bavor
Something really weird is going on with the BIOS switch on my card.  I believe that my BIOS switch has not worked correctly since I got the card on October 30th or I have another problem with the GPU.
 
After I had the card for a day, I decided to try the optional 3090 FTW3 Ultra XOC beat BIOS that EVGA's Jacob Freeman posted here.  I had the BIOS switch on the OC position and flashed the beta BIOS using the program linked in the first post here. The flash worked correctly. EVGA PX1 was reporting a 117% power target. When I checked GPU-Z, it  showed the correct power target and BIOS version.
 
Later, when I wanted to compare that BIOS later to the "normal" BIOS, I shut down the PC and switched to the normal BIOS using the switch, then rebooted. EVGA PX1 showed a 119% power increase instead of 107% with the switch in the "Normal" position.  I thought that was unusual, so I shut down the PC and slid the switch back and forth a few times. The switch seemed to operate properly. When I rebooted the PC with the switch in the "normal" position again, PX1 and MSI Afterburner both showed a 119% maximum power target instead of 107%.
 
Leaving the switch in the "normal" position, I downloaded and ran the program to go back to the default "Normal" BIOS and rebooted the PC. When I got back into Windows and started up EVGA PX1, it showed a 107% power target.  When I checked GPU-Z, it  showed the correct power target and BIOS version.  Then I shut down the PC and switched the BIOS switch to the OC position. When I booted back into Windows, PX1 showed a power target of 107% with the optional beta BIOS already flashed to the OC BIOS switch position. I thought this was unusual. So I shut down the PC, confirmed the switch is operating properly, and booted into Windows again. PX1 still showed a 107% power target with the switch in the OC position after the OC BIOS was previously flashed to the beta BIOS with a 119% power target.
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After multiple BIOS flashes with the switch in either position, it appears that whatever BIOS is flashed to one position also shows up with the switch in the other position.  I'm assuming the switch does nothing on my card.  I also tried the card in my old PC and had the same issue.  I have tried three different Nvidia driver versions and the switch behaves the same with all driver versions, including the studio drivers.  Both PX1 and Msi Afterburner report the same power limits.
 
When I contacted EVGA support and explained the problem, the support person suggested I RMA the card and set up a RMA for me.  The support person said its either the switch or another hardware problem.  If it wasn't for this XOC Beta BIOS I would have never noticed the problem.
 
TL;DR:
My BIOS switch doesn't seem to work.  Whatever BIOS is flashed to one position shows up when the switch is in the other position.  The same issue happens in a different PC.  The issue happens with any driver version with in PX1 and Msi afterburner.  Support said either the switch doesn't work or the card has some other hardware issue.  EVGA support set up a RMA for me.

the same thing happening to me, although I have no intention of RMAing my card.  EVGA support is good for normal stuff, but this is advanced beyond most of their understanding I would bet

I think it may be best to just leave the cards as is and do not flash it until EVGA comes up with a solid plan and explanation because I feel some people may be causing their own card failures bricking the card. Leave it alone and just enjoy it. If it becomes problematic then RMA the card. EVGA can only take so many RMAs before it reduces the overall profit margins so eventually the cards will need further development and engineering provided there is something wrong on a hardware level that can't be fixed via firmware.

whaleboy_2048

jdmwrxpower
I think it may be best to just leave the cards as is and do not flash it until EVGA comes up with a solid plan and explanation because I feel some people may be causing their own card failures bricking the card. Leave it alone and just enjoy it. If it becomes problematic then RMA the card. EVGA can only take so many RMAs before it reduces the overall profit margins so eventually the cards will need further development and engineering provided there is something wrong on a hardware level that can't be fixed via firmware.

yeah I'm done messing with it. I'll wait until they release a new bios, hopefully soon (I'm not counting on that though). I have a waterblock due late this month, and I hope they have it resolved by then. 

