Choosing a graphics card

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Hello,

I seek an advice in choosing a card.

Recently a new gtx 1080ti strix has appeared in my area.
I'm very close to order it.

But, looking back to 1080, the "older" they got, the more OC'ed and advanced versions of 1080 got out.
E.g asus has these of 1080:
1. A reference
2. ROG STRIX-GTX1080-8G-GAMING with GPU Boost Clock : 1733 MHz , GPU Base Clock : 1607 MHz
3. ROG STRIX-GTX1080-A8G-GAMING with GPU Boost Clock : 1809 MHz , GPU Base Clock : 1670 MHz
4. ROG STRIX-GTX1080-O8G-GAMING with GPU Boost Clock : 1898 MHz , GPU Base Clock : 1759 MHz
Each next is faster than the last one.

Should I wait for some time, or should I buy the one (1080ti), that is available for me right now?
Cuz I think all the card are the same, but each of them is tweaked a bit more to be sold as a new model.
At the moment there is a sweet Zotac amp extreme 1080, but it has appeared just before the 1080ti, basically after a loooong period since the 1080 exists.

There surely will be better versions of 1080ti, but I don't think, i can wait that long.
Any 1080ti costs quite a lot, so I think nobody want to make a bad choice.

What do you think about reference models? Other card manufacturers?
2 fans against 3 - more quiete? Hybrid cooling?
Any othet advices in choosing a GPU?

Thanks in advance!

[haihane]

can't speak for anybody else but...

me myself, i'm waiting for a 1080ti with EK waterblock installed right from the factory (MSI actually provides these, but it's a total pain in the ass to find one in my area).
why? i don't want to void 'em warranty and still want to watercool that damn thing.

and i hate AIO gpus, i think they look unsavory (and that's putting it very kindly)

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[haihane]

yep that's exactly the thing.

i apologize in advance for replying haphazardly (i read through your posts, and the first thing that came to my mind was i wouldn't buy any of those because my needs were different than yours).

here's my second attempt:

Each next is faster than the last one.

Should I wait for some time, or should I buy the one (1080ti), that is available for me right now?

first consideration would be pricing. if you're at the US, there's not much they can upsell (+5 to +10% to ASUS' own MSRP?). the place where i'm from, the markup can get pretty extreme (for top end products like these, sometimes over 20% price markup than Amazon's price offer).

if pricing discrepancy isn't a concern for you, then i guess you should wait a little bit just for safety. a quick google search brought out this : http://wccftech.com/nvidia-gtx-1070-memory-issue/

as for performance (your primary concern), i'd like to think of it this way: first releases of GTX 1080ti, third party manufacturers (ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, EVGA, blahs) were still experimenting on how far they can push the original Founders Editions. with enough time, maybe they can even come up with custom boards, higher clock speeds, but all these improvements (while nice) won't be mind blowingly significant if compared to the founders edition cards. with that in mind, i wouldn't mind purchasing 1080ti Strix if i were in your shoes.

What do you think about reference models? Other card manufacturers?
2 fans against 3 - more quiete? Hybrid cooling?
Any othet advices in choosing a GPU?

reference models <- founders edition models?
if the answer to the above is yes -> call me weird, but founders edition owners, is what i'd call: exclusivity owners. folks who get the best, first. i respect those who can shell out money to buy these first.

non reference models, i'd usually wait for reviews before seriously considering any purchases. lately i find enjoyment in watching Youtube Reviews from folks like LinusTechTips, JayZtwocents, Hardware Canucks, Tech Teals, or anyone who i feel that they're "genuine" enough in their reviews.

so maybe, this is perhaps my best advice, read or watch reviews first before buying. if you're up for extra due diligence, google up "<manufacturer>+ GTX 1080ti +<model number >+ problems " right before making a purchase.

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Thanks for your opinion.

reference models <- founders edition models?
if the answer to the above is yes -> call me weird, but founders edition owners, is what i'd call: exclusivity owners. folks who get the best, first. i respect those who can shell out money to buy these first.

I would say, that those people are the ones with the shortest patience.
Any third party manufacturer says that their card is +XX% faster/cooler/more shiny than the reference model. So, as I think the reference is the most basic model.
The one thing, in witch the reference can differ is the blower cooler. Don't know how much better/worse it is compare to the strix's (fo example).

[haihane]

The one thing, in witch the reference can differ is the blower cooler. Don't know how much better/worse it is compare to the strix's (fo example).

this i can help (remembered watching it).

Are Blower Fan Video Cards Actually Better in SFF Cases? -BritWit

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