Seems odd though ... Why would the FTW cards have issues and not the reference models? Don't they use the same chip?
 
And why would downclocking solve the issue for some people?

Jshiver90
Seems odd though ... Why would the FTW cards have issues and not the reference models? Don't they use the same chip?
 
And why would downclocking solve the issue for some people?

the FTW is a custom pcb all evga componets unlike the acx which IS reference ie same as ref cooler nvidia card with evga sticker

The chips are anything but the same. When they're made, they're all the chips come out with 'impurities' which effects the performance and overclocking ability of the card. Some have more 'impurities' which makes them clock worse. So what they do is test them and 'bin' them (sort) based on their performance and put them in models based on their clocks ('impurities'). Clearly something went wrong sonewhere and they were sorted/binned wrong. Either that or the diffrience on the placement of key things like the VRAM made that much of the diffrience.

vdChild

Jshiver90
Seems odd though ... Why would the FTW cards have issues and not the reference models? Don't they use the same chip?
 
And why would downclocking solve the issue for some people?

the FTW is a custom pcb all evga componets unlike the acx which IS reference ie same as ref cooler nvidia card with evga sticker

Gotcha.
 
Still, why would down clocking solve the problem if it's a compatibility issue?
 
I'm not saying anyone is wrong, but there's definitely something wrong with this card series.

Jshiver90

vdChild

Jshiver90
Seems odd though ... Why would the FTW cards have issues and not the reference models? Don't they use the same chip?
 
And why would downclocking solve the issue for some people?

the FTW is a custom pcb all evga componets unlike the acx which IS reference ie same as ref cooler nvidia card with evga sticker

Gotcha.
 
Still, why would down clocking solve the problem if it's a compatibility issue?
 
I'm not saying anyone is wrong, but there's definitely something wrong with this card series.

well theres nothing wrong with the 980 chip... i have an acx (reference) and its flawless, but my buddy just got the ftw... nothing but problems and its not just z97 cause he'sing running an i7 870 i believe, much older chipset! thankfully he just got it, so is gonna do a step up.

For anyone else having issues with this card. 
 
My symptoms:


Freeze at desktop looking up crap on webrowser
TDRs
BSOD crashes(archage specifically)
 
Resolutions: 
Swapped the card with my wifes 780 FTW. I had no issues with 780 and she started having issues with my 980 FTW.
She had black screens and crashes(archage specifically).
Downclocked GPU -105 MHz still had the same issues.
 
Final Resolution:
I downclocked the GPU and GPU memory at -250Mhz and I haven't see and issue with my card since.
 
Seems like the GPU is working fine now. The card at stock will run all benchmark tools perfectly fine. It's when you start using the the GPU for it's intended use(Games) that the crashes appear at stock clocks. I truly believe that issue with these cards there sending out is unstable clocks or low voltage.
 
The GTX 980 FTW can't handle the overclock the factory is sending them to us at.

Antizm
Final Resolution:
I downclocked the GPU and GPU memory at -250Mhz and I haven't see and issue with my card since.

 
I suspect this will be a temporary fix and at some point the black screens will return. You'll need to keep RMA'ing the cards till you get one that works. From my personal experience, I have never owned an EVGA card that worked properly. All of the issues I had were "black screen" and "driver has stopped responding" issues. It was very frustrating to say the least. Now I only buy Asus products.
Good luck.
 

I got lucky with my first RMA. I was having the black screen issue, where my monitor would turn off and only way to get back was restarting my computer. This was happening while playing games, and doing also the 3DMark Skydiver test, a lot of stuttering as well. This new RMA has been flawless, working perfectly fine, no issues at all. I'm on the list for a Step-Up to the 980Ti and I'm scared of letting this one go and have issues with the new one... hopefully not.

It's not a compatibility with motherboard chipsets. I tested the FTW in other systems all had different chipsets and different PSU makers.
The black screens still happened.

Also if it was a compatibility issue downclocking would not have helped most likely.

(No screaming intended here.) STAY AWAY FROM FTW.