Good call. My card arrives Tuesday next week and I did order the Optimus block. Extremely curious to see how it does underwater but not looking forward to draining the loop if the card gives out. I have a two loop setup so the gpu is getting its own 480 rad but I will see how others do with their card. I am going to leave mine packed up for a few weeks and if I don't hear from evga I am sending it back and getting another 3090 Asus Tuf. Don't need a strix or oc card for a only a few frames.

whaleboy_2048

jdmwrxpower

whaleboy_2048

jdmwrxpower
I think it may be best to just leave the cards as is and do not flash it until EVGA comes up with a solid plan and explanation because I feel some people may be causing their own card failures bricking the card. Leave it alone and just enjoy it. If it becomes problematic then RMA the card. EVGA can only take so many RMAs before it reduces the overall profit margins so eventually the cards will need further development and engineering provided there is something wrong on a hardware level that can't be fixed via firmware.

yeah I'm done messing with it. I'll wait until they release a new bios, hopefully soon (I'm not counting on that though). I have a waterblock due late this month, and I hope they have it resolved by then. 

Good call. My card arrives Tuesday next week and I did order the Optimus block. Extremely curious to see how it does underwater but not looking forward to draining the loop if the card gives out. I have a two loop setup so the gpu is getting its own 480 rad but I will see how others do with their card. I am going to leave mine packed up for a few weeks and if I don't hear from evga I am sending it back and getting another 3090 Asus Tuf. Don't need a strix or oc card for a only a few frames.

I had my eye on the FTW or the Strix, and to be honest, based on reviews, I had hoped to get my hands on the Strix first. I was on the notify list on the EVGA site day one, and they came through first, so that is what I have. I am disappointed that my card runs pretty hot, and I get better benchmarks under-volting than I do from overclocking (although undervolting is kind of overclocking, depending on the settings, in my case [link=mailto:1950@.925v,]1950@.925v,[/link] but temps keep me from staying there). My system is all air at the moment and I have just designed and ordered all the bits for a custom loop, but will wait for the GPU block before setting any of it up. I'm still debating on whether to grab a Strix if the opportunity arises and see which card I like better and sell the loser.

I hear you. The strix is great. A few of my friends have them and they are surprised about Evga as they were prior Evga consumers. The 3090 Asus Tuf had zero issues. It went to my younger brother after I got the shipment notification from Evga because he really wanted one so I helped him out. Hopefully the ftw3 is not a waste of money and we really shouldn't be needing to troubleshoot the cards. I would have expected Evga to do the leg work instead of releasing a sub standard product. This is basically what Microsoft does with a new OS. They release something about 3/4 of the way there and just wait for all the people to come back with issues to do the work for them. It's a smart business model for the company to get more sampling and testing on the consumers dime but it leads to consumers loosing faith in the company. But anyways what we need is real data aka how many cards crapped out with sub sections of data aka cards on stock bios where users did nothing vs users who changed the bios and overclocked etc. So we can get the bigger picture

 I have already put my name for the evga 3090 ultra and also préorder a 3080 strix and pay it the 1 october and no news then i got notified monday by evga to get the 3090 ultra and i buy it and also cancel my strix 3080 and got a refund.
 
Wenesday the card was in my pc...verry verry fast shipping coz i'am in Québec, thank you evga to put my hand on this card at msrp. The card is fast and run well and i will be patient and dont update anything till we get the right bios for this card. On gpuz i saw power board go to 480w on oc setting, pretty good and this is out of the box. It can boost to 2145mhz and drop but if my card was on waterblock the boost can stay verry high. So iam really happy with my card and max out all games. 

changboy
 I have already put my name for the evga 3090 ultra and also préorder a 3080 strix and pay it the 1 october and no news then i got notified monday by evga to get the 3090 ultra and i buy it and also cancel my strix 3080 and got a refund.
 
Wenesday the card was in my pc...verry verry fast shipping coz i'am in Québec, thank you evga to put my hand on this card at msrp. The card is fast and run well and i will be patient and dont update anything till we get the right bios for this card. On gpuz i saw power board go to 480w on oc setting, pretty good and this is out of the box. It can boost to 2145mhz and drop but if my card was on waterblock the boost can stay verry high. So iam really happy with my card and max out all games. 

Smart move, don't tinker with any over clocking or bios. Don't even load up X1. Install and go. If it crashes then worry about it.

