Strix gtx970 dc2oc 4gd5 review: ASUS Strix GTX 970 OC 4 GB Review

We also note the traditionally high quality of the element base, the enhanced power subsystem and the 0dB FAN technology, which allows the use of CO in passive mode at low load. And before moving on to a detailed acquaintance with the new product, we recall that you can familiarize yourself with all the features of the NVIDIA Maxwell microarchitecture in a separate article.

As you can see, the nominal and dynamic clock speeds of the GPU have been increased in the factory from 1050 / 1178 MHz to 1114 / 1253 MHz, respectively. This guarantees an additional performance boost. But the video memory works at the reference speed.

Packaging and contents

ASUS STRIX-GTX9 graphics card70-DC2OC-4GD5 comes in a rather voluminous box made of thick cardboard and decorated with high-quality and very original printing in the style of the ASUS STRIX line. In addition to the name of the manufacturer and device model, we note the mention of the amount and type of video memory used and that this solution belongs to the OC line (factory overclocked graphics accelerators). Also in the lower right corner is support for NVIDIA G-SYNC, NVIDIA GameWorks, NVIDIA GameStream and DirectX 12 technologies.

The main advantages of the novelty are: a proprietary DirectCU II cooling system with 0dB FAN technology, a DIGI + VRM digital power subsystem and an improved element base, made according to the Super Alloy Power concept. It includes:

• extended life solid capacitors;
• ferrite core chokes;
• tantalum-polymer POSCAP capacitors, which have a high level of stability and efficiency even when the video card is operating in extreme overclocking mode.

For everyday use, the above benefits provide 15% more power efficiency, 30% less power cell noise, and 2.5 times longer graphics card life.

The reverse side of the box is traditionally reserved for a slightly more detailed description of the benefits indicated on the front side. Also here is a schematic representation of the interface panel and a mention of the capabilities of the proprietary utility GPU Tweak with the function of online broadcasting (Online Streaming).

The list of system requirements for the computer where you plan to install the video card is located on one of the sides of the box. Based on the recommendations, the power supply in such a system must have a power of at least 500 W and deliver at least 38 A through the + 12V line. As for the additional power connectors, the tested model requires only one 8-pin PCIe cable.

Included with ASUS GeForce GTX 9 graphics adapter70 STRIX DirectCU II OC, we found only the standard documentation and the software CD. At first glance, such a kit may seem insufficient, but if you think about it, almost all modern compatible power supplies are equipped with at least one 8-pin PCIe cable. Yes, and monitors often have at their disposal more than one digital interface. Therefore, for many users, additional power cables and adapters would simply remain unclaimed.

To display an image on the tested novelty, a quite standard set of interfaces is used:

• 1 x DVI-I;
• 1 x DVI-D;
• 1 x HDMI 2.0;
• 1 x DisplayPort.

However, it differs significantly from the reference configuration, which includes five video outputs: three DisplayPort, one HDMI and one DVI-I.

The following resolutions are supported:

• digital — up to 4096 x 2160;
• analog — up to 2048 x 1536.

Appearance and element base

The video card is made on the original printed circuit board, which is distinguished by a special removal of the area with connectors for NVIDIA SLI bridges. Despite the peculiar design, the layout of key elements is quite standard: eight video memory chips are soldered around the graphics core, while the power subsystem components are located on its left side.

ASUS GeForce GTX 970 STRIX DirectCU II OC graphics processor is powered by an enhanced six-phase circuit. Another additional phase is used for memory chips. Recall that the reference version includes only five phases (four for the GPU and one for the memory chips). The used element base corresponds to the Super Alloy Power concept, including exclusively high-quality components: solid capacitors, ferrite core chokes, and POSCAP tantalum-polymer capacitors. This improves the stability and reliability of the graphics adapter as a whole, as well as extending its service life.

The core power subsystem is implemented on the DIGI + VRM ASP1212 digital PWM controller manufactured by International Rectifier, which supports eight-phase active control, and also has a number of protective technologies: OVP (overvoltage protection), UVP (undervoltage protection) ), OCP (overcurrent) and OTP (overtemperature).

In addition to the PCI Express 3.0 x16 slot, the new items are powered through one reinforced 8-pin version. The reference adapter uses two 6-pin PCIe connectors for this purpose. Separately, we note that the cooler does not complicate the process of connecting and disconnecting the power cable.

To ensure the operation of NVIDIA SLI technology on ASUS GeForce GTX 970 STRIX DirectCU II OC, two connectors are used to connect the corresponding bridges. They allow you to combine from two to four video accelerators for the joint calculation of graphic effects.

The reverse side of the PCB, originally protected by a massive base plate, is notable for the presence of the previously mentioned POSCAP tantalum polymer solid capacitors and some other electrical components.

The tested model is based on the NVIDIA GM204-200-A1 (Maxwell) graphics chip manufactured using the 28-nm process technology. It includes 1664 universal shader pipelines (CUDA cores in NVIDIA terminology), 64 rasterization units and 104 texture units. As we have already said, the video card is distinguished by the presence of a factory overclocked graphics core, the operating frequencies of which were 1114 and 1253 MHz for nominal and dynamic modes, respectively.

