The gaming segment of video cards always attracts potential buyers, because it contains all the devices that do not need modernization and overclocking in order to launch the next resource-intensive toy at maximum settings. The focus of this article is one of such representatives, the MSI GTX 970 graphics accelerator. The reader will find out what the top-end modification from MSI is. Features, reviews and reviews will help a potential buyer to decide on a game solution.
Product positioning in the global market
Video card MSI Geforce GTX 970 is in the top segment, but is not the most productive device in the market for game adapters. However, this does not mean that the graphics accelerator is limited in performance. With game power and complex mathematical calculations, the video adapter has a complete order. There are limitations only in functionality (if you compare the device with the more expensive GTX 980 solution ).
High performance and affordable price (up to 30,000 rubles) are the main criteria that the manufacturer has focused on, bringing the video adapter to the world market. There is no question of any potential for overclocking. The MSI graphics accelerator is the end product in the gaming segment and does not require user intervention.
Graphics Accelerator Specifications
The MSI GTX 970 chip is codenamed GM204 and is based on a 28-nanometer process. CUDA cores are responsible for high performance; there are 1664 of them on the graphics core. 104 blocks were allocated to the texture, and 56 blocks were given for working with rasters. The operating clock speed of the processor is 1140 MHz (in the factory version of Nvidia Geforce GTX970, this parameter is limited to 1050 MHz).
The weak point of the game adapter is the memory bus. Although it is built on GDDR5 technology and has a capacity of 4000 MB, however, the bandwidth is limited by a 256-bit bus. In their reviews, many owners claim that there is a potential for overclocking the graphics core and memory, but it does not exceed 20% of the overall work efficiency. Yes, and the meaning of the very increase in performance is lost for many users, because the device’s BIOS fixes the frequency of the chips, and in case of failure, no one will be able to return the expensive graphics card under warranty to the seller.
Interesting technology
Undoubtedly, multi-frame anti-aliasing improves the quality of the displayed image on the monitor screen. The graphics accelerator Nvidia GTX 970 MSI is equipped with the necessary technology, which is called MFAA. The VXGI (voxel global illumination) function is responsible for the high-quality display of lighting in dynamic scenes. All top-end video cards of the gaming segment are provided with this technology, but not every owner of the game adapter is able to observe a cinematic quality picture. To display high-definition information, you need an appropriate monitor with 4K support.
The video game accelerator is equipped with standard graphics core overclocking tools called GPU Boost 2.0, and also has a V-Sync function that can remove jitter when changing frames at different monitor scan frequencies. Support for DirectX 12, OpenGL 4.4 and SLI instructions for four video adapters is the standard set for all modern video cards in the gaming segment.
but on the other hand
There is a certain percentage of potential buyers who are waiting for new products in the segment of video game adapters not for the purpose of acquiring them. The interest of users is in the discounts that the manufacturer exposes on products that were recently in the top. With the release of a new generation MSI graphics card, a product with an outdated GTX 770 chip automatically lost about 20-25% in price. And this is happening in the primary market.
Accordingly, a second-hand morally obsolete gaming video adapter can be bought at half the price. And do not think that the old chip will not be able to afford modern games at maximum settings. Outdated Nvidia products are in complete order with this. The difference is noticeable only in the realism of the game plot, because in recent years in the video card market, the struggle is not for speed, but for image quality.
First introduction to the MSI GTX 970
A large cardboard box in red and black with a logo in the form of a dragon will certainly attract the attention of any potential buyer. The design is decent: the brand name, brief characteristics of the device on the main display and a photo of the adapter itself on the back of the package. Naturally, the buyer can get any information about the product without opening the box.
Once again, a top-end device from a well-known manufacturer is not able to surprise the user. Indeed, the high price of the MSI GTX 970 graphics accelerator should be veiled by some gift from a well-known brand - even if it is at least a small sticker with the dragon logo. Standard equipment in the form of a pair of brochures, a DVI-VGA adapter and an additional power cable can ruin the mood of any user.
Advertising is the engine of progress
Many sellers of computer parts very often provide their products with shares of unprecedented generosity. In most cases, it’s not a trinket in the form of a pen that can often be obtained in supermarkets, but a real expensive present: a gaming keyboard, speaker system, licensed game, and the like, valuable goods. The MSI product was no exception. The GTX 970 Gaming 100ME is bundled with one very popular and expected game on the market. The licensed product Far Cry 4, which is bundled with a video card, does not affect the cost of goods, however, the batch of such video cards on the market is limited, and, accordingly, there will not be enough gifts for all fans of the popular game.
