Hello all,
 
I am in the process of upgrading my secondary gaming rig and am looking at picking up either a 980 SC ACX 2.0 or the Classified.  From promotions that Newegg currently has on EVGA cards, the difference in cost between the SC and the Classy is $20 (479.99 vs. 499.99 after rebate). 
 
The question at this point, does it make sense to go straight to classified?  To sum up what I am doing with this card is as follows:
 
60% - 1080P Projector
40% - 1440P/4K - Benchmarking/Rendering/Family member who game. 
 
I had a 970 SSC in this system (sold the card), but wasn't happy with the overall performance.  It might seem like a silly question, but I am just looking to determine if the Classy is really that much better than an SC or even a FTW model.
 
Thanks for the input.

Honestly, the SC is the best value for your money based on the numbers you're looking at. If it fits, you're paying 4% more for the Classy for 2-5% better performance, so it depends if that value is there for you. I would recommend the FTW only if you can get it for less than the Classy. The Classified was built for a specific purpose, and normally I would not recommend it, but the price isn't that far off from the SC, so it depends how you value the increase in performance. It's really all about numbers at this point.

StealthArsenal
I actually grabbed a FTW just about 10 minutes ago.  It was 529.99 with a $30 rebate and 10% off at newegg. 
 
C

Excellent! That was my pick given perfect price, which looks like it was. Enjoy!