The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Review, Feat. Gigabyte, Zotac, & EVGA
by Ryan Smith on October 9, 2012 9:00 AM ESTMeet The Zotac GeForce GTX 650 Ti AMP! Edition 2GB
Our next card is also our first 2GB GTX 650 Ti, Zotac’s GeForce GTX 650 Ti AMP Edition 2GB. Like the other retail cards in our article the Zotac is from their factory overclocked lineup, with Zotac being unique among the bunch for overclocking both the core and the memory. The GTX 650 Ti AMP 2GB ships at 1033MHz for the core clock and 6.2GHz for the memory clock, which is a 107MHz (12%) core overclock and 800MHz (15%) memory overclock respectively. This is a lower core overclock than EVGA’s SSC, but because the GTX 650 Ti is ROP and memory bandwidth limited out of the box, the memory overclock could prove to be very potent.
The Zotac GTX 650 Ti AMP is also unique for being the only card in our review that’s not clearly based upon an NVIDIA reference design. We don’t have a Zotac GTX 650 on hand, but a quick search indicates that this is the same PCB Zotac used on their GTX 650 cards, so while Zotac is using a unique PCB it’s still a PCB taken from a GTX 650 card. With that said, Zotac’s PCB is not significantly different from the reference PCB – at 5.75” long it’s even the same size – and based on our testing it doesn’t appear to be any better or worse at overclocking, particularly since Zotac is using the same 6GHz Hynix GDDR5 as everyone else.
Zotac’s cooler of choice is also lifted from their GTX 650, and like NVIDIA’s reference design is a variation on the open air cooler. Zotac is using an 85mm fan suspended over a mid-profile aluminum heatsink that covers just over half the card. Like the reference design Zotac’s shroud is minimal, so this is a rather typical open air design.
Meanwhile by changing the PCB Zotac was able to change the display ports on their card, opting to use a stacked DVI design to fit on 4 ports. The GTX 650 Ti AMP comes with 1 DL-DVI-I, 1 DL-DVI-D, and 2 full size HDMI ports, meaning it can drive 4 digital displays out of the box. The dual HDMI ports is a bit odd – we don’t see too many users hooking the card up to two TVs – and in this case the HDMI ports are serving more as a compact SL-DVI port. This change also means that part of the second slot is blocked by a DVI port, so the card has less than a slot’s worth of ventilation (not that it should need too much more).
Rounding out the package is the usual collection of a molex power adapter and quickstart guides. Zotac is attaching a $179 MSRP to the GeForce GTX 650 Ti AMP, a full $30 over the 1GB MSRP, but only $10 over what they’re changing for a stock-clocked 2GB card. Meanwhile for the warranty Zotac is offering a base 2 year warranty, which is extended to a rather generous full limited lifetime warranty upon registration of the card.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
91 Comments
View All Comments
flipmode - Tuesday, October 9, 2012 - link
Please, that mantra is goofy. Of course there is such a thing as a bad product. You're telling me you've never run into a product that you wouldn't buy at any price? I have. Not saying the GTX 650 Ti fits that description - it doesn't - but I just wish you'd dispense with that silly expression.Paulman - Wednesday, October 10, 2012 - link
I think it's a good saying, especially when applied to the two horse race between AMD/ATI and NVIDIA. Both companies have been executing fairly well over the past half decade or more, and ultimately the biggest factor that determines the success or value of a card is the performance vs. price. The only thing that would mess with that is a significant spat of failing parts, or ridiculously high power/noise consumption that can't be mitigated, or unfixably buggy drivers. But barring such catastrophe scenarios, if your part isn't that great by the time it hits the market, just lower the price :PCeriseCogburn - Friday, October 12, 2012 - link
It's amazing the amd fanboy brain farts spewing here.AMD lowered their frikkin 7850 price, not the card that "isn't that great that just hit the market".
I'll also point out that this nVidia card does 4 monitors out of the box, and the Asus version at the egg has a great port setup for that, and is inexpensive.
It's just amazing to me really. AMD drops in price, and the idiot response is late and slow for the card reviewed demanding a lower price.
LOL - it's so so freakin sad.
rarson - Friday, October 12, 2012 - link
You don't understand economics, do you?Homeles - Saturday, October 13, 2012 - link
"AMD lowered their frikkin 7850 price, not the card that 'isn't that great that just hit the market.'"You need to brush up on your reading comprehension skills, kid. You have completely missed the point of the post you are replying to. Quite laughably, really, especially given your condescension.
Siana - Monday, October 15, 2012 - link
OMG a sane person on the Internet!JIHAAAAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Uritziel - Thursday, October 11, 2012 - link
Nothing keeps a price from being negative, so the saying isn't really wrong. Bet you'd buy that bad product you have in mind for -$5000...CeriseCogburn - Friday, October 12, 2012 - link
Here, where are the amd fanboys usual bloviating load of crap spews ?I'll pretend I'm them.
This card OverClocks to 7850 speeds and passes it for $5o LESS ! you'd have to be an idiot to buy the amd card when every single nVidia 650Ti hit the same awesome overclock flying past the 7850 !
Not to mention eyefinity sucks and is dead now that 4 monitors are rockin on these 650Ti's !
I'd sure like to see amd innovate but all they care about is MONEY $$$ so they charge more!
There we go amd fanboys, FTFY, and the worse part of it all for you is it's all true instead of big fat lies like when you do it !
rarson - Friday, October 12, 2012 - link
This has nothing to do with fanboys, just like the last post didn't. We're talking about economics here, not AMD vs. Nvidia. Stop looking at everything through your green-tinted glasses and try reading what is actually on the screen. The comment you replied to has nothing to do with the cards you mentioned.Galidou - Saturday, October 13, 2012 - link
He says everyone is lying when speaking about AMD while he can hardly stay in the right path himself.... He's taking the side of the most powerful companies in the world(anything that's against AMD is worth taking their side) while spewing shit like: ''all they care about is MONEY $$$.''Let's go, take the side of the giants of this world, kill the small companies spewing shit about them so the world can turn more monopolistic than it is now... LoL funniest vomit the world had to know about... Make the rich even more rich and KILL everyone below... I have to admit AMD is in a bad situation, their CPU division fares ALOT worse than their GPU division but it's not a reason to be so stupid... so freaking imbecile..... Just so stubbornly refusing to have any respect toward anyone that doesn't TOTALLY embrace his stupid closed vision of the computer industry.
I just wish AMD gets out of there, if not then too bad, we can't change things for them. They are fighting against the giants of the computer industry that have a hundred times more budget than they do... Just for that, I'm wishing they succeed in the future.