The memory of the video card ASUS GeForce GTX 970 STRIX DirectCU II OC, with a total volume of 4 GB, is recruited using 8 Samsung K4G41325FC-HC28 chips with a capacity of 512 MB each. According to the documentation, their effective frequency is 7 GHz. The exchange of data between the GPU and memory is carried out through a 256-bit bus, which is capable of passing 224.4 GB of information per second.

Cooling system

The video card with the installed DirectCU II cooling system occupies two expansion slots and has a total length of 280 mm according to the official ASUS website (294 mm as measured by our test lab).

The cooler consists of a massive heatsink, which uses 45 aluminum plates, two 95mm fans with 0dB FAN technology support, and a metal casing covering the entire structure from above.

The turntables themselves are manufactured by FirstDo and are marked «FD9015U12S». Judging by the letter «S» in the name, they are built on plain bearings (sleeve bearing).

Three copper heat pipes of different diameters are used to evenly distribute heat over the entire area of ​​the radiator: two 8 mm and one 10 mm. Note that the heat sink fins and heat pipes are covered with a layer of nickel, which is designed to reduce the drop in CO efficiency during operation, caused by the oxidation of metals. As standard for DirectCU II coolers, heat pipes directly contact the surface of the GPU through a small layer of thermal paste.

The heat pipes are solidly soldered to the aluminum heatsink fins and copper base to improve heat transfer efficiency.

Since the main cooling system does not directly contact either the power elements of the power stabilization module or the memory chips, a separate element is used to cool the former in the form of a low-profile heatsink with a thermal interface on the reverse side. But the memory chips, unfortunately, are deprived of any additional cooling.

The rigidity plate fixed on the reverse side of the video accelerator is devoid of any thermal interface. However, it got quite hot during testing, thus participating in the process of removing excess heat.

With automatic regulation of the fan blades rotation speed, in the maximum load mode, the graphics core heated up to 64 degrees, and the cooler, judging by the monitoring readings, worked at 33% of its maximum power. The noise level at the same time, according to subjective sensations, can be described as “very quiet”.

In the maximum fan speed mode, the GPU temperature dropped to 43 degrees. At the same time, quite logically, the noise level also increased, which can be described as “above average”.

When there is no load, the graphics core and memory frequencies are automatically reduced to reduce the power consumption and heat dissipation of the graphics core. In this mode, the temperature of the GPU does not exceed 45 degrees, since the fans stop spinning altogether and the cooling system operates in a completely passive mode. This is where the 0dB FAN technology mentioned above comes into play, providing a silent mode for the operation of the video card at low loads.

On the whole, the cooler of the tested model proved to be extremely positive, demonstrating not only high cooling efficiency, but also a quite comfortable noise level at maximum load and automatic fan speed control.

Testing

Review and testing of the video card ASUS GeForce GTX 970 Strix OC (Strix-GTX970-DC2OC-4GD5)

Contents

• V step
• Review ASUS Strix-GTX970-DC2OC-4GD5
• Appearance and dimensions
• PCB
• Cooling system
• Test stand
• Instrumentation and Test Method
• Cooling System Potential Study
• Cooling Performance Summary
• Overclocking
• Electricity consumption level
• Results Metro: Last Light
• Details
• Conclusion

Introduction

A few months after the announcement of the Maxwell GM204 graphics processor, utilities compatible with the BIOS of video cards based on it finally appeared, and the unlocked flash driver arrived in time for the holiday. Now any enthusiast can edit the firmware of his accelerator and unlock the full potential of Maxwell. And for us, useful software is doubly important. Now the reviewers will easily appreciate the hidden manufacturer’s settings, sewn into the reference BIOS firmware.

ASUS GeForce GTX 970 Strix OC (Strix-GTX970-DC2OC-4GD5) was one of the first video cards that we will not only get to know from the outside, evaluating its cooling system and circuit board, but also look deeper, having analyzed all the BIOS settings.

Overview of ASUS Strix-GTX970-DC2OC-4GD5

Appearance and dimensions

recommendations

A — the length of the printed circuit board, excluding the cooling system and the bracket for video output ports.
B PCB width, excluding PCI-E pins and cooling system.
C — height from the horizontal plane of the printed circuit board to the level of the top surface of the cooling system.
D – diameter of the fan/s along the outer radius.

A1 – length of the printed circuit board, including the cooling system (if it extends beyond the printed circuit board) to the bracket for the video output ports.
B1 – width of the printed circuit board, excluding PCI-E pins, but including the measurement of the cooling system (if it extends beyond the printed circuit board).
С1 — height, taking into account the back plate (if any) or radiator mounting screws to the level of the upper surface of the cooling system. If it is lower than the height of the back plate of the video output ports, then the height is measured to the top point of the bar.

ASUS is constantly experimenting with the designs of its models. This is mainly manifested in a different printed circuit board or original cooling, or in small chips in the form of LEDs, pads for measuring voltages and other things.

