Evga Geforce Gtx 1080 Ti Sc2 Gaming 11gb Review

EVGA's GTX 1080 Ti SC2 ($720) card uses the same ICX cooler that nosotros reviewed back in February, where nosotros intensely detailed how the new solution works (including information on the negative type thermistors and accuracy validation of those sensors). To go caught-up on ICX, nosotros'd strongly recommend reading the starting time folio of that review, and then maybe checking the thermal analysis for A/B testing versus ACX in an identical environment. As a fun add, we're also A/B testing the faceplate – information technology'south got all those holes in information technology, so we idea we'd close them off and see if they actually help with cooling.

The fast version is basically this: EVGA, responding to concerns virtually ACX last twelvemonth, decided to fully reinvent its flagship libation to better monitor and cool power components in addition to the GPU component. The company did this by introducing NTC thermistors to its PCB, used for measuring GPU backside temperature (rather useless in a vacuum, but more of a validation thing when considering last year'south backplate testing), memory temperature, and power component temperature. There are thermistors placed next to five MOSFETs, 3 memory modules, and the GPU backside. The thermistors are non embedded in the package, only placed close enough to get an accurate reading for thermals in each potential hotspot. We previously validated these thermistors versus our own thermocouples, finding that EVGA'south readings were authentic to reality.

Although this is admittedly a unique, innovative arroyo to GPU cooling – no i else does information technology, afterward all – we institute its usefulness to primarily exist relegated to noise output. Later all, a dual-fan ACX cooler was already plenty to continue the GPU cool (and FETs, with the help of some thermal pads), and ICX is still a dual-fan cooler. The ICX sensors primarily add a toy for enthusiasts to play with, as it won't ameliorate gaming functioning in any meaningful way, though those enthusiasts could do good from fine-tuning the fan curve to reduce VRM fan speeds. This would benefit in noise levels, as the VRM fan doesn't need to spin all that fast (FETs can accept ~125C heat before they beginning losing efficiency in whatever meaningful style), and so the GPU + VRM fans can spin asynchronously to help with the noise contour. Out of box, EVGA'due south fan curve is a bit aggressive, we think – but we'll talk nearly that subsequently.

Detailed Recap of ICX Cooler

Hither's a quote from the previous commodity on EVGA ICX, just to epitomize some of the other technical details:

"Above is an image of the EVGA front-side and back-side of the new GTX 1080 FTW2 PCB, to exist outfitted with the ICX cooler. For indicate of clarity: When we refer to the "front end" of the PCB, we are talking about the side with the GPU.

The biggest part of the ICX cooler is its implementation of thermistors for real-time temperature sensing on a second-to-2nd basis, useful for diagnosing VRM and VRAM temperatures. As discussed above, this is a critical step forward in video menu blueprint, as the GPU dies are now efficient plenty that nearly any reasonable aftermarket cooler will keep them well within limitations. This introduces an interesting challenge: With GPU temperatures lower, fans controlled by traditional PWM based on the GPU volition spin at lower speeds than might exist comfortable for a VRM.

The sensors talk to an MCU (microcontroller). EVGA hosts two MCUs on the new ICX coolers, both SC2 and FTW2 serial cards, with one of the two dedicated solely to controlling the actually functional RGB indicator lights on the top of the bill of fare.

But back to the actual sensors: At that place are two primary types of sensor used in a PC hardware, with EVGA opting to use thermistors of the negative type. NTC thermistors have a resistance-temperature curve, responding to college temperature results with lower resistance. The MCU reads the voltage off of the thermistor and and then calculates the temperature of the sensed object, whose output is so to control fan RPM for the newly added VRM fan.

With a improve understanding of how EVGA is sensing its temperatures, let's now get back to the topic of placement of those thermistors:

The front of the PCB – the one hosting the GPU – positions iii thermistors virtually the VRAM modules, with an additional iv thermistors for controller and VRM (collectively "power") components. It is not feasible to mount thermistors under the VRAM modules (which use a 170 BGA package, or sometimes 190 BGA for G5X), so EVGA must settle on the next best thing. The thermistors are therefore mounted just off to the side of the VRAM parcel, elevation-side of the PCB, in a position that EVGA determined internally to be close in temperature to the VRAM case temperature. In terms of testing and engineering, EVGA probable mounted thermocouples (every bit we do) or thermistors to the top of the VRAM packages, and then moved around the thermistors on the PCB until the temperature matched as closely as possible."

Dorsum to the 1080 Ti SC2

While much of this remains the same with the SC2 card, a few cardinal items are different. Start, thermistor placement is different, so the 1080 Ti & 1080 SC2 ICX devices are not directly comparable without using tertiary-party measurement tools (like our thermocouples we mount).

More importantly, though, the cooler has changed. EVGA's baseplate for the SC2 carte du jour now features nevertheless more bumps to increase expanse – hard to say exactly how helpful they are without A/B baseplates – and the cylindrical fin stack is now taller. These "pin fins," equally EVGA calls them, are mounted direct above the right-side VRAM components and capacitor banks, which is one of the three hottest places on whatever video card PCB (the hottest existence the inductor/FET line, and the second hottest being the GPU proper).

Speaking of the FET/choke line, EVGA has also changed that part of the baseplate in a significant style. The SC2 card uses a copper coldplate to carry heat away from the FETs and, unnecessarily, the chokes and into a newly implemented heatpipe. The heatpipe routes under the VRM fan and sinks via thermal pad into the aluminum heatsink. EVGA'due south gone a bit overboard with the thermal pads lately; it's not going to hurt anything, but they've definitely got something to say later the ACX thermal pad deficiencies. This card, it so happens, uses pads on most every single component and along the backside of the PCB.

Let's get to the thermal testing first.

Continue to folio 2 for GPU test methodology.

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Source: https://www.gamersnexus.net/hwreviews/2890-evga-gtx-1080-ti-sc2-review-benchmark?showall=1

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