I have a z490 godlike cpu 10900k clocked at 5.2ghz and 3200mhz ram and 10 fans and the 3090ftw3 I want the most fps outta games for 1080p 2k and 4k

Same , I just feel like many cards are breaking the 1900mhz without such a expensive premium... what's going on i love evga though

Ever since I updated bios to the one Jacob posted mine can't get past +50 on the gpu why is that? And yes I had it to oc and did the 500w

changboy
 You just missunderstand me, My rtx-3090 ftw3 ultra out of the box, meaning i didnt update my bios but i have install precision x1 and put this value : +145 on gpu and +650 for memory, have zéro issue and zéro crash and this with my switch at oc mode. I played many game already and all is fine
 
 I have done just 1 benchmark time spy free and i  score 19532. I dont know if its good or not but it show me iam better then 99% so maybe not bad. I also have a 10980xe at 4.9ghz.

I could be wrong (I'm no expert at overclocking), but I think you got lucky with a great card if you are able to keep those numbers stable in games, I don't think I'm wrong in thinking that is above average. I'd be thrilled if I could go with +100/+500, but I can't even get close to that (and that was with the shipping bios). I always end up with cards that suck at overclocking... 
 
A question for those that know... I think I read that the only difference between the "normal" and "oc" bios' that shipped with the cards is that the OC switch gives you a more aggressive default fan curve, and that's the only difference. Is that true? 

Can u tell me your power slider and clock and mem and fan set too 100 or aggressive curve? Also the volatge

My system is :
-mobo asus x299 rampage omega
-intel   i9*10980xe 4.9ghz 1.255volt
-32bg memory gskill @3200mhz
-evga ftw3 ultra oc rtx-3090
-evga 1600p2
-3 radiator + D5 pump (no waterblock on gpu)
-corsair 750D case
-multi hdd and ssd and m.2
-10 fans(4x140mm+6x120mm)
 
I dont know if i got lucky but i dont think, it can happen if your psu is not so strong then your +12 volt can drop a bit and affect stability for the overclocking. Like me i was running with evga 1000p2 2 months ago and cant overclock my cpu at 4.9ghz, just 4.8ghz and with my 1600 w i oc at 4.9ghz with lower voltage, coz the 12 volt rail hold the power without drop.
The rtx-3090 need a lot of power  when you oc. 500w just on a gpu its something not all psu will do easily.
I'am talking of my psu experience coz my evga 1000p2 is a great psu but they all have a limit and you know it if you push everything to the max. When you begin have some problem for overclocking ask yourself : is my psu can handle all this. If you bordeline, i tell you right now...change ur psu. 

whaleboy_2048

changboy
 You just missunderstand me, My rtx-3090 ftw3 ultra out of the box, meaning i didnt update my bios but i have install precision x1 and put this value : +145 on gpu and +650 for memory, have zéro issue and zéro crash and this with my switch at oc mode. I played many game already and all is fine
 
 I have done just 1 benchmark time spy free and i  score 19532. I dont know if its good or not but it show me iam better then 99% so maybe not bad. I also have a 10980xe at 4.9ghz.

I could be wrong (I'm no expert at overclocking), but I think you got lucky with a great card if you are able to keep those numbers stable in games, I don't think I'm wrong in thinking that is above average. I'd be thrilled if I could go with +100/+500, but I can't even get close to that (and that was with the shipping bios). I always end up with cards that suck at overclocking... 
 
A question for those that know... I think I read that the only difference between the "normal" and "oc" bios' that shipped with the cards is that the OC switch gives you a more aggressive default fan curve, and that's the only difference. Is that true? 

Yes, that switch is not an "overclock" switch but a more aggressive fan profile however overclockers are using as an overclock stitch almost like a turbo mode

andyishak915
Guys I have a question, The ftw3 3090 if we get a water block and custom liquid cooling can it have speeds like the kingpin 3090 or will It always be better than the ftw3? Also whats the difference between hydro copper ftw and hydro copper kingpin, I want the fastest build so help me , currently have a 3090ftw3 ultra and kinda displeased my asus is boosting higher....

Kingpin will always be faster.  Binned chip, better power delivery, higher power bios and XOC bios option.  Not sure what sort of delta-T's you'll see out of a hydrocopper KP waterblock vs. an aftermarket FTW3 or hydrocopper block.
 
Overall though only a few percent difference.

I am consistently hitting 500 watts on this bios. I'm disappointed by the overclocking headroom though. Overall, I hit 14400 on Port Royal and saw as high as 518 watts board power on GPU-Z. The average was well above 450 watts (somewhere in the 480-490 range). I am seeing a stable 75watts with the occasional spike to 78ish out of the PCIE slot.