When it comes to low-cost video devices from the initial segment of High-End adapters, many experts recommend paying attention to the modification of the GeForce GTX 770 from the famous manufacturer Nvidia. For several years of existence on the Russian market, this particular video adapter is the best-selling in the category of affordable devices (400 cu). The review, specifications and owner reviews presented in this article will help customers decide whether it makes sense to purchase this device or not.
Clash of the Titans"
The Nvidia Geforce GTX 770 video adapter is built on the GK 104 graphics core and is positioned on the market as an intermediate option between the two top-end GTX 680 graphics cards of the previous generation and the flagship of the Nvidia Geforce Titan line. By comparing the three listed devices, the reader will find their complete external similarity, or rather the same cooling system and physical dimensions.
As tests show, which are confirmed by expert reviews, the new product has a fairly high performance, which provides it with superiority over the top-end device of the previous generation, the 680 GTX model, but its price is 30% cheaper than attracts all fans of dynamic games. There is information that the Geforce GTX 770 chip was introduced to the market as an alternative to an inexpensive solution from AMD HD 7970.
Specifications
Keeping pace with the times, the Nvidia Geforce GTX 770 graphics card has at its disposal the entire set of modern technologies that provide high-end class devices. True, the basic characteristics were slightly underestimated by the manufacturer, so as not to interfere with the stable sales revenue of Geforce Titan - nothing personal, only business.
- The clock frequency of the graphics core is 1046 MHz (in Boost 2.0 mode, the core runs at 1085 MHz). CUDA physical cores 1536 pieces, 128 texture units.
- The memory is built on a modern GDDR5 bus and has a capacity of 2 GB, however, there are soldered platforms for building it, which some manufacturers used, releasing products with 4 GB of RAM on board. The effective clock frequency of the Nvidia Geforce GTX 770 memory is 7010 MHz, although it works on a 256-bit bus. Hence the small bandwidth (224.4 GB / s), unlike the flagship Titan.
- As befits all devices in the gaming niche, the video adapter supports SLI mode, provides third-party programs with access to CUDA processors, supports 3D games, and understands the Blu Ray video stream at the hardware level.
Heating and cooling
It is generally accepted that the GK 104 chip, borrowed from the 680 GTX modification, is very energy-intensive - 230 watts. Firstly, the requirements for the power supply because of this are overestimated (600 W minimum), and additional connectors must be present (6-pin and 8-pin). The second problem is the strong heating of the graphics core during operation, which in a few seconds without decent cooling will quickly pass through the 100 degrees Celsius mark.
In the Nvidia laboratory, it was decided that only the Titan flagship system could handle the cooling of the GeForce GTX 770. The device has a turbofan located at the rear of the video card, aluminum radiator grilles over the entire surface of the printed circuit board, which are hidden by a protective casing. Such a system copes with cooling with dignity, if only we are not talking about overclocking clock speeds.
Hot sale
The video card ASUS Geforce GTX 770, which appeared on the Russian market, immediately attracted the attention of many buyers. Low cost has become the main criterion for many users before buying. The device has a proprietary DirectCU II cooling system, which the manufacturer installs on most of its video devices. An aluminum radiator covers the entire area of the printed circuit board, and copper tubes, penetrating the cooling system along the perimeter, are reduced to the contact area, which removes heat from the graphics core.
The high predisposition to overclocking the ASUS Nvidia Geforce GTX 770 video adapter is out of the question. As the review shows, the nominal frequency of the graphics core 1059 MHz and without that can not effectively reduce the temperature of the graphics core (60 degrees Celsius). A factory-installed voltage controller was installed at the plant, which should provide less heating, but in addition to increasing the energy consumption (260 watts), the video adapter did not heat up less from this.
Decent hybrid
It's quite another matter with decent cooling for the ASUS Geforce GTX 770 Poseidon hybrid video adapter. The manufacturer, using other people's developments, tried to create an air-water cooling system, and, judging by the numerous reviews of the owners, it worked out. A water block is installed on the printed circuit board, which covers not only the graphics core, but also memory chips with power elements. With the help of 50-centimeter tubes, the system communicates with a compressor, which is removed separately and has an aluminum radiator with a huge fan.
The nominal core frequency of 1059 MHz, in fact, is already insignificant for the overclocking potential shown by the Geforce GTX 770 graphics card (the price is in the range of 40,000 rubles). Without any overheating and excessive noise, the graphics core works fine at a frequency of 1200 MHz, and, as users note, this is far from the limit.
Favorite players
Another Taiwanese Gigabyte Geforce GTX 770 product deserves the attention of potential buyers. By installing the proprietary Windforce III cooling system, the manufacturer tried to move its competitors in the gaming niche, demonstrating the high potential of the video card in overclocking the graphics core. As the owners note in their reviews, the device is stable at a frequency of 1138 MHz (in Boost 2.0 it is 1189 MHz). A good result for an air-cooled system, but increasing the frequencies in the future leads to a significant increase in the temperature of the graphics core.
