GPU Classifications

As someone who went from a 2002 XP D*** to a 2014 8.1 Vanquish... having just recently rediscovered computers and their pieces and parts, there are still HUGE gaps in my knowledge of computers.  One of the main points, right now is:

Does EVGA make a SSC?

But yea, I'm assuming you're getting the "classified" from one of my posts.

Reference is just as he said. It's the nvidia released stocked version of a card.

Then different manufactures take these chips and PCB's and apply their own after market coolers and do factory overclocks.

ASUS has their STRIX, DirectCU II, etc.
EVGA has the Superclock, FTW, Classified, Kingpin
Gigabyte has their windforce ( think that's what it's called).

Etc.

When I say a GTX 980 Classified, I'm referring to the EVGA GTX 980 Classified. It's their flagship (minus the kingpin edition) GPU. It uses a completely custom PCB. Basically the only thing they use is the chip for the GPU from Nvidia. Everything else they design in house.

It comes with the highest factory overclock, a bigger PCB for many different component changes and cooling, etc..

You can tell a reference cooler. They all look the same. One big silver piece with a single black fan near the back.

You can get a reference GTX 980 for the low $500's (usually). Taking EVGA for example

GTX 980 Superclock ACX 2.0 is $569.99 @ 1266mhz
GTX 980 Classified ACX 2.0 is $699.99 @ 1291mhz.

Now GPU's are like cpu's. They all over clock differently. YOu could get lucky and get a reference and get it to overclock higher than 99% of the gpu's on the market. The reason you pay more for say the classified is they are hand picked as the cherry of the bin. They statistically overclock tremendously better.

Make sense? So it really depends on what you want. If you don't plan on doing massive overclocking but want nice performance, something like the superclock is for you. It comes with a 100% stable factory overclock, without breaking the bank.

A lot of people who are into extreme custom loops, typically pick reference cards. They typically overclock just as well as models such as the superclock, but you save money because you aren't paying extra for a factory overclock or aftermarket cooler.

Hopefully this makes sense.

Also... who is Mellor?

Funny how I couldn't get a response in before the "treatise from Mellor" ... lol..  Apparently we were typing at the same time.

Um. actually, no.

Thank you, that's good to know.