The GTX 770 arrives to Challenge the HD 7970 GHz Edition – 25 Games benchmarked!
GTX 770 Availability
The Nvidia GTX 770 is shipping today and it will also be immediately available for order from leading OEMs and from etailers and retailers. It replaces the GTX 670 at the same $399 launch price and it edges out the GTX 680 in performance as well as beats the more expensive HD 7970 GHz edition in more benches than it loses.
Final Thoughts
However, the big question is not what does it bring over the GTX 680, but what it brings over the GTX 670 and older GPUs like the top Fermi video cards. Well, it is about 25% faster than the GTX 670 which it is replacing and considerably faster than the last generation GTX 570.
Best of all, the GTX 770 comes in at the same $399 launch prices as the GTX 670 and the GTX 570 while edging out the GTX 680 by around ten percent which is currently priced about $50 more. We anticipate that the GTX 680 will come down in price as it is EoL’ed by Nvidia and it has been surpassed in every way by the less expensive GTX 770. It will be interesting to see how AMD responds. Currently, AMD is bundling 4 games with its HD 7970 although they are now older and discounted.
The GTX 770 also looks awesome inside just about any case. In addition, the LED GEFORCE logo is programmable.
We see good overclockability with extreme quietness at stock voltage and fan profile even when the GTX 770 is overclocked. It catches and surpasses the stock GTX 680 rather easily in every single case and it at least matches the HD 7970 GHz Edition’s performance. The temperature limit is set too low in our opinion at 80C, but it is easily changed.
The GTX 770 appeals to the enthusiast who wants a very fast video card without paying the premium of the GTX 780 for being the undisputed fastest mainstream card. At $399 it offers more performance value than the $450 GTX 680 or arguably the HD 7970 GHz Edition which is also priced about fifty dollars more.
Pros
- Overall. The $399 GTX 770 is faster and more fully-featured and comes with a better cooler than the $450 GTX 680, and it replaces the GTX 670 which is about 25% slower. It wins more benches than it loses against the more expensive HD 7970 GHz Edition
- TDP and power draw are still very good. Performance per watt is excellent and it is nearly silent in comparison to any video card including the very quiet GTX 680.
- Overclockability is good for the core and very good for the memory – GPU Boost 2.0 works as advertised.
- The reference design cooling is quiet and efficient.
- It is possible to use three of these cards for extreme Tri-SLI performance
- 3D Vision 2 and PhysX enhance gaming immersion and both are improved using the GTX 770 compared to the last generation.
- New AA allows for high performance without jaggies in deferred shading lighting engines
- Adaptive VSync reduces stuttering while retaining the advantages of minimizing tearing.
- The GTX 770 is very impressive as an “Exotic Industrial Design”. It is heavy, solid, and looks great.
- The GTX 770 is available in a 2GB or 4GB configuration
Cons
- The temperature limit is set somewhat low at 80C and will often hold back boost with the stock fan profile
- Voltage adjustments are still pretty narrow and may not please the extreme overclocker.
The Verdict:
- If you are buying a $400 video card right now and looking for the highest mainstream performance in a single GPU, the GTX 770 is an excellent choice. We feel it deserves ABT’s “Great Value” award because it is a unique design with a better cooler that offers increased performance over the more expensive GTX 680.
We do not know what the future will bring, but the GTX 770 brings an excellent performer to the GeForce family and it establishes itself as the third fastest single-GPU video card below the expensive Titan and the premium-priced GTX 780 but ahead of the GTX 680 while matching or beating the HD 7970 GHz Edition. With great features like PhysX and the second generation of 3D Vision, one can be assured of immersive gaming by picking this card for 1920×1080 or 2560×1600 or even for Surround and/or for 3D Vision.
If you currently game on an older generation video card such as Fermi or even a GTX 670, you will do yourself a favor by upgrading. The move to a GTX 770 will give you higher performane and you are no doubt thinking of SLI or Tri-SLI if you want to get nearly the ultimate in gaming performance without paying for Titan or GTX 78o pricing.
The competition is hot and AMD offers their own set of features including Eyefinity and HD3D and some large game bundles. We do not know how they will respond – perhaps with dual-GPU video cards – but we are looking forward to it.
Stay tuned, there is a lot coming from us at ABT. Next up is an evaluation of Kingston HyperX “Beast” RAM. And don’t forget to check our forums! Our tech discussions are becoming among the best to be found anywhere!!
Mark Poppin
ABT Senior Editor
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