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Nvidia Launches GTX 980 And GTX 970 Maxwell Graphics Cards

By - Source: Tom's Hardware US | B 100 comments

Nvidia has launched its all-new GeForce GTX 980 and GTX 970 graphics cards, which come packed full of new features and deliver this at a much lower TDP than before.

In today's world, energy efficiency is a virtue. We're building more efficient lightbulbs, more efficient cars and even more efficient computer hardware. A trend we've been seeing for a long time, though, is that graphics cards have started eating more and more energy in order to maintain performance increases, but now it seems that the tides are turning. Recently, Nvidia launched its GeForce GTX 750 and GTX 750 Ti graphics cards, and today it is launching the enthusiast-class GTX 980 and 970 graphics cards.

Both of these cards are based on the new Maxwell architecture, which is built to deliver more performance while using much less power. They are based on the GM204 GPU, with the GTX 980 carrying a total of 2048 CUDA cores over 16 SMMs and the GTX 970 carrying 1664 CUDA cores over 13 SMMs.

On the GTX 980, the GPU runs at 1126 MHz base with a boost clock of 1216 MHz, while the GTX 970 runs at 1050 MHz with a boost clock of 1178 MHz. Both of these cards come with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory that runs at an effective speed of 7.0 GHz over a 256-bit memory interface. Power consumption for the boards has also been significantly reduced compared to past enthusiast graphics cards, with the GTX 980 doing its work with a TDP of only 165 W. That's a solid 30 W lower than the GTX 680 (Kepler).

The GTX 970 has an even lower TDP, coming in at just 145 W.

However, a new architecture with a more efficient design isn't the only new thing about the GTX 980 and GTX 970. The graphics cards also come with a handful of new features, including new methods of Anti-Aliasing and support for the upcoming VR Direct, Voxel Global Illumination, DirectX 12 and more.

Of course, for both the cards, partners will be building their own custom PCBs and cooling solutions, but Nvidia did provide a reference design. This reference card looks a lot like the previous-generation cards, and that's because it is based on the same NVTTM cooler with a similar PCB layout.

There are a couple of subtle differences, but aside from the added backplate, exhaust grille, and power connectors, not much has changed. Perhaps this may seem like it's not something to get excited over, but the NVTTM cooler is known to be one of the best reference GPU coolers ever built, and why fix it if it ain't broke? We expect that the GTX 980 will be available in reference variants and custom variants, while we expect that few, if any GTX 970s will be sold with the reference cooler installed.

Nvidia has also updated the display outputs, gearing the GTX 980 and GTX 970 with a single Dual-Link DVI port, a single HDMI 2.0 port, and three DisplayPort 1.2 ports. The HDMI 2.0 port is particularly interesting, as it is the first implementation of HDMI 2.0 on a display source and capable of driving a 4K resolution at 60 Hz, rather than the measly 30 Hz that HDMI 1.4 managed.

Naturally, none of the above matters if pricing is out of whack, but the good news is that it isn't. The GTX 980 carries an MSRP of $549, while the GTX 970 will go across the counter for $329. This bumps the GTX 760 down to $219.

For more in-depth Maxwell launch coverage, check out our full review.

Follow Niels Broekhuijsen @NBroekhuijsen. Follow us @tomshardware, on Facebook and on Google+.

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Top Comments
  • 11 Hide
    17seconds , September 18, 2014 8:14 PM
    $330 for a card as fast as a GTX 780 Ti... AND uses over 100 watts less power? Not bad, price drops incoming everywhere, but who would want anything else?
  • 11 Hide
    TechyInAZ , September 18, 2014 7:35 PM
    Wow cool!! My favorite out of all the features is power output is so low!! I can finally get a card that doesn't break the electric bill.

    Hope I can afford one of these eventually.
Other Comments
  • 11 Hide
    TechyInAZ , September 18, 2014 7:35 PM
    Wow cool!! My favorite out of all the features is power output is so low!! I can finally get a card that doesn't break the electric bill.

