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GeForce GTX 970s seem to have an issue using all 4GB of VRAM, Nvidia looking into it

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W

wazoo

Member
kanuuna said:
Reading all about this has made me a little bit uneasy about the PC I'm having assembled with selected parts. I think I could still maybe turn the SLI 970 setup I had gone for a single GTX 980, if I were to call the shop tomorrow (and get a refund for the difference). Would it be the better choice?
I'm hoping to play games for some time to come at 3440x1440.
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The problem may occur only with GTX 970 in SLI mode. In mono mode, you do not have the GPU power to sustain 4k gaming at a reasonable rate.
 
N

Naked Snake

Member
Reallink said:
it'd probably be more realistic to ask about free upgrades to a 6GB or 8GB 970 revision, not a 980.
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oprah.gif
 
W

wazoo

Member
Reallink said:
Weren't people expecting a 6GB or 8GB 970 to come out at some point, or are the specifics of the design issue such that the core 970 hardware can never access more than 3.5GB at the expected badwidth? If it is solvable, it'd probably be more realistic to ask about free upgrades to a 6GB or 8GB 970 revision, not a 980.
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That is true, but as you say, a given architecture can only access a given amount of RAM at the same time. GTX 980 will have the same problem above 4GB, as the Titan has according to the cuda test.

so, yes, a 8GB GTX 970 will be no better.
 
Haint

Haint

Member
Naked Snake said:
oprah.gif
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Don't the higher memory SKU's only command like a $40 or $50 price premium at consumer mark up? The cost to Nvidia and OEM's is obviously far less. You're delusional if you believe Nvidia are going to walk away from this for less than that.

*Edit* Looks like it's not even solvable with a revision based on Wazoo's comment, so I guess it's moot anyways.
 
C

Cidd

Member
Nvidia should drop the GTX 970 price to $289 and the GTX 980 to $430.

$550 for a 980 is kinda ridiculous for a 10% performance boost over a 970 even with it's issues.
 
Duxxy3

Duxxy3

Member
Cidd said:
Nvidia should drop the GTX 970 price to $289 and the GTX 980 to $430.

$550 for a 980 is kinda ridiculous for a 10% performance boost over a 970 even with it's issues.
Click to expand...

Sennheiser should drop the price of the HD800. It's not 10x better than the HD598.

In any market you hit a sweet spot between performance and price. In video cards, right now anyhow, that point is around $300. Any dollars spent over that point will get you less and less performance gain.
 
R

Rafterman

Banned
holygeesus said:
Can anyone explain why someone would genuinely return a 970 and buy a 290X when the Nvidia scores better in benchmarks at higher resolutions, almost across the board? People need to look at real-world performance rather than numbers on a spec-sheet.

Just my opinion.
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Because they are angry and aren't thinking straight. If you aren't getting a 980, there is literally no reason to trade your 970 for anything else.
 
B

b0bbyJ03

Member
Dictator93 said:
For a reduced price? For anything? I mean.. I would seriously just like to return them.. completely.
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No discounts or anything but if u just want to return it u should still be able to do it. Contact NVidia directly. According to what they are saying they can assist you with returns. You may have to jump through some hoops but u should be able to get it done.
 
N

Naked Snake

Member
Reallink said:
Don't the higher memory SKU's only command like a $40 or $50 price premium at consumer mark up? The cost to Nvidia and OEM's is obviously far less. You're delusional if you believe Nvidia are going to walk away from this for less than that.

*Edit* Looks like it's not even solvable with a revision based on Wazoo's comment, so I guess it's moot anyways.
Click to expand...

I'd say you're the delusional one if you expect to get free upgrades out of this (I'd like to be wrong, but I'm standing by my position). A full refund for returning the card is fair and square I'd say... for your trouble you got to use the card for X amount of time for free (for some people that will be a few months, that's a sweet deal).
 
W

wazoo

Member
b0bbyJ03 said:
No discounts or anything but if u just want to return it u should still be able to do it. Contact NVidia directly. According to what they are saying they can assist you with returns. You may have to jump through some hoops but u should be able to get it done.
Click to expand...

No matter, what they say, nvidia did not sell you anything. You have to go through your card vendor. He is the one that sold you something.
 