PCB Features
Many buyers know that video cards presented on the world market under different brands very often differ from reference devices manufactured within the walls of Nvidia. In most cases, many manufacturers carry out minor improvements that can improve the performance of the graphics accelerator. The MSI GTX 970 Gaming graphics card has also been upgraded. The changes affected the power management system - instead of six phases, the manufacturer activated eight and transferred all the power elements to the interface connectors.
They installed improved memory modules at the MSI factory - Samsung chips not only have a fast response (2 ns), but they are also capable of operating at a frequency of 7 GHz. The only confusion is the presence of electrolytic capacitors on the system board. The manufacturer simply had to install solid state drives. However, you should not worry about this: if you look closely at the labeling of the capacitor, it turns out that the manufacturer still installed decent drives with a ferrite core (SFC).
Graphics card design and cooling system
The MSI GTX 970 video card in the basic version is equipped with a proprietary cooler with copper tubes, an aluminum radiator and two low-frequency fans. All this cooling system is proudly named TWIN FROZR V. Yes, it is the same cooler that is used on the fastest graphics cards from MSI of any generation. Two powerful fans operating at a frequency of 1000 rpm, perfectly pump air into the radiator grill, and copper tubes, piercing through the aluminum radiator and touching the graphics core, effectively cope with temperature balancing in the entire cooling system.
In general, there was never a single question regarding the cooler during the review process. It works very quietly, even during acceleration (apparently, there is a speed limiter), and creates a very powerful stream of air that will not allow dust to collect between the fins of the radiator.
Resource requirements
It is clear that each class of video adapters corresponds to a certain segment of computer components, but in order to fully reveal the potential of the MSI GTX 970 4GD5T OC video card, the user needs to have a really productive platform on hand. The processor must have at least four cores and operate at a minimum frequency of 3000 MHz (professionals in their reviews recommend giving preference to the product Intel Core i5). With the amount of RAM is simpler - the minimum figure is 8 GB.
The recommendations also touched on the weakest link in the performance of a personal computer - a hard drive. There is no question of any magnetic disk, only a solid-state SSD-hard drive. Gaming video adapter from MSI manufacturer is volatile. In regular operation, the graphics accelerator consumes almost 150 watts, respectively, the power supply for the entire system must be at least 750 watts (provided there are no additional expansion cards).
Game potential
Many readers are more interested not in the technologies being introduced, but in the actual performance indicators of the MSI GTX 970 graphics accelerator, so it's time to move on to the test results. It should be noted right away that in this review there is no talk of overclocking - all the indicators are real, and any user can repeat them on their own at home. Naturally, all tests are carried out only at the maximum graphics settings (ULTRA) and with a resolution of the picture in FullHD format (1920 x 1080 dpi).
The popular first-person sci-fi game called Crysis 3 shows an average game speed of 65 frames per second. True, in saturated dynamic scenes with a large number of moving objects, the indicator drops to 55 FPS. Things are a little worse with the games Far Cry 4 and Assassin's Creed: Unity, frame change is limited to a frequency of 43-45 FPS. The rest of the popular toys like DOTA 2, World of Tanks, WarCraft and the like demonstrate an indicator of at least 100 frames per second.
Feedback
MSI graphics cards rarely receive negative reviews even from very demanding customers. All products have a unique look, excellent technical capabilities and a long service life, so the reader will not be able to find the flaws of the GTX 970 graphics accelerator in the media. However, there are some drawbacks to the video card. Many overclocking fans complain that the GPU is very hot during testing of the video adapter (at 100% load). The problem lies in the speed limiter of the cooling system fans. The set threshold of 1000 rpm does not allow the radiator to cool faster. True, many potential buyers do not see the point in overclocking, and do not pay attention to this drawback.
But many fans of demanding games consider the design of the device’s cooling system to be a real drawback to the video adapter. In case of dusting of the radiator and microcircuits with a slight movement of the hand, it is impossible to clean the system. It is necessary to very carefully and consistently perform several dozen actions to get to the radiator or fan impeller.
Finally
Definitely, the MSI GTX 970 gaming video adapter has a future. And it’s not at all that the device supports all existing technologies. Rather, the location of the product in the elite class affects high performance and decent potential in the work of the video card. Do not forget about the manufacturer MSI - the company has always produced and continues to produce absolute quality products that are 100% operational. This fact is confirmed by the official manufacturer's warranty - 3 years is indeed a serious indicator. The only drawback that all video cards in the gaming segment have is the high cost. For 30,000 rubles, many buyers can imagine a new laptop in the computer market. But, as they say, there is always a buyer for each product.