 600 not enough 750+
Dinara
You can work on the old one, if it is not enough, it will turn itself off.
Related questions
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PSU power
Tell me if this case with power supply is enough power for my hardware0003
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Overview of the video card nVidia GeForce GTX 980
GeForce GTX 980 is a very powerful high-end graphics card released by Nvidia. The graphics adapter is able to run almost any game with maximum graphics settings in FullHD resolution, but the cost of such a video adapter will not be cheap.
Technical characteristics of the device
2048 universal stream processors are responsible for the operation of the video card, which is quite a lot. In addition, the GTX 980 has 128 texture units and 64 ROP units, which is also higher than the vast majority of other video cards. nine0003
The base clock frequency of the video card is 1126MHz, the maximum is 1216MHz. Depending on the manufacturer, the GeForce GTX 980 frequencies may vary slightly.
The memory capacity of the device is exactly 4 gigabytes, which is not very impressive at the moment, especially considering the price of the GTX 980. The frequency of the video memory is 7010 MHz. With the bus width, the developers did not regret it (256 bits). In general, the amount of memory and bus resolution are more suitable for a video card in the middle price segment, for the most expensive solutions, which is considered to be the GTX 980, this is frankly not enough.
Thanks to support for DirectX 12, OpenGL 4.5 and Vulcan 1.0, the video card will allow you to run absolutely any modern game, and impressive performance will provide high or even maximum graphics settings.
The GeForce GTX 980 supports 4-Way SLI technology, which allows you to combine four of these video cards into one common system. Using more than two graphics chips in one computer makes almost no sense. The total cost of the system will be huge (the video cards themselves are very expensive, so you still have to get a very expensive power supply), and the user will receive a microscopic performance increase. Therefore, it makes sense to use SLI technology with only two GTX 980.
Support for professional APIs such as Quda and OpenCL will allow you to use the video card for video editing, graphics creation and even complex mathematical calculations. The built-in Nvenc encoder will be a good helper for streamers and those who like to shoot game let’s plays.
Manufacturers
In addition to the reference model GTX 980, which has standard parameters, there are versions of the video card from other manufacturers. In such graphics chips, the cooling system, batteries and factory overclocking will differ. In most cases third party versions of GTX 980 is superior to the reference, but this does not always happen.
Asus GeForce GTX 980 STRIX
Asus’ version of the GTX 980 features custom cooling that can turn off the fans during low load periods, as well as some factory overclocking. In general, Asus produces good graphics cards and this instance is no exception.
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 980
Gigabyte’s version of the video card is a real monster among the rest of the GTX 980. The first thing that catches your eye is a monstrous heatsink with three impressive coolers, which provides excellent cooling for the graphics chip. The second important feature is the impressive factory overclocking, thanks to which the video card approaches the performance of the GTX 980ti.
MSI GeForce GTX 980 Gaming
MSI’s Gaming Series is factory overclocked well. This copy did not break the tradition, its frequencies are much higher than that of the reference model. Despite the overclocking, MSI specialists did not bother the monstrous cooling system, installing a small heatsink with two coolers.
Comparison with other video cards
If you look at newer solutions from Nvidia, then the performance of the GeForce GTX 980 will be very close to the GTX 1070, although the latter graphics card will be slightly more powerful.
Of the previous generation, only the GTX 780ti can compete with this video card, the rest of the graphics chips are already much weaker.
From AMD video cards with GTX 980, Radeon R9 Fury, RX 480 and RX 580 can be compared. The user has the ability to manually raise the frequency of the chip and memory, as well as increase the voltage supplied to the video card. nine0003
But there are a couple of serious nuances in overclocking the GTX 980. Firstly, this will require a strong power supply, since the video card requires a lot of voltage even without overclocking, and with raising the frequencies, these requirements increase greatly. Secondly, the computer case must be very well ventilated, otherwise the video card will constantly overheat, which can lead to its breakdown.
Testing the GeForce GTX 980 in games
The video card was installed in a test bench paired with a Core i7 4790K and two sticks of RAM, 8 gigabytes each (the total amount of RAM is 16 gigabytes).
FarCry 3
In FacCry 3, at maximum graphics settings and FullHD resolution, the video card feels great. FPS has never dropped below 80 frames per second, so the game will be incredibly comfortable and enjoyable.
Crysis 3
The monster in the form of Crysis 3 also couldn’t somehow squander the video card. The minimum FPS at the maximum graphics settings in FullHD resolution is 72. It is very comfortable to play and even the most difficult scenes do not make up for the GTX 980 labor.
Metro Last Light
But with the Russian product in the form of Metro Last Light, everything did not work out well enough.