C

CSJ

Member
The Reloader said:
Out of curiosity, what is the minimum that Nvidia would have to do to resolve the matter to your satisfactory?
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A discount on their next card, I've been sitting on the fence with this waiting for a non PR bullshit response and we have it. I'm happy with it so far though, but not liking the fact that I'm going to lose performance due to something I though was normal performance in the future.

If that's what is actually happening of course :)
 
K

kanuuna

Member
wazoo said:
The problem may occur only with GTX 970 in SLI mode. In mono mode, you do not have the GPU power to sustain 4k gaming at a reasonable rate.
Click to expand...

I left the store in question a message on the subject. I should hear from them tomorrow. If I'm able, I think I'm going to go with a single GTX 980 (G1 by Gigabyte) for the time being. If I find that a single one doesn't get the job done, I'll get another when prices start to drop. Or when new, 6 or 8GB cards start becoming popular.
 
D

Dictator93

Member
cyberheater said:
LOL LOL LOL.

AYnnX4d.png
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deservedly so. The fud is too poignant otherwise.
Korezo said:
Yeah I have two gigabyte windforce 970s, I just want all my money back, I don't want these cards anymore. Nvidia better do something.
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b0bbyJ03 said:
No discounts or anything but if u just want to return it u should still be able to do it. Contact NVidia directly. According to what they are saying they can assist you with returns. You may have to jump through some hoops but u should be able to get it done.
Click to expand...

Thx for the info mate. And yeah, gonna be tempting my luck with evga first and then go through the Nvidia channels.
 
W

wazoo

Member
kanuuna said:
I left the store in question a message on the subject. I should hear from them tomorrow. If I'm able, I think I'm going to go with a single GTX 980 (G1 by Gigabyte) for the time being. If I find that a single one doesn't get the job done, I'll get another when prices start to drop. Or when new, 6 or 8GB cards start becoming popular.
Click to expand...

If you do a SLi with a 4GB 980 and a 6GB 980, you will get a 4GB SLI config.
 
cyberheater

cyberheater

PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 Xbone PS4 PS4
Naked Snake said:
Post #970
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LOL. How amazing is that.

From Gibbo of overclocker.

Originally Posted by Gibbo View Post
But nothing is crystal clear, if an etailor decided to refuse it could be a battle and certainly not nice for the customer at all, even if they did win the case in the end.

My point is the etailor needs to make this simple and easy for the customer, in short amazing customer service should the customer want a refund.

We are working on a solution that gives that, amazing customer service, OcUK will make it happen and I want it done by tomorrow.
Click to expand...

Sounds to me that Overclockers will start to accept returned cards.
 
D

Dio Brando

Banned
H1PSTER said:
You know what would make this ok for me?

A steam game code.

Would love Dying Light, I'd stop being salty over it.
Click to expand...
Yeah. In my case, i cant really trade it or ask for a refund, seeing i bought on another state, so i would have to send it and get it back, and pay for both, and i dont have that money now, besides the money to get the 980, that costs 500BRL more, so a game would suffice for me... I mean, the card is still good, its just that nvidia acted like pricks on this whole thing.
 
D

Dictator93

Member
Timu said:
Has this been posted?
2791916-6174234071-142a..jpg
Click to expand...

This is what I am counting on.
They're working on a driver update to allow full use of 4GB?
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That is an impossibility given how it is connected in the card. It could be an improved memory management scheme to avoid that VRAM access as often as possible. Its still bandaging a reality which cannot be changed and doesnt change how the card was advertised.

It is obvious the 970 is a good card. Just not the best for all people
 
P

Pathfinder

Member
Timu said:
Has this been posted?
2791916-6174234071-142a..jpg


They're working on a driver update to allow full use of 4GB?
Click to expand...

From what I understand, the "problem" is hardware-based, so it's basically something that 970 owners will always have to deal with.

I think what nVidia is talking about is adjusting their drivers to make sure that the larger, faster chunk of memory is used first, before using the smaller, slower chunk.

But I could be wrong. Maybe they'll manage a software-based solution.
 
K

ktroopa

Member
If ocuk allow me to return my 970 for a full refund then good, but it then means im forced to get a 980 which is about £200 more for the MSI one. The whole reason i got 970 was bang for buck, so a refund is not actually that appealing to me right now.

I game at 1080p settings tanked so i hope thats enuff for now, until nvidia megik something with a mystical driver..
 
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