The manufacturer installed aluminum grilles around the entire perimeter of the Geforce GTX 770 circuit board, balancing the temperature with copper tubes, and placed a casing with three huge fans on top. They create an air flow powerful enough for cooling, but the dissipated heat is not removed outside the case, but remains inside the system unit. It all depends on the proper operation of the body cooling system. If the power supply is installed at the top, overheating will be immediately noticeable.
Homemade hybrid
The video card Gigabyte Geforce GTX 770 appealed to many overclockers who do not want to overpay for the brand and want to have a reliable device on hand for their own experiments. As the owners claim in their reviews, a powerful cooling system of three coolers requires a little refinement, namely the installation of additional cooling in the form of an inexpensive water block on the graphics core, instead of one section of an aluminum grill and a base copper core. The Arctic and Scythe brands offer decent water blocks for cooling video cards.
The main thing is to make sure that only water cooling removes heat from the graphics core during the installation process, so the standard Geforce GTX 770 2Gb contact area should be completely cut off. As for the technical characteristics after the upgrade, the performance gain along with the low noise of the entire system is ensured (1200 MHz become a standard indicator of the core).
Memory Race
Product MSI Geforce GTX 770 4GB Gaming Edition will attract customers with a huge amount of RAM on board the device. In the company's laboratories, they came to the conclusion that if there is soldering on a printed circuit board for memory chips, then you definitely need to use this. In addition, the manufacturer modified the power system by installing its own voltage controller and solid state drives. As a result, the dissipated power of the video adapter decreased significantly, and the proprietary cooling system of two coolers contributed to this additionally.
In the reviews of the owners only positive emotions: 1180 MHz in the core and 7050 MHz in the memory bus can be considered a worthy result. But further acceleration leads to the fact that coolers at high speeds begin to make strange sounds, reminiscent of the howling of a wolf in the forest. Here it is up to the owner to decide what is more important to him: performance or silence in the system unit.
Defector
The attention of buyers was attracted by the Galaxy Nvidia Geforce GTX 770 product, the price of which is also within 30,000 rubles. The manufacturer, which is known for AMD's Radeon graphics cards, suddenly released a video adapter for a competitor's chip. There are legends about a proprietary cooling system with three coolers and a copper radiator with a core, so we can only summarize: active cooling can cope with the high temperature of the graphic core by 100%.
Pleased with the owners and the potential for overclocking. The GTX 770 chip works great at a frequency of 1144 MHz, and there are prospects to increase performance further. It all depends on the cooling inside the system unit. The fans work very quietly and there are no prerequisites for the inconvenience caused by the hum of coolers.
Interesting offer
Zotac decided to surprise everyone in the gaming market by releasing three devices at a different price category. The video card Geforce GTX 770 under this brand differs not only in appearance, but also in the efficiency of the cooling system. The PCB itself was also honored with minor improvements , where the manufacturer replaced the controller responsible for power distribution. So, an inexpensive solution with two coolers 770 GTX AMP has a low overclocking potential, but guarantees the owner complete silence in work.
A system with three fans is offered to the user at a price of 35,000 rubles. The price increase was provoked by the best overclocking potential (1100 MHz per core) and 4 GB of RAM. And the Extreme Edition modification is offered as a device for overlockers (1180 MHz). It is worth noting that the expensive modification has a powerful cooling system, which is installed on the Geforce Titan video adapter.
Explosion from the past
The Inno3D brand, forgotten in the video card market, returned with a rather interesting offer. The product with hybrid air-water cooling Nvidia Geforce GTX 770, the price of which is within 35 thousand rubles, can attract buyers. True, as users note in their reviews, the appearance of the device and the lack of radiators on the power elements cause distrust at the first meeting. An ordinary water block with fifty-centimeter tubes communicates with an external cooler. Under the casing, in the area of the memory chips, there is a section of aluminum radiators, and a copper core adjoins the contact area of the graphic core.
Putting everything in its place video adapter performance. The nominal frequencies announced by Nvidia did not increase in the Inno3D laboratories, they entrusted this work to the owners of the video card. As expected, the savings on radiators significantly affected the heating of the printed circuit board, it makes no sense to overclock a system with a water block above 1100 MHz, since the device demonstrates unstable operation.
Finally
As expected, the new product attracted a large number of buyers, because the main criterion for them is still the cost of the video card. For a device based on Geforce GTX 770, the price varies between 30-40 thousand rubles. If you calculate the coefficient between cost and performance, then in the High-End class this video adapter will occupy a leading position.
As for the choice from the available assortment in the market, three companies are leaders in sales: ASUS, Gigabyte and MSI. All the rest prove their superiority over competitors with high performance, and not affordable price.