I'm currently looking to buy a 2080 Ti and my current choice is between an XC Ultra and a FTW3.
Now regardless of which one I grab it will go into a custom loop, so the default air cooler is irrelevant.
Is there any difference between the two that would affect OC ( better power delivery and so on )

DrakoEsper
 
I'm currently looking to buy a 2080 Ti and my current choice is between an XC Ultra and a FTW3.
Now regardless of which one I grab it will go into a custom loop, so the default air cooler is irrelevant.
Is there any difference between the two that would affect OC ( better power delivery and so on )

I would think the XC Ultra would be better since its higher boost clocks right out of the box then the FTW3, but if your looking at the FTW3 Ultra then that would be better then the XC Ultra. 

Make sure a water block is currently available for the card you buy - as you mentioned putting it in a loop
 
 
Any Factory OC card has potential - but OC is never guaranteed.  Go with the advertised MHz you want


EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti XC Ultra 11 GB Review
 
EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti FTW3 Ultra 11 GB Review


 
EVGA 20 Series article - look at compare tab
 
These cards ? [ price range $1200 - $1300]
 
EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti XC ULTRA, OVERCLOCKED, 2.75 Slot Extreme Cool Dual, 70C Gaming, RGB, Metal Backplate, 11G-P4-2383-KR, 11GB GDDR6
 
 
 
EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti FTW3 GAMING, 11G-P4-2483-KR, 11GB GDDR6, iCX2 Technology, RGB LED, Metal Backplate
 
OR, the more expensive:
 
EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti FTW3 ULTRA, OVERCLOCKED, 2.75 Slot Extreme Cool Triple + iCX2, 65C Gaming, RGB, Metal Backplate, 11G-P4-2487-KR, 11GB GDDR6
 
 
 

It's the XC Ultra and the FTW3 Gaming. So they are in the same price range and blocks are available for either one.

From the comparison tab I see that the FTW3 Gaming has more power phases.

So far it is looking like the XC ultra would be a better choice.

If nobody minds me jumping in since it was mentioned about water blocks, I'm currently in need of a water block for my new RTX 2080 ti XC Ultra, the hydro copper block for it is out of stock, there are water blocks available on Amazon and Newegg, but the people selling them are asking for more than $100 over what EVGA asks for them...
Any word on when the hydro copper water blocks will be back in stock?

XC Ultra is the better choice between the two but you lose out on iCX2 sensors if you wanted that feature but overall, the XC Ultra looks like the higher performer out of the box.  There might be a chance where the FTW3 Gaming might surpass the XC Ultra because of its beefed up PCB and VRM section but that would be all up to the silicon. 
 
When it comes to the GPU WB, you're limited to only EVGA's Hydro Copper if you were say, going with the FTW3 while the XC Ultra has more options with places like EK. 
 
You also might be interested in this if you do go custom cooling and want to bring it down to a 2 slotted GPU.

The FTW3 has a higher power bios, 373w vs. 338w in the XC Ultra.  The Ultra is the same basic card as the XC gaming, they are both reference cards with A-chips, so if you're not going to use the cooler, just get the normal XC gaming.  The FTW3 doesn't have any better chip binning than the other A-chip cards. There is an option to flash to a 380w bios on the reference cards, or even higher maybe, but there's considerable risk in that.
 
Lots of people are panning the hydrocopper blocks and saying the aftermarket ones are better.
 
I'd go with the XC gaming and a reference aftermarket block.

Power limit matters once your card is cold. Cant have fun with a cold card with a low power limit. So ftw3 ftw. ;)

Unless you like dancing clocks.

Let's not forget, this isn't the same FTW3 ULTRA that is the higher boosted clocked.  This is the FTW3 GAMING that is the lower of the two.  Not sure if that matters in the long run but figured I'd point that out.  I have a feeling it might not be the same silicon as the FTW3 ULTRA based on the advertised clocks but not 100% sure.

GTXJackBauer
Let's not forget, this isn't the same FTW3 ULTRA that is the higher boosted clocked.  This is the FTW3 GAMING that is the lower of the two.  Not sure if that matters in the long run but figured I'd point that out.  I have a feeling it might not be the same silicon as the FTW3 ULTRA based on the advertised clocks but not 100% sure.

OH YEAH.  Very important, the non-ultra is a non-A chip card.  AVOID!