Be a use one shroud is plastic, and the other is a single piece of metal. You're paying for metal.

And the FE was released much earlier, so that is the other part.

thanks scarlet. I love heavy metal. just not that kind

The true answer?
 
GREED (Nvidia's).
 
Custom coolers and PCBs are cheaper than the stock FE. It is just pure, unadulterated greed.

arestavo
The true answer?
 
GREED (Nvidia's).
 
Custom coolers and PCBs are cheaper than the stock FE. It is just pure, unadulterated greed.

Not really greed.  Capitalism.  NVIDIA knows that some people will pay a premium to be one of the "first" to own the card.  Knowing that the supply will be low at first and that the demand will be high at first, the price is higher at first and NVIDIA put themselves in the position to collect on their good market position.
 
If people didn't rush in like fools, NVIDIA wouldn't charge an extra $100.

EVGA GTX 980 #04G-P4-2980-KR:

1. NVIDIA GTX 980 Founders Edition.
2. PCB is designed & built by nvidia. Notice nvidia logo on pcb.
3. Uses founders edition cooler.
4. Inlcudes backplate.
5. Uses different plating, coating & component brands. Much cleaner than EVGA GTX 980 stock reference card.

 
Red = Bus architecture. Much cleaner & brighter.
Orange = Component. Different brand.
Green = Coating. Notice the traces are not visible.
Blue = Mounts. Much cleaner & brighter.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EVGA GTX 980 #04G-P4-1980-KR:

1. EVGA GTX 980 stock reference card.
2. PCB is based on nvidia reference design.
3. PCB is built by evga not nvidia. Notice evga logo on pcb.
4. No founders edition cooler.
5. No backplate.
6. Uses different plating, coating & component brands. Notice how the NVIDIA GTX 980 Founders edition is much cleaner in the bus architecture and mounts. 

 
 
 
 

CoercionShaman
Hey, I picked all that out in the other thread!!
 

Yep, you're like the only person who noticed. 

CoercionShaman

arestavo
The true answer?
 
GREED (Nvidia's).
 
Custom coolers and PCBs are cheaper than the stock FE. It is just pure, unadulterated greed.

OMG!  When did NVIDIA become a business?  No one was threatened with great bodily harm to purchase the early cards or ever told there would be no others.  They did, at least, tell everyone ours is $100 more up front than partner boards would be in only a few weeks if you want to wait.
 
If you want cheap, go buy a $199 AMD 480.
 
Rant done...

ty_ger07

arestavo
The true answer?
 
GREED (Nvidia's).
 
Custom coolers and PCBs are cheaper than the stock FE. It is just pure, unadulterated greed.

Not really greed.  Capitalism.  NVIDIA knows that some people will pay a premium to be one of the "first" to own the card.  Knowing that the supply will be low at first and that the demand will be high at first, the price is higher at first and NVIDIA put themselves in the position to collect on their good market position.
 
If people didn't rush in like fools, NVIDIA wouldn't charge an extra $100.

OK, greed and consumer idiocy (and their impatience) then.
 
The reference cards never used to be $100 more on their MSRP than a low-end partner card (or $30 more than a top end card) - it was the other way around because reference coolers ARE NOT AS GOOD. The reference cards, Founders Edition as they are called now, are not in any way better except perhaps in aesthetics (which is highly subjective). Therefor I call it greed, and you are welcome to call it something else if you wish, yet that doesn't make you right.
 
Just you watch that extra $100 stay tacked on until/unless AMD comes up with something that can compete. And don't expect a $650 1080 TI - I bet those will be $999 - mark my words.

And don't expect a $650 1080 TI - I bet those will be $999 - mark my words.
that would suck. a single 1080ti is my ultimate goal

I could be wrong, and I hope I am. Yet with this FE bullcaca I can't but help thinking the worst.

GTX 1080 FE might have better ASIC quality. I'm just guessing lol