EVGA’s reference GTX 780 meets the R9 290X OC

Conclusion

Final Thoughts

The GTX 780 is still impressive.   At $499 the EVGA GTX 780 is solidly faster than the $329 GTX 680 and it gives up less than 20% performance to the $699 GTX 780 Ti.  At stock speeds, the reference GTX 780 runs cool and quiet and even overclocked, it is still not as loud as the stock reference R9 290X (1000MHz) in Quiet mode, which it beats.  The reference EVGA GTX 780 3GB card is very close to the R9 290X performance in Uber mode while running much cooler and quieter.  The GTX 780 offers close to 90% of the Titan’s performance for $500 less!

We are totally impressed with the GK110 cool-running Kepler chip that has very good overclockability. It matches the R9 290X and it leaves the GTX 770, R9 280X and the HD 7970 GHz edition in the dust. It is about 25% faster overall than the HD 7970 GHz Edition in the games that we tested.  If you have a GTX 770/680 2GB or even a GTX 690, you simply cannot run Max Payne 3 with maxed-out ultra setting in Surround like you can with the GTX 780 because of its 3GB framebuffer.

The GTX 780 also looks awesome inside just about any case. In addition, the LED GeForce logo is programmable and we did have a little time to check out EVGA’s program which we liked.

We see good overclockability with extreme quietness at stock voltage and fan profile even when the GTX 780 is overclocked. It catches and surpasses the stock Titan rather easily in every single case although  it cannot quite catch the reference GTX 780 Ti. The temperature limit is set too low in our opinion at 80C, but it is easily changed.

 The GTX 780 appeals to the enthusiast who wants a very fast and quiet single-GPU without paying nearly $150 more for the Ti version.  The $519 EVGA 780 card is also bundled with 4 very popular games (and a $100 Shield discount, if you want to buy it together as a package).  In contrast, the R9 290X costs $549 and you will have to pay $579 for a card bundled that is bundled with Battlefield 4.  We have not tested AMD’s newest card, the R9 290 (no X), which is reported to be close to R9 290X performance and costs $400 with no game bundle.  However, it also suffers from the same issues of the 290X – a very hot-running card that is rather noisy when the fan is allowed to exceed 40%.

If you are buying an EVGA GTX 780, make sure you also consider the $499 version with the ACX cooler.  It will run cooler and quieter than the reference version for $20 less, but it does not SLI as well as the reference version.  If you are looking for even more performance, consider the reference version of this same EVGA GTX 780, but Superclocked for just ten dollars more at $529.

Pros

• The GTX 780 is a very powerful mainstream single-GPU video card that slots just behind the GTX 780 Ti and Titan, as it trades blows with the R9 290X while running cooler and quieter.
• TDP and power draw are excellent. Performance per watt is better than its competitor’s cards and it is very quiet in comparison to any video card – quieter than the 290X Quiet mode which throttles its performance.
• Overclockability is good – GPU Boost 2.0 works as advertised.  The reference design cooling is quiet and efficient; the card and well-ventilated case stay cool even when well-overclocked.
• 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 780 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. G-Sync promises to revolutionize gaming by synching the display to a Kepler GPU.
• The GTX 780 is very impressive as an “Exotic Industrial Design”. It is heavy, solid, and looks great.
• Overclocked, the GTX 780’s performance comes reasonably close to the GTX 780 Ti’s performance and beats the Titan when overclocked. It also comes close to GTX 690 performance, and there are some games that it can play in Surround that the dual-GPU card cannot because of the 780’s larger 3GB framebuffer. It also does not suffer from the issues associated with multi-GPU.
• Great features like the GeForce Experience and ShadowPlay enhance a gamers experience.
• The EVGA GTX 780 is offered with a 3-game Holiday Bundle including Assassin’s Creed IV–Black Flag, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist and Batman: Arkham Origins.  EVGA also offers Rise of the Triad as an additional bonus and there is also a further $100 discount available on the total package if you also want to pick up Nvidia’s new streaming game console, the Shield, at the same time.

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 an ultimate single-GPU flagship video card right now and looking for very high mainstream performance in a single GPU, the EVGA GTX 780 is an excellent choice. We feel it deserves the ABT Editor’s Choice award.

We do not know what the future will bring, but the reference EVGA GTX 780 brings an excellent performer to the GeForce family and it clearly establishes itself as one of the top single-GPU video card in the world, just below the GTX 780 Ti and trading blows with the R9 290X. With great features like PhysX and the second generation of 3D Vision, one can be assured of immersive gaming by picking this card for 2560×1600 or even higher resolutions including for Surround and/or for 3D Vision Surround.

If you currently game on an older generation video card, you will do yourself a big favor by upgrading. The move to a GTX 780 will give you better visuals on the DX11 pathway and you are no doubt thinking of Tri-SLI if you want to get the ultimate in gaming performance.

The competition is hot and AMD offers their own set of features including Eyefinity and HD3D.  Next up, the gloves come off as we unlock the voltages, uncap the fan speeds, and crank our clockspeeds to the absolute maximum for our PowerColor R9 290X OC and our GTX 780 Ti.

In the meantime, check out ABT forum where the best tech discussions are to be found anywhere!

Happy Gaming!