Benchmarks
All results were obtained at 4600MHz s on a normal install of Windows 7 64-bit. These are our results,
yours may vary so only use these as a guideline for a similarly configured system.
Clocks
3DMark03
3DMark06
3DMark Vantage
3DMark11
UniGine Heaven Xtreme
GIGABYTE GV-N67OC
980MHz/1.5GHz
106759
34186
37018
34652
9647
Graphics: 9366
1922.52
GIGABYTE GV-N67OC OC
1.09/1.65GHz
109388
34159
38031
GPU: 35801
9836
Graphics: 9560
2026.011
Reference GTX 680
1GHz/6GHz
108937
34290
37689
GPU: 35428
10101
Graphics: 9863
1961.453
With no voltage or fan speed
adjustments at all, we were
able to reach a comfortable
1098MHz on the core and
1.65GHz on the memory.
The memory was a little
disappointing given that it’s at
1.5GHz by default so we had
expected something around
1.7GHz. Nonetheless we were
satisfied with the overclock
and the great thing about the
overclock is that it allowed
the card to match a reference
GTX680 in performance. Not
bad considering that a GTX680
would cost you at least $100
more than this card. With
such performance the value
of the 670OC is increased
sizeably and provided you are
willing to apply this overclock
on system start up, you’ve
essentially bagged yourself a
GTX 680 without having to dig
as deep.
We are satisfied with the
GIGABYTE GV-N670OC and
in light of the changes to
NVIDIA’s policies this card
by virtue of being $399 USD
is seen in a more positive
light. Sure enough, GIGABYTE
could have gone for better
components all around and
an even beefier cooler than
they have, a special BIOS and
the like. It it would have been
for naught because as per
our attempts with the EVGA
GTX 680 Classified, without
the banned unlocked BIOS
versions and software, the
card has virtually identical
limitations to significantly
cheaper, less complex cards.
So GIGABYTE has in a
way cut costs for them and
for us with this card. Had it
been a few months earlier,
this card would have been
less impressive because it
really isn’t anything amazing
component and cooling wise,
but now we have to appreciate
it in a more general user
context as NVIDIA with the
six series put itself out of
favour as far as extreme
overclocking is concerne d
or at least has made AMD’s
job substantially easier in
attracting the extreme or
competitive overclocker.
If you want an efficient, quiet
and fairly easy to overclock
graphics card, you could do a
lot worse than the GIGABYTE
offering. At $399 it’ll deliver
GTX 680 performance with
just a few pushes of a couple
of sliders. Consider this card
if gaming is your primary
concern as you’re unlikely to
be disappointed at all.
[ The Overclocker ]
Summary
GIGAYTE has kept it
simple enough while
making their card
significantly different
enough from reference
GTX 670 cards to make
it worth the investment.
The relatively low price
for a non- reference
card is a boon if only
because it ensures your
overclocks are a little
more stable. This is
particularity true when
you’re shooting for those
GTX 680 performance
matching clocks. We
aren’t’ sure if there’ll be
an SOC version of this
card, but if so we’d be
interested to see how
much further it will allow
the cut down 670 to scale
above the standard 680.
Would you buy it?
Sure, it’s a great gaming
card. We just wouldn’t
bother with it for
competitive overclocking.
The Score
8/10
Issue 20 | 2012 The OverClocker 27