It's been nearly a year since Nvidia first debuted the GeForce GTX 970, but that didn't stop Gigabyte from releasing an all new version of the popular GPU.
Gigabyte launched the GeForce GTX 970 Twin Turbo 4 GB, which features a redesigned blower style cooling system that includes Gigabyte's Twin Turbo fans. The exclusive design pulls air in from both sides of the fan and forces it across the GPU and out the back of the case. Gigabyte said that this approach provides 24 percent more air flow and a 29 percent improvement in cooling performance compared to Nvidia's reference blower design.
The GeForce GTX 970 Twin Turbo comes overclocked from the factory, and it includes two different BIOS settings. Gaming Mode comes clocked at 1076 MHz with a boost clock of 1216 MHz. OC Mode has a more aggressive base clock of 1101 MHz, along with a higher boost of 1241 MHz. The 4 GB of memory has been left at the 7010 MHz reference speed.
Gigabyte's GTX 970 Twin Turbo has been designed with the company's Ultra Durable VGA technology. Gigabyte said Ultra Durable VGA helps lower the GPU and memory temperature by using twice the amount of copper that a traditional PCB design includes. Solid capacitors, a metal choke, and tier one memory are all part of the Ultra Durable design. Gigabyte claimed these features result in better overclocking capability and improved power efficiency.
It may be late to the party, but Gigabyte's fresh approach to the blower-style cooler will likely spark the attention of those looking to run SLI. Dual- and triple-fan solutions vent air back into the case and can become starved for fresh air in SLI configurations. Blower fans typically work much better in multi graphics card configurations, and a pass-through fan could be very beneficial if it works as Gigabyte claims.
It's not clear when the GeForce GTX 970 Twin Turbo 4 GB will be available, nor do we know the price, but it is expected on store shelves soon.
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