Pics looks good!
http://www.overclock.net/t/1231113/gigabyte-gtx-680-2gb-already-arrive-at-my-shop
The wait is almost over

Whoa, how is this not all over the place with official benchmarks?!?!

Well, there is confirmation that it's a 2GB card:)

Heaven Benchmark...
http://www.overclock.net/t/1231113/gigabyte-gtx-680-2gb-already-arrive-at-my-shop/100
Scroll to bottom of page...

Talk about luck :o

BTW - his cpu is probably bottlenecking that card...
He is using a i3 intel 2100 stock

http://www.overclock.net/t/1231254/retail-gtx-680-vs-7970-benchmarks/0_100
 
heres another thread with an OCN member benchmarking his 7970 with stock i3 2100 (just for 7970 vs GTX 680 comparison sakes)....then we can get an idea if Unigine is really bottle necked by a processor....some people say theres almost no difference going from slow to fast CPU, as Unigine is heavily GPU dependent 

It's confusing what the clocks of GTX680 are.
Is it 706? or, 1006? Or, is it anything between 706 and 1006 depending on their new turbo clocking scheme? What is then the 1058MHz we read on one of the so-called NVIDIA slides? Is their turbo scheme so complicated as to having a 706MHz nominal 3D clocks and turbo-ing to 1006MHz on-demand, and if the TDP allows, super-turbo-ing to 1058MHz? All these partial info is confusing really
 

theGryphon


It's confusing what the clocks of GTX680 are.
Is it 706? or, 1006? Or, is it anything between 706 and 1006 depending on their new turbo clocking scheme? What is then the 1058MHz we read on one of the so-called NVIDIA slides? Is their turbo scheme so complicated as to having a 706MHz nominal 3D clocks and turbo-ing to 1006MHz on-demand, and if the TDP allows, super-turbo-ing to 1058MHz? All these partial info is confusing really

 
Yeah I agree.  Also, I will be interested to see how the end user will overclock the card.  Very interesting, but also confusing!

VegetaCreeper


BTW - his cpu is probably bottlenecking that card...
He is using a i3 intel 2100 stock

 
He also ran that at 1600x900 resolution.   He is also running a 32GB OS.  Who knows though.  I would like to see it tested with a newer more powerful setup.  We can only wait :)

I'm keeping up with that thread, a lot of neat info.  Looks like it is possible that the i3 isn't holding back the 680 in Heaven after all.
 
Now it's really starting to get fun.

scored about the same on the x79 platform actually at 1080p scored a tiny bit lower w/maxed out settings.
Score 1181 that is the score at 1080p everything maxed out on the x79, intels top of the line 2011 cpu, 12gigs of ram, ssd.
my GTX 590 beat it in the benchmark same settings and on an x58...

Looks like this card could possibly be .... a letdown?

Johnny_Utah

Looks like it is possible that the i3 isn't holding back the 680 in Heaven after all.

 
I want to see straight up comparisons performed on the same machine @ 1920 x 1080/1200.  

VegetaCreeper


Looks like this card could possibly be .... a letdown?

Depends on what someone considers a let-down.  We all know that this is a mid-level card that unfortunately performs on the same level as ATI's top tier card......sad for the consumer looking for something 20-40% better at the same price.  If the 7970 had been 15% faster it would have forced NVIDIA's hand, but now NVIDIA has time to bring the big guns out later on down the road.

VegetaCreeper


Looks like this card could possibly be .... a letdown?

 

I would not say a let down, all nvidia did to save cost on production and make a huge profit margin is mark the Kepler card that was just a bit faster than AMD's top card and they are calling it the GTX 680, along with charging a premium for it. Its faster than a single 580, its not faster than 2x 580's or even a single 590. It has a few new techs on it. But honestly if you already own a 580 might as well stick to your current card/cards honestly. 
 
As for post above this one I already gave you the Heaven 3.0 benchmark score for 1080p everything maxed out on a high end x79 system.

kaninja

Johnny_Utah

Looks like it is possible that the i3 isn't holding back the 680 in Heaven after all.

I want to see straight up comparisons performed on the same machine @ 1920 x 1080/1200.  

VegetaCreeper


Looks like this card could possibly be .... a letdown?

Depends on what someone considers a let-down.  We all know that this is a mid-level card that unfortunately performs on the same level as ATI's top tier card......sad for the consumer looking for something 20-40% better at the same price.  If the 7970 had been 15% faster it would have forced NVIDIA's hand, but now NVIDIA has time to bring the big guns out later on down the road.

 
This TOTALLY.  It's really, really hard to know what is happening until we get tests performed like this.  Until someone gets a 680 on the same machine that they are test a 7970 or 580 with, it's impossible to decipher what kind of results we are getting. 

As illogical as this is to ask right now my question is since I have 2x 470s do I get some 5xx's to replace them and step them up maybe later? Or just wait it out? Id love to play some games in surround without crashing all the time.
 