The ASUS GeForce GTX 970 Strix OC version surpasses any previously designed ASUS graphics card in this regard. Despite the seemingly familiar look, it is really created from scratch, and it has no analogues. Start with at least a single 8pin power connector. The entire model has 66 nominal watts from the PCI-E slot (75 watts maximum) plus 150 watts from the 8pin connector, for a total of 225 watts. Theoretically according to all specifications 8pin=6+6pin on load. In reality, I would prefer a board equipped with two 6pin connectors. Let’s see how the replacement will affect power consumption and overclocking, because the main thing is not the connectors, but the correct BIOS firmware (especially in the case of the GeForce GTX 970 / GTX 980 and its GPU Boost).

The choice of video outputs in the case of GeForce GTX 970 Strix OC narrowed down a bit. Instead of five, four remained, but all important and frequently used. These are two DVIs, one HDMI and one DisplayPort each. Unfortunately, the company does not state in the technical specifications how a pair of DVIs work (simultaneously or not), nor does it disclose what combinations of video outputs are available to the user in multi-monitor systems.

PCB

The front placement of the GPU power phases is a characteristic feature of mid-range graphics cards. This technique is used by many manufacturers, and from the point of view of the ease of heat removal from the VRM, this arrangement is even more convenient than the traditional one. It is only necessary to make holes in the end more and properly distribute the air flows.

As for the hero of the review, there are six power phases hidden under the DirectCU II heatsink.

Branded coils are used, which ASUS has been using for a long time, but on all GeForce GTX 970 / GTX 980 completely different requirements are imposed on them. You are probably already aware, thanks to videos of the operation of cooling systems, how they can chirp. This problem affects not only the GeForce GTX 970 / GTX 980 range, but also other video cards. This is especially pronounced in utilities, where the average frame rate per second is quite high and there is no V-Sync.

Just out of curiosity, I tried to play around with adaptive V-Sync in the Unigine Heaven Benchmark and find the range at which spurious sounds are made — from 30 to 70 FPS. True, why it is in it that the sound is most pronounced, I find it difficult to answer. In games, this does not happen, and if sometimes a squeak slips, then not for long.

Power phases work through IR 3598 drivers. There are three of them in total, they are connected in pairs.

From the picture above, it is easy to guess and recognize the camouflaged PWM controller. ASUS constantly labels other people’s microcircuits, calling them the Digi + system.

This was originally a controller from the International Rectifier Corporation. It is eight-phase and supports many modern features: switchable phases, power-saving modes, complies with Intel VR11.x specifications, supports SMBus. ASP 1212 has already been repeatedly used in ASUS products and is now added to the list of overclocking programs.

Unlike the ASUS GeForce GTX 980 Strix OC, where the memory voltage was controlled by a fresh PWM controller, on the GeForce GTX 970 Strix OC was saved. The uP 1541P controller has been installed instead of the uP 1631P.

Frankly, the end user should not care who the controller manufacturer is, what matters more is how the latter works with overclocking utilities. Well, I can assure you that there are no problems. Both ASUS proprietary software and third-party applications are fully compatible with the uP1541P.

A single 8-pin power connector is soldered on the reverse side of the PCB, it is turned upside down with the latch up. Apparently, only in 2014, manufacturers guessed to place the inverted power connectors so that they were easy to use, and not cut their fingers on the fins of cooling systems.

It should be noted that the usual panel with voltage measurement points, which is typical for all ASUS models above the Strix series, as well as those included in it, suddenly disappeared from the younger video card.

Eight memory chips manufactured by Samsung soldered on the front side. They are designed for frequencies up to 1750 MHz (effective frequency 7000 MHz), the bus width is 256 bits. Memory on GeForce GTX 970/GTX 980 graphics cards usually overclocks well to 1900-2000 MHz.

Maxwell graphics core released in early August 2014. The nominal frequencies of the video card are 1114 MHz (GPU Boost up to 1253 MHz) for the GPU and 1750 MHz for the memory. The frequency formula is very low. Let me remind you the official characteristics of the Nvidia GeForce GTX 970: 1050-1178 MHz.

Cooling system

ASUS Strix video cards have one characteristic feature: at the moment of idle time (or, in other words, without load), as well as at partial loads, their fans are idle. And when the temperature rises to a certain level, the turntables begin to rotate.

The key to such a fan control system is the power and the quality of the models used. The latter should be able to start smoothly at low voltage and rotate at a minimum speed. Fans with large diameters are ideal for semi-passive cooling.

The GeForce GTX 970 Strix OC cooling system slightly resembles the ASUS GeForce GTX 980 Strix OC cooler. Why slightly? Yes, because they are united only by a common concept and the relative position of the parts. Two fans with a diameter of 94 mm, single casing, protective plate, etc.

Otherwise, they are two completely different cooling systems. If the older model flaunts five heat pipes, a large VRM heatsink and an almost perfect setup, then the younger one has got a simplified design.