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EVGA Step up program...should i go to just an ACX 2.0 980 no SC??

Last response: in Graphics & Displays
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September 22, 2014 12:35:41 AM

hey everyone. I have time in my step-up program to decide if I want to move from my 780 dual classified gtx to just an ACX 2.0 with no overclocking (SC)...980.

Should I do it. And then maybe sell it on ebay or something to make up the difference and purchase a SC acx 2.0? I called customer service and they said that they dont expect the SC model on the step up program.

More about : evga step program acx 980

September 22, 2014 12:39:33 AM

who cares about superclocked cards, just oc it yourself they use the same cooler and everything, there isnt anything special about those cards
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September 22, 2014 12:44:04 AM

any specific way of overclocking those specific cards...I ask because I know EVGA does some diligent testing and makes sure the cards work properly.

Plus doesnt overclocking it yourself void the warranty of the card? And...how would one get from the 1126mhz base clock to the classified's 1291? I feel as if the standard card wouldnt be able to handle that or am I mistaken?
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September 22, 2014 1:03:07 AM

no, you can use EVGA's own overclocking software (EVGA Precision), for one, to overclock your card. It's really as simple as adjusting the clock rates up and running stress tests to see if it's stable.

Also remember that clock speed is not the only factor in determining efficacy of the card.
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September 22, 2014 1:04:18 AM

ok great response.

So if I get the 980 ACX 2.0 version, I can literally make it identical to the same SC ACX 2.0 card, there would be no different in product (hardware wise...visually and parts wise) other than i would have just done it myself??
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September 22, 2014 1:07:34 AM

"superclocked" just means higher factory clock rate, and that rate can easily be attainable by a "regular" card.

It's literally the same card with a different clock rate coming out of the factory.
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September 22, 2014 1:07:51 AM

especially since the voltage will be locked on the gpu to a max adjustment of 12 mv you cant really damage the card with overclocking. You wont void your warranty. You could use EVGAs precisionX software to do the overclocking but most people prefere MSI afterburner and it doesnt matter that its a different companies software you can still use it.

In order to actually do the overclocking adjust the clock rates and test for stability at your desired speed. You can also overclock the memory.

EVGA probably does handpick the best cards to guarantee their speeds but you can get close to them even on a bad card and you wouldnt really ever even notice the difference.

They are 100% identical products just with different speeds out of the box
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September 22, 2014 1:08:41 AM

literally...wow i didnt know that. I thought they was extra gold or something in there lol. ok so I can literally get the same speed as a SC model by myself...with the EVGA software. and itll literally be the same exact thing...no difference.
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September 22, 2014 1:10:04 AM

You have to keep in mind that overclocking works better/worse on every card so it is possible to get better speeds than the superclocked models but also possible to get worse. Like I said though the differences really are negligible.
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September 22, 2014 1:11:36 AM

got it, is there a reason why one would be better than the other. they look like identical cards online, figuring one is just clocked higher at the factory. what would make it worse when I am doing this vs them. and how would I know if its 'worse' or unstable..does EVGA or MSI software let me know..or temps just get too high?
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September 22, 2014 1:11:48 AM

should I also expect the 980 acx 2.0 to run cooler over a 780 dual classified?
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September 22, 2014 1:17:57 AM

As for how good or bad a card will be at overclocking it really is just random luck. Once you have your card and you overclock it in order to see if it is stable you need to run some benchmarks such as unigine heaven. If the pc crashes or if you see any artifacts or tearing in the picture then your gpu is unstable and you need to try lowering the clocks a bit. Also lookout for heat but honestly these cards run on less power than older cards and use better ciooling systems so heat shouldnt be an issue

the 980 will definitely run cooler thanks to its lower power use.
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September 22, 2014 1:21:02 AM

can I get the ACX version to run at identical clock and memory speeds as the SC factory version on my own? Would that create any stability issues, or only if I go way above and beyond the SC version..? and I can do that simply with EVGA or MSI's software, and just put the same speeds as the SC model and itll be basically the same thing is what you're saying?
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September 22, 2014 1:28:56 AM

Its not guaranteed, you might not match the superclocked specs but you also might do better than them.

Yes everything you need is in the overclocking programs
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September 22, 2014 1:36:48 AM

Great! think im going to just get the ACX 2.0 with the step-up and OC it myself. hopefully I can get similar speeds.

But is it going to be a HUGE difference anyways? i mean...I have 3 monitors running at 5760 x 1080, 144mhz each I will be buying a SLI identical version of whichever 980 I get, so with two 980's non overclocked, should I be alright for a pretty damn long time...or truly invest in the SC versions for longer term?
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Best solution

September 22, 2014 1:49:15 AM

even from stock to superclocked the difference in actual performance will be be basically negligible so you dont need to worry about one version lasting longer than another, they will be very good for a long time no matter which one you get and at whatever clock speeds
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