#Nvidia gtx 680 performance full size

Unfortunately we find that this ruffles our feathers a bit, although this isnвЂ™t strictly NVIDIAвЂ™s fault. While NVIDIA has used DVI and HDMI ports for quite some time, this is the first time NVIDIA has included DIsplayPort on a reference design.

#Nvidia gtx 680 performance full size

Altogether the GTX 680 features 2 DL-DVI ports, a full size HDMI port, and a full size DisplayPort. As we alluded to previously, the GTX 680 uses a stacked DVI design here NVIDIA has done everything they can to keep the DVI ports at the very bottom of the card to avoid impeding airflow, but the upper DVI port still occupies roughly 40% of what would otherwise be the vent. Meanwhile at the front of the card we see the I/O bracket. Following in the footsteps of the GTX 580, the GTX 680 features 2 SLI connectors, allowing for up to 3-way SLI. Looking at the top of the card, as always we see the SLI connectors. Overall the card measures 10вЂќ long with no overhang from the shroud, making it 0.5вЂќ shorter than the GTX 580. These are Hynix R0C modules, which means theyвЂ™re rated for 6GHz, the stock memory speed for the GTX 680. Meanwhile arranged around the GPU we can see the 8 2Gb GDDR5 RAM modules that give the GTX 680 its 2GB of RAM. Unlike GF110 and GF114, GK104 is not capped with an IHS, allowing for the heatsink to directly come in contact with the GPU die. This is as opposed to the vapor chamber on the GTX 580, and while this setup doesnвЂ™t allow empirical testing, given the high efficiency of vapor chambers itвЂ™s likely that this isnвЂ™t quite as efficient, though to what degree we couldnвЂ™t say.ДЇinally, after removing the fan, baseplate, and heatsink, we can see the PCB in full detail. Underneath the heatsink NVIDIA is using a set of three heatpipes to transfer heat between the GPU and the heatsink. NVIDIA is using an aluminum fin stacked heatsink, very similar to what we saw on the GTX 580. Moving on, when we remove the shroud on the GTX 680 we see the fan, baseplate, and heatsink in full detail. Overall this staggered design is not too difficult to work with, though with one socket facing the opposite way it might require some cable repositioning if you have a well maintained cable run. With the fan otherwise occupying the space that one of the sockets would take up, this configuration allowed NVIDIA to have two sockets without lengthening the card just to fit another socket. Rather than having them side-by-side as weвЂ™ve seen on countless NVIDIA cards in the past, the sockets are stacked on each other in a staggered configuration.

Because the fan is now so close to the top and at the same time so close to the rear, NVIDIA went with a unique method of arranging the PCIe power sockets. On that note, the repositioning of the fan also had its own ramifications. WeвЂ™ll get into the port configuration more in a minute, but for the moment the significance is that because the GTX 680 only has half a vent NVIDIA has moved the fan to match the vent, which is why the fan has been moved up. This is due to NVIDIAвЂ™s port configuration, which uses a stacked DVI connector that consumes what would have normally been part of the exhaust vent on the GTX 580. Looking at the fan itself, compared to the GTX 580 the fan has been moved from the center of the card to the top of the card.

NVIDIA tells us that this shouldnвЂ™t significantly impact the cooling of the card, particularly since it has a lower TDP in the first place, but when used in SLI it will remove some of the breathing room than the GTX 580 enjoyed. Notably, due to a combination of card length and the fan position, the вЂњwedgeвЂќ around the fan has been done away with.

A radial fan at the rear of the card sucks in air and pushes it towards the front of the card. Like the past GTX x80 cards, the basic design of the GTX 680 is that of a blower. All things considered the design of the GeForce GTX 680 is not a radical departure from the GTX 580, but at the same time it also has some distinct differences owing to the fact that its TDP is some 50W lower than GTX 580.