ASUS GTX 980 Ti STRIX OC

[Dmitry]

One of the best 980 Ti's we've tested so far. Quiet. Cool. Gorgeous.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeSZ2SMMS_U&list=PLknCNmc8uMa6Y74Jx2XUwglUvMKK7NInh&index=1

 

[sbohdan]

It is all nice and the review is excellent as always but... The price of these cards is just a nonsense. I mean it is just a stupid circuit board, that takes couple of $ to make and they charge... well more than a PS or an average PC or a laptop! And it is still just a graphics card! It doesn't do anything by itself. Graphics cards should never cost more than $200-$250 at most! For the top once. The cheaper cards should be under $100. More people would buy them. More would upgrade and more often. The graphics manufacturers would still make a 100x profit and people could have better performance at the same time. Everybody would be happy. Let's face it: the everage Joe can't pay $600+ for a VGA and most people are everage Joes. That is the volume and not those few, for whom money is not an issue. But greed doesn't let them do this, except greed doesn't pay. Lot's of people turned away from PC's to laptops because of this. Lot's just buys a console. Because a good graphics card costs too much!

 

[Vittra]

Cards like this serve to increase manufacturers bottom line, it's true, but average joe/jane purchases a GTX 960 and enjoys his/her games at 1920x1080, he/she doesn't obsess over bleeding edge tech like 144hz G-sync panels and doesn't worry about paying a premium on top tier cards - let alone highly customized ones. Very rarely does the high end of anything represent value - that's not why it exists, typically.

 

[sbohdan]

Cards like this serve to increase manufacturers bottom line, it's true, but average joe/jane purchases a GTX 960 and enjoys his/her games at 1920x1080, he/she doesn't obsess over bleeding edge tech like 144hz G-sync panels and doesn't worry about paying a premium on top tier cards - let alone highly customized ones. Very rarely does the high end of anything represent value - that's not why it exists, typically.

I don't need you to explain to me what high end means. I just simply made a statement about a little circuit board, that is Wayyyy overpriced. It cost several hundred times more than it takes to produce and on top of this, it will be obsolete in couple of years (in contrast: High End audio equipment holds its value 'till it breaks).

 

[Vittra]

The way we've created DACs and Speakers hasn't changed in decades, so of course audio will retain its value - it's all made the same way. Once you've hit a $2000 USD pricepoint for a pair of speakers, what exactly changes that allows the 'audiophile' brands to charge $10K? $100K? $1 Million? The fanaticism of those who believe in it's value would be about it, no? Or is it just the level of disposable income mixed with general interest in a particular subject? Why do HDMI cables in excess of 10K exist? A digital signal is either passed or is not?b What makes a $5K an anaolog interconnect absolutely superior to a 1K interconnect? Or the one sold at Monoprice?

GPU cores are far more complex and have seen significant advancement and R&D costs than anything in audio has seen in a very long time. Even dacs that bring us DXD or PCM are cheap to make.

Lets frame this differently - people value different things for different reasons at different amounts. This is why someone will pay $20,000 for a pair of speakers but scoff at the idea of a $1000 GPU. It's also why someone will pay $200 for a meal but laugh at a $400 pair of jeans.

 

[FreeKnight]

It is all nice and the review is excellent as always but... The price of these cards is just a nonsense. I mean it is just a stupid circuit board, that takes couple of $ to make and they charge... well more than a PS or an average PC or a laptop! And it is still just a graphics card! It doesn't do anything by itself. Graphics cards should never cost more than $200-$250 at most! For the top once. The cheaper cards should be under $100. More people would buy them. More would upgrade and more often. The graphics manufacturers would still make a 100x profit and people could have better performance at the same time. Everybody would be happy. Let's face it: the everage Joe can't pay $600+ for a VGA and most people are everage Joes. That is the volume and not those few, for whom money is not an issue. But greed doesn't let them do this, except greed doesn't pay. Lot's of people turned away from PC's to laptops because of this. Lot's just buys a console. Because a good graphics card costs too much!

Exactly! It's just like cars, it's stupid that a bunch of steel, wires and cloth can end up costing $50000 when it's really only like $9000 of materials. Not too mention cars like Benzes, Jags and Aston Martins. There's no reason an Aston Martin V12 Vantage should cost any more than 2-3000 more than a Chevy cobalt. Most people can't buy Aston Martins and it's hurting their bottom line as more people could by Vantages otherwise and enjoy those rich Corinthian leather seats.

Wait, not everyone needs a Aston Martin like everyone doesn't need a gaming card that's insane overkill for a 1080 rig.

Well color me shocked.

 

[clshades]

The part some people seem to overlook is a better video card just means longer periods between upgrades. I could buy a 200ish card every year or buy a 600 dollar card every 2 years and sell it for 200. Your spending the same money IMO.

 

[sbohdan]

Exactly! It's just like cars, it's stupid that a bunch of steel, wires and cloth can end up costing $50000 when it's really only like $9000 of materials. Not too mention cars like Benzes, Jags and Aston Martins. There's no reason an Aston Martin V12 Vantage should cost any more than 2-3000 more than a Chevy cobalt. Most people can't buy Aston Martins and it's hurting their bottom line as more people could by Vantages otherwise and enjoy those rich Corinthian leather seats.

Wait, not everyone needs a Aston Martin like everyone doesn't need a gaming card that's insane overkill for a 1080 rig.

Well color me shocked.

Oh, you wanna get all smart and cinical with me? Ok. I said graphics cards are way too expensive and it is true. I don't give a damn about your stupid comparison to an Aston Martin - You could of compare it to food as well, since food, air and water are the most important things to sustain life, so are the most important, so they should cost the most. Here is a stupid comparison as yours lol. Just few years ago VGA's were much less expensive, about half of the present prices in each category. The PC market category is shrinking and raising prizes will not win any customers back. Many people would need a stronger gaming card, than what they have but can't afford it. Do you think ALL gamers on this planet make high sallaries as here in north america?! Oh, it didn't occure to you? I made a post and had my say. I have a right to an oppinion and don't need some stupid moron kid to bark at me.

 

[djsteve79]

I agree. Graphics card pricing is crazy! The high-end card are wayyy overpriced!!! There's no reason why they should be priced over $600. They should be no more than $400!

 

[Bao]

They should be free.