Worried about GB WF x3 680 purchase. Opinions?

NudeDragon · *Last edited by NudeDragon; 07-22-2012 at 09:13.*

Hello everyone.

So today I decided to order a Gigabyte Windforce x3 GTX 680 from newegg. There was a promo going on that got me the card for $500 which is the same as the reference cards. So higher base clock and aftermarket cooler for the same price seemed great.

Tonight I started looking at reviews of that card. Everything seems normal and great but then I came to this review.

http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/g...orce_review/18

Here is what it says...

"Despite the card having a mild overclock out of the box, and nearly matching the Zotac AMP! with our manual overclock, the performance was disappointing throughout our testing. We only had a couple of games that the Gigabyte card even kept up with the other GTX680s, and although the benchmark tests (3D Mark and Unigine) showed good results the gaming tests most certainly didn't. Time and time again the Gigabyte was left trailing in the wake of the near equally clocked Zotac effort, and far too often for comfort it was behind the overclocked reference card."

This review is saying that it's actually slower than even reference GTX 680's. Can someone tell me if there is something wrong with this card? Or was his a rare dud or just complete BS? How can the same exact card but with higher clockspeeds run that much slower than the reference version? His numbers just confuse me.

Take a look at BF3. The gigabyte card gives 10 less FPS than the reference card and the Zotac is 24 FPS ahead of the reference card. How does this make sense? An overclock wouldn't even give +24 FPS and to have the Gigabyte be 10 FPS slower than a lower clocked reference card is even more confusing.

I looked at the Guru3d review of this particular model and everything seems fine. But I don't know I'm just worried I guess. $500 is a lot of money and I don't want to get worse possible GTX 680 you can get =/ I'm really paranoid and OCD so even though Guru3D says it's great I'm still worried.

So any opinions on this? Is that review just utter bull and the guy has something against Gigabyte? Or should I get a different version. It's my first time buying such a nice card. I always had to go for the cheaper versions and I don't want my first high end card being the wrong choice.

Thank you.

lehtv · 07-22-2012, 09:50 | posts: 3,089

I wouldn't recommend GTX 680 to anyone in the first place because GTX 670 performs within an inch for $100 less. I'd return it and get the Gigabyte 670

SrengthOfLength · 07-22-2012, 10:01 | posts: 94 | Location: Elsewhere

Quote:

Originally Posted by NudeDragon

Take a look at BF3. The gigabyte card gives 10 less FPS than the reference card and the Zotac is 24 FPS ahead of the reference card. How does this make sense?

I think to a certain extent you are answering your own question, if rhetorical.

I have Windforce and can speak highly of performance and cooling, pretty much everybody who has had them, does.

Enjoy a great card - run some 3dmarks and make some comparisons.

basco · 07-22-2012, 10:01 | posts: 49 | Location: austria

the gigabyte is the only where minimum frames rises and this is more important then max frames.
now they tested the msi tf3 and took newer driver--so not really comparable.

i always look at different reviews and if only one is out of line then nothing to worry.

NudeDragon · 07-22-2012, 22:07 | posts: 80

Thank you for the replies everyone put my mind at ease.

That review is just bizarre and looking at Guru3d's review of it they are complete opposites with Guru3D showing the card a few frames faster than the reference card not 10fps slower =.=

perosmct · 07-22-2012, 23:57 | posts: 1,072 | Location: unknown

gigabyte fixes any performance issue with bios updates...IF there is a problem, there will BE a bios update for improved performance...nice choice... ;-)

alanm · 07-23-2012, 10:51 | posts: 4,974

You cannot arrive at any absolute conclusion from the test results of one single user or reviewer. The card may have something wrong with it which can happen to an other card, or even something gone wrong within his system at the time of that cards test. If multiple users or reviewers reported the same, then I would pay attention.

Spets · 07-23-2012, 13:30 | posts: 1,438

Alanm is right, there was a former member here that actually asked the same question you did and ended up buying it. Before he was banned for abuse and spam he mentioned how much he loved his card.

NudeDragon · 07-23-2012, 18:42 | posts: 80

Thanks everyone. I'm not going to worry anymore. Scoured the Internet all night looking for reviews and user opinions. They all say the opposite of that review and every other benchmark show that card performing just as it should.

I guess the Zotac 680 getting 94 frames in BF3 while the stock 680 was getting in the 60's should've tipped off that review was a big WTF. I doubt any overclock will give a 30 fps increase in performance that's ridiculous.