Xtreme Addict

60k or no beer!

goood

Good result

Is this a score from Vegas? too much fun, you can't focus on top results there

Massive

Good job

Crazy

Great

Amazing

Great

Yes, same temp, different voltage (higher after some point like 1.65v) = throttling. It's common issue on GTX 980. I haven't experienced it with Matrix card but it might be just a perfect sample.

Amazing

With GTX 6xx and above you have to use DVI -> DSUB connector to avoid blackscreens

Great score

Yap, added info in LN2 Software chapter. Also wrote some of my experience with ASICs on GPUs.

Introduction The newest Asus graphic card Republic of Gamers GTX 980 Matrix Platinum is designed to be extremely overclocked. Considering the fact that Asus GTX 980 Strix is an amazing card on LN2 my expectations were pretty high! Test platform Intel i7 5960X @ cooled by 8ECC Fusion 3.1 Asus Rampage V Extreme Asus GTX 980 Matrix Platinum @ cooled by EK-SF3D Critical Point EVO 4x4 GB Kingston HyperX 3333C17 Hynix single - sided MFR 120 GB Kingston HyperX 3K 2x Galax 1200W HOF PSU with removed OCP Thermal paste used - Gelid GC Extreme for both CPU and GPU Big thx to all vendors who support me in this project: Intel, Asus, Kingston HyperX, 8ECC, EK, Galax Photos Box, accessories, stock cooler The front of the card Exclusive for Matrix series iROG chip Samsungs ICS 12x GPU phases (with 6 drivers IOR), 2x MEM phases, 2x PLL phases ROG Matrix OC Panel I got one with Asus ROG GTX 780 TI Matrix Platinum and I decided to use it again. It works great but I encountered one issue - when OC Panel is plugged into the card, I can't set more than 1.6 VGPU even via GPUTweak it - my screen turns black. Sounds like some OVP by OC Panel. I hope Asus will fix this issue with new firmware or some hardmod. It's a pity, cause it reads voltages really nice and looks like a pro tool for extreme overclockers LN2 Preparation I used hot glue to mount thermal probe to Samsung ICS in other to check differences of temperatures using MEM HEATER. It worked really great! When you start 3D, ICS temp. will go up around 1.5-2*C. Very useful, just solder reading points, mount your DMM into it and enjoy real time voltage monitoring! The most easy and fast way of isolation - just put vaseline, mount your pot, put some paper towels under GPU pot and armaflex on the back of the card. SETUP Additional MODS (POWER LIMIT AND VR MODS ARE NOT NECESSARY) IF YOU DON'T WANT TO USE GPUTWEAKIT YOU CAN JUST SOLDER 3x trimpots. It's not necessary! LN2 mode is the one we all have to do - it unlocks extreme bios with software voltage control via GPU TweakIT and high Power Limit (200%) which is totally enough. MEMORY HEATER is very useful but not essential for LN2 benching. If you don't trust bios/software you can just short resistors to disable Power Limit by hardware mod. Mostly just for old school guys. LN2 behaviour 1. MEMORY HEATER Running GPU pot @ -105*C cools down memory ICs to around 4-5*C, though pushing temperature @ -130*C occurs in negative temperatures for Samsungs (around -2*C). When you enable MEMORY HEATER temperature rises at +5*C, adding some more voltage to memories (from stock 1.6v to 1.7v) results in +7*C temperature. 2. Voltage toleration My sample needs around 1.6V for 2050 MHz GPU, I tested VGPU up to 1.77V and card handles it perfectly. I haven't noticed common issues of throttling with high VGPU. Memory voltage, seems like range 1.65-1.75V is the best solution. 1.8V gives me instant artefacts in IDLE. VPLL - depends from GPU sample, it's PCIE related voltage and for some cards adding it around 1.2-1.3V might give some nice boost in clocks. I heard the highest scaling one was 1.5V though via GPUTweakIT we are limited to "only" 1.4V. Note that stock is 1.05V. My card seemed to like the range 1.2-1.3V when I passed 2050 MHz barrier. 3. Cold toleration I was benching the card for straight 3 hours and after that time 2100 MHz GPU was still benchable (though in the beginning I was able to play around 2200 GPU!) CBB (after POWER OFF) -> -60*C CB in 3D -> -140*C CB in 2D -> -170*C Best temperature range: -120*C to -138*C, depends from memory clocks and voltages. With higher memory clocks (2250 MHz) I was benching -125*C without artefacts, more resulted in freezes in 3D. ASIC Regarding GTX 980 GPUs, each GPU has throttling on different voltage (on most cards the limit was 1.6- 1.65 VGPU and with more voltage clocks raised and overall score grew a bit, but gain in efficiency was really poor). Sometimes same clocks (let's say 2050 MHz GPU at 1.6 VGPU was faster than 2050 MHz 1.65 VGPU, though with 1.75 VGPU card was doing 2100 MHz which was overall only slightly faster than 2050 MHz 1.6 VGPU). On my Matrix sample I haven't noticed any throttling even with 1.77 VGPU, but it can be related just to be a perfect sample. I have so far only 1 card, so I can't test it. What can I say is that Strix cards struggled with throttling, Galax HOF too (though contest samples were a bit improved but still throttling occurred but later with 1.75-1.8 VGPU on some cards). My Matrix sample is 80,2% ASIC. I tested overall many GTX 980 cards and from my experience best cards are 80%+ or 67% and lower. I was really unlucky with all 7x% ranges. Comparing different models of GPUs, 80%+ ASIC cards clocked high at relatively low VGPU (around 1.6-1.65 VGPU) and later had throttling issues and 67-66% ASIC cards needed lots of VGPU (1.75V - 1.8V) but throttling wasn't kicking the efficiency. Just for statistics: my best Asus GTX 980 Strix was 84,8% ASIC, my best Galax HOF GTX 980 (contest sample) is 67% ASIC. I noticed that high ASIC cards clock memories higher, but it could be just my luck. LN2 SOFTWARE 3D BIOS 7400~9000 https://www.mediafire.com/?jbqwtjjctv19aq7 GPUTweak https://www.mediafire.com/?a9o0ybdvtlxdtty TO MAX OUT THE CARD YOU NEED ONLY GPUTWEAKIT AND ENABLED LN2 MODE & HEATER!!! LN2 TIPS: 1. Use FIXED MEM MHz 3D bioses (link above). With stock LN2 bios I couldn't reach 2200 MHz stable, with FIXED bios I was benching 2250 MHz and 2200 MHz was very stable! 2. Try to set clocks and voltages (especially VMEM) at around -90 to -100*C. Trying push high memory voltage with high frequency at around -120*C occurs in freeze in idle. 3. Don't plug in Matrix OC Panel if you want to use more than 1.6 VGPU. 4. MEMORY HEATER always ON, it won't fry your memories, don't worry. It turns off if ICS temperature is +10*C and turns on again below +10*C. 5. Clock step by step, 2000 GPU, 2050 GPU, 2100 GPU. 6. Best clocks you can achieve when card is fresh. 7. GPUTweakIT works flawlessly, don't be afraid to use it anymore. Scores: And it's still not maxed out! Conclusion Asus GTX 980 Matrix Platinum is the best retail available card which I played so far (I am not counting special limited samples which have different PCB). My Matrix card is a really nice one and I hope to get some great scores with it.

Good luck, we will miss you, hope you will come back one day

GJ

epic

great

Great result

Golden CPU

Strong

great score

Great