Can I do a step up like this:
580 Hydro > 680 (hopefully 4 GB) (By 90th Day)
Then if something better comes out:
680 > maybe 690/7xx if it's within 90 days?
 
Can you do 2 step ups? 1 after another like that?

Step ups do not carry over, it's one step up on your original purchase and so long as the 680 4GBs are reference cards (nvidia provides them for everyone) you'll be able to step up if they release within that time frame. I recommend just waiting a few more days for the release, and grab up the cheap 580's.

theGryphon
It's confusing what the clocks of GTX680 are.
Is it 706? or, 1006? Or, is it anything between 706 and 1006 depending on their new turbo clocking scheme? What is then the 1058MHz we read on one of the so-called NVIDIA slides?

706 MHz Schoolwork
1006 MHz oh poop! Pop Quiz
1058 MHz OH DARN IT gotta kiss teachers behind if I don't get an A!

Krystm


As illogical as this is to ask right now my question is since I have 2x 470s do I get some 5xx's to replace them and step them up maybe later? Or just wait it out? Id love to play some games in surround without crashing all the time.

Can I do a step up like this:
580 Hydro > 680 (hopefully 4 GB) (By 90th Day)
Then if something better comes out:
680 > maybe 690/7xx if it's within 90 days?

Can you do 2 step ups? 1 after another like that?

also most likely the 4gb will not be reference models and will not be part of the step up models.

lordshinro


Step ups do not carry over, it's one step up on your original purchase and so long as the 680 4GBs are reference cards (nvidia provides them for everyone) you'll be able to step up if they release within that time frame. I recommend just waiting a few more days for the release, and grab up the cheap 580's.

 
So when you say Cheap 580s do they have to be reference? Can I get the Hydro Copper ones or what is my best option? Or is your suggestion pick some up used etc?
 
This is all going into a new IB Build so I can wait as late as Late April since the 29th the chip is supposed to drop. I hate to wait that long but I wont have the board and chip til then so why buy something I can't really use now anyways?
 
It looks like you cannot step up even a non-reference card? I wasn't sure of the wording if it meant you can only step up TO a reference card or if you have to have one to begin with. Although this could all change with the warranty / step up changes they are looking to make maybe?

I'm in for two of these as long as EVGA puts them in Step Up before my time period runs out. I sold off my 580's and bought a couple 480's to hold me over until this card hits the street.

ALL   "AR" Cards can step up, whether there is something to step up to is the question. My Hydrocoppers could  step up, just nothing above them that was reference.

Krystm

lordshinro


Step ups do not carry over, it's one step up on your original purchase and so long as the 680 4GBs are reference cards (nvidia provides them for everyone) you'll be able to step up if they release within that time frame. I recommend just waiting a few more days for the release, and grab up the cheap 580's.

So when you say Cheap 580s do they have to be reference? Can I get the Hydro Copper ones or what is my best option? Or is your suggestion pick some up used etc?

This is all going into a new IB Build so I can wait as late as Late April since the 29th the chip is supposed to drop. I hate to wait that long but I wont have the board and chip til then so why buy something I can't really use now anyways?

It looks like you cannot step up even a non-reference card? I wasn't sure of the wording if it meant you can only step up TO a reference card or if you have to have one to begin with. Although this could all change with the warranty / step up changes they are looking to make maybe?

 
So again I would wait until the 680's come out and buy either the 680's if they have good ones or cheap either used or new 580's hydros. If the card is new and has AR you have the step up program, you just need something that you can step up to to be available.

Ok Great! Thanks! So chances of seeing a 4GB card ("Good One" lol) are pretty much 0 at release. Do you think 2x 580 hydros will still be available at the end of April (hopefully cheaper) which then would give me until the end of August to figure out the step up.
 
I guess we will see in the reviews too how they handle multi screen but I still think 2 GB is going to be too little as mentioned before.

I'm sure they will be, at the very least used because people will be trying to get rid of their's.

The ONLY reason I would be interested in the Hydros is purely for the Step Up value because I would just get a reference 580 and then put a 3rd party block on it. However if the pan is to get a much better 680 (4GB - Hopefully) or 690 etc then I think it'd be better to just spend the $ upfront. Worst case scenario I guess is get a 680 at the end of 90 days. But there are talks of the 690 before Sept ( I think July / Aug) so it could be a great plan? Will the 690 be a "reference card" was the 590 a reference or eligible for step up when it came out at least?

I wouldnt say this card is a let-down either. It beats ATI's top card. it kicks the crap out of the 580. So I would say thats pretty damn good. it's not for me...but pretty impressive.
like most of you, I'm waiting for the crown jewel.

VegetaCreeper


Looks like this card could possibly be .... a letdown?

IMHO, yes. This is not the "jesus card" you're looking for. The hype on this was cranked up to 11. People expected nuclear fission to be part of the card specs. 

2GB = no bueno
 
This Bro is going red team until the big mama Kepler card is out and fully vetted.