    Hope I can afford one of these eventually.
  • Add your comment Display all 100 comments.
  • -8 Hide
    srdragun , September 18, 2014 7:56 PM
    This text sound like "We were not capable to improve the performance considerably, but at least it'll consume less energy... What about spend more $550 to 'save' money?"
  • -7 Hide
    srdragun , September 18, 2014 8:00 PM
    This text sound like: "We were not capable to improve the performance considerably, BUT at least we reduce the power output, so what about pay more $550 to 'save' money?"
  • -5 Hide
    boju , September 18, 2014 8:09 PM
    That 30W less power, if you run the card at max TDP for 24 hours every day for a whole month you will save around $3 give or take estimating retail electricity prices @ 15c kWh in America. Woot :D 
  • 11 Hide
    17seconds , September 18, 2014 8:14 PM
    $330 for a card as fast as a GTX 780 Ti... AND uses over 100 watts less power? Not bad, price drops incoming everywhere, but who would want anything else?
  • 2 Hide
    Nameless7 , September 18, 2014 8:17 PM
    Heat and noise and very important factors for me as I have an HTPC / gaming machine set up in a very small case. Cant wait to upgrade with one of these.
  • 9 Hide
    Sakkura , September 18, 2014 8:28 PM
    Quote:
    $330 for a card as fast as a GTX 780 Ti... AND uses over 100 watts less power? Not bad, price drops incoming everywhere, but who would want anything else?

    It's $550 for a card as fast as a GTX 780 Ti.

    $330 only gets you a GTX 970, which is significantly slower. Should still be a great card though, and better value for money than the 980.
  • 3 Hide
    soldier44 , September 18, 2014 8:29 PM
    So basically not a worthy upgrade for those of us with GTX 780 or 780 Tis or 2 of them.
  • 1 Hide
    airborne11b , September 18, 2014 8:31 PM
    boju, that's not the whole picture, and compared to a 780 GTX the TDP difference 85w

    So in SLI, that's 170w difference.

    So by your math that saves $17 a month. But that's not all. That's also 170 watts less heat getting pumped into the room. Sure that doesn't mean much to you if you're living in canada, and gaming in the winter where you're struggling to keep the room warm enough to not freeze to death. But move that same rig into a place like Florida or Texas, in the summer, where you gotta blast the AC constantly just to not be drentched in sweat, and you would be very thankful for that much less heat getting pumped into your room.

    So less power on the system, less power spent on AC, more comfortable experience while gaming, and not to mention lower temps can help with better overclocks.

    Which the overclock factor imho is way more important than saving money on a power bill.

  • -1 Hide
    Yuka , September 18, 2014 8:32 PM
    Uhm... So they're saving money on these... Hard to believe nVidia would use a 256bit interconnect to the GDDR5 on a "high end" card. They had to push the VRAM to 7Ghz in order to not choke the GPU it seems.

    It's a weird move in my book. Maybe Apple's takeover TSMC is hurting their design.

    Well, in any case, until no benchies I'll just stay un-surprised.

    Cheers!
  • 1 Hide
    zanny , September 18, 2014 8:34 PM
    Quote:
    This text sound like: "We were not capable to improve the performance considerably, BUT at least we reduce the power output, so what about pay more $550 to 'save' money?"


    The x80 cards are always overpriced because they are bling products. But having 290 performance at 145w is a pretty tangible achievement. The thing is, Nvidia is repeating the 600 series - AMD tech cannot compete clock for clock and watt for watt since they are still on GCN 1.3 and Maxwell is a tangible change, so they pulled the 680 again with the 980. Hence the m204 nomenclature and all.

    You also need to remember though that any video card over $300 is insanely enthusiast. The 780ti is still printing them money, so why stop what is not broken.
  • -2 Hide
    bison88 , September 18, 2014 8:43 PM
    They priced that GTX 980 just perfectly (despite the awkward $200). In a couple months the Titan 2 or GTX 980 Ti will drop at $599-$649 and they'll shift it down $100 making anything AMD throws at them in the meantime pointless unless it's a huge leap in all areas.

