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Two web-sites have published images of graphics cards they claim to be based on Nvidia Corp’s upcoming GeForce GTX 970 graphics processor. The graphics boards feature custom designs and cooling systems.
The Galaxy GeForce GTX 970 4GB graphics adapter, which photo was published by VideoCardz on Thursday, is clearly designed for enthusiasts and overclockers. The graphics card features a long printed-circuit board (PCB) with two auxiliary PCI Express power connectors (6-pin + 8-pin) as well as an advanced cooling system sporting two fans and multiple heat-pipes.
It is possible that Galaxy used PCB from the GeForce GTX 980 graphics card for its enthusiast-oriented GeForce GTX 970. Since the graphics card itself has no markings except the word “Galax”, its authenticity and even the name could not be verified.
Another image – which allegedly depicts Zotac’s GeForce GTX 970 graphics board along with its package – has been leaked by someone from Overclock.net forums.
If the image is genuine, then Zotac decided to address small form-factor (SFF) systems with its GeForce GTX 970. The graphics adapter does feature a sophisticated cooler with two fans and heat-pipes, but the card itself is rather short and will thus fit into small PCs. Keeping in mind that SFF systems usually do not come with power supply units featuring 8-pin power connectors, it is more than likely that Zotac’s GeForce GTX 970 requires two 6-pin auxiliary PCIe power connectors.
Nvidia's upcoming GeForce GTX 970 and GeForce GTX 980 graphics cards are based on the code-named GM204 graphics processing unit. The chip is powered by the second-generation Maxwell architecture. The novelties are expected to be formally introduced later this month.
Nvidia, Galaxy and Zotac did not comment on the news-story.
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KitGuru Says: Traditionally Nvidia used similar PCBs for its GeForce GTX *80 and *70 graphics cards since their configurations were rather similar. For some reason, this time Nvidia allows its partners to design PCBs for the GTX 970 themselves. Theoretically, this could mean that there will be very different GeForce GTX 970 graphics boards on the market, some of them will be extremely good overclockers, whereas the other will be very affordable.
Zotac use to make some cool looking cards. Now…full-on ugly. Throw some big fans on, and a cheap flimsy cardboard-boxy metal shroud and they’re done designing…
I really liked their black – orange kind of thing. This one just looks generic and boring.
I have a Zotac 550Ti that finally died (fan went to hell after a year, and now years later it cant power itself properly) that looks OK. In the last few years theyve been toning it down WAY too much. Most of their stuff isnt particularly nice compared to EVGA or Giga, so they should at least make them look nice. If some GPUs are nearly the same, one is slightly faster, the other looks a lot better, for the same price, id likely get the better looking one because that minor performance drop wont even be noticeable.
EVGA nor Gigabyte ever dissappointed me in looks, perfomance and service. Even after tearing the whole GPU apart to watercool it just to find out it wasn’t working they still sent me a new one. Zotac & MSI should do the same.
The only time I see the card is when:
1) A disk in the array pops
2) I’m blowing dust out of the case
3) A fan dies
Is the card ugly? As far as coolers go, it traversed every node of the ugly tree on it’s way down the iterator. But it’s the graphics that are supposed to be pretty – if I’m staring at the card instead of it’s output, something already went wrong.
ooooo card, my pressiuss, im gonna sit and stare at youuu…