    Would have really liked a GTX 980 @ $449 now instead of having to wait another 5-6 months.
  • 0 Hide
    deftonian , September 18, 2014 8:45 PM
    Still holding out for GTX 990. I've got the 690 and ready to upgrade. To be honest, I like the x90 series as long as they keep with the two GPUs on one PCB. Less heat and less crowded in the case. :) 
  • 2 Hide
    Au_equus , September 18, 2014 8:48 PM
    HDMI 2.0

    That is all I need to know.

    Well, that and 780ti comparisons at 4k. :) 
  • -4 Hide
    ratchet256 , September 18, 2014 8:50 PM
    Quote:
    Quote:
    $330 for a card as fast as a GTX 780 Ti... AND uses over 100 watts less power? Not bad, price drops incoming everywhere, but who would want anything else?

    It's $550 for a card as fast as a GTX 780 Ti.

    $330 only gets you a GTX 970, which is significantly slower. Should still be a great card though, and better value for money than the 980.


    Nope.

    970 = about 780 ti performance

    980 is definitely better than 780 ti, supposedly it's about 13% better performance than 780 ti, at least that's what the leaked review said.
  • 1 Hide
    The_Icon , September 18, 2014 8:55 PM
    As a Sapphire TriX R9 290 OC (further OCed) owner, I see no reason to upgrade. However, the big takeaway for this card is it's incredible engineering gone through the card which allows for some serious performance at such a low wattage. Not only it means less power requirements, but less heat and more overclockable. Also, some very neat features in terms of software like new AA, improved gameworks makes it quite attractive. The biggest threat for AMD in my opinion is the GTX 970...that level of performance, efficiency and non-nvidia like pricing can makes it so beautiful.


    I always switch brands when it comes to GPUs. I am happy with my AMD card, next time I plan to jump to the green team; not with the maxwell cards, but with the next year's fermi class of GPUs.
  • -4 Hide
    JackNaylorPE , September 18, 2014 8:56 PM
    Geez, why does are we still seeing these "as fast as 780 Ti" comments. When you look at the videcardz.com benchmark graphs, take a moment to notice that:

    The stock 980 is almost as fast as the the 780 Ti with a 31% overclock.

    The 980 with a 6% overclock is 17% faster than the the 780 Ti with a 6% overclock. The 780.

    The 780 was 21% faster than the 680, so if anything the 980 's increase over the 780 is a helluva lot bigger than the 780 over the 680 or the 680 over the 580.

  • -4 Hide
    17seconds , September 18, 2014 8:57 PM
    Tom's seems to be the only place that doesn't have their review up. And yes the $330 EVGA GTX 970 ACX SC is every bit as fast as a now discontinued $600 GTX 780 Ti, not to mention how it fares against a $500, soon to be $400, 290X.
    http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/EVGA/GTX_970_SC_ACX_Cooler/25.html
  • 0 Hide
    Sakkura , September 18, 2014 9:05 PM
    Quote:
    Quote:
    Quote:
    $330 for a card as fast as a GTX 780 Ti... AND uses over 100 watts less power? Not bad, price drops incoming everywhere, but who would want anything else?

    It's $550 for a card as fast as a GTX 780 Ti.

    $330 only gets you a GTX 970, which is significantly slower. Should still be a great card though, and better value for money than the 980.


    Nope.

    970 = about 780 ti performance

    980 is definitely better than 780 ti, supposedly it's about 13% better performance than 780 ti, at least that's what the leaked review said.

    Nope. The GTX 970 is a little faster than the GTX 780, but it's definitely slower than the GTX 780 Ti. Just like the GTX 980 is a little faster than the GTX 780 Ti. In terms of performance, this launch is not a big step forward. But you get a bit more performance and much lower power consumption at a lower price, which is impressive considering they're still stuck with ancient 28nm tech.
  • 3 Hide
    zxt827 , September 18, 2014 9:17 PM
    You cannot judge the 900s right now without any benchmark testing. sure it sounds like only improved power consumption, but wait until there are some numbers available to judge if another $500 bill is worth it or not.
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