I’m sure you already heard of the company called GALAXY and KFA2, but you might probably be wondering who is this “Galax”? Well, both the companies GalaxyTech and KFA2 recently merged resulting to a new company/brand name called Galax. Basically they are not new to the industry since they have been selling GeForce graphics cards for many years now. Recently the company officially announced their latest graphics card based on the second generation Maxwell GPU architecture, the Galax GeForce GTX 980 SOC 4GB and Galax GeForce GTX 970 EXOC 4GB, and their vanilla counterpart as well. Check out their features and specifications from the official release below.
Both Galax GeForce GTX 900 series are built with the latest Maxwell GPU architecture to deliver jaw dropping performance with double the efficiency of previous generations. With the additional custom features with GALAX raise the bar even further with an aggressive factory overclock, enhanced PCB design and superior custom coolers.
A host of exciting new graphics technologies makes their debut with the GALAX GTX 900 series, including NVIDIA GameWorks technology, GameStream technology, and Super Resolution is about to provide 4K quality with 1080P monitor. All cards are DirectX 12 capable and support multi display gaming on a single card. Gamers can connect up to four simultaneous displays to the GALAX GeForce GTX 980/970 series, including one DVI-I, one HDMI, and three DisplayPort connections.
Common Features
- NVIDIA® Dynamic Super Resolution (DSR)
- NVIDIA® Global Illumination (VXGI)
- NVIDIA® GameWorks Technology
- NVIDIA® GameStream Technology
- NVIDIA® TXAA Technology
- NVIDIA GPU Boost 2.0
- NVIDIA PhysX® Technology
- NVIDIA FXAA Technology
- NVIDIA Adaptive Vertical Sync
- NVIDIA Surround
- Support for four concurrent displays including: Two dual-link DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort 1.2
- Microsoft DirectX 12
- NVIDIA® 3D Vision® Ready
- NVIDIA SLI® Ready Technology
- NVIDIA CUDA® technology
- PCI Express 3.0 support
- OpenGL 4.4 support
- OpenCL support
- NVIDIA SHIELD Ready
- NVIDIA G-Sync Ready
Galax GeForce GTX 980 SOC 4GB Features
The GALAX Geforce GTX 980 SOC is a high performance graphics card designed for the gaming elite with enhanced overclocking and equipped with a unique Triple Fan cooling for extra thermal performance.
Powered by next generation NVIDIA® MaxwellTM architecture, the Geforce GTX 980 combines the most advanced technologies with class-leading over clocking performance to deliver incredible gaming on virtual reality, HD, and ultra-resolution 4k displays.
Galax GeForce GTX 980 SOC 4GB Specifications
| Specifications | Galax GTX 980 SOC | Galax GeForce GTX 980 |
|---|---|---|
| CUDA Cores | 2048 | 2048 |
| Base Clock (MHz) | TBA | 1127 |
| Boost Clock (MHz) | TBA | 1216 |
| Memory Speed | 3505 (7010 ) Mhz | 3505 (7010 ) Mhz |
| Standard Memory Config | 4096MB | 4096MB |
| Memory Interface Width | 256-bit GDDR5 | 256-bit GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth (GB/sec) | 224 | 224 |
| OpenGL | 4.4 | 4.4 |
| Bus Support | PCI-E 3.0 | PCI-E 3.0 |
| Certified for Windows 8 | Yes | Yes |
| Supported Technologies | DirectX 12 | DirectX 12 |
| SLI Options | 4-WAY | 4-WAY |
| Maximum Digital Resolution | 4096x2160 | 4096x2160 |
| Maximum VGA Resolution | 2048x1536 | 2048x1536 |
| HDCP | Yes | Yes |
| HDMI | Yes | Yes |
| Standard Display Connectors | Dual Link DVI x1, HDMI x1, DisplayPort 1.2 x3 | Dual Link DVI x1, HDMI x1, DisplayPort 1.2 x3 |
| Audio Input for HDMI | Internal | Internal |
| Length | 281 mm | 281 mm |
| Height | 124.3 mm | 124.3 mm |
| Width | 41.5 mm | 41.5 mm |
| Maximum Graphics Card Power (W) | 250W | 250W |
| Minimum System Power Requirement (W) | 500W | 500W |
| Supplementary Power Connectors | Two 6-pin | Two 6-pin |
| Product Code | TBA | 98NQH6DHXXXX |
| UPC Code | TBA | 4895147118130 |
System Requirements
- PCI Express-compliant motherboard with one dual-width x 16 graphics slot
- 2 x 6-pin PCI Express supplementary power connectors
- Minimum 500W or greater system power supply (with a minimum 12V current rating of 42A)
- 300MB of available hard-disk space
- 2GB system memory (4GB or higher recommended)
- Microsoft Windows 7, Windows Vista (32 or 64-bit)
- Internet connection
- Windows XP no longer supported
Package Contents
- 1x Graphics Card
- Quick Installation Guide
- User Manual
- 2x 6-pin PCI power converter
- 1 x DVI to VGA
Galax GeForce GTX 970 EXOC 4GB Features
The GALAX GeForce GTX 970 EXOC is a high performance graphics cards designed for serious gamers, powered by the next generation NVIDIA® MaxwellTM architecture, overclocked at our extreme OC level and cooled with a dual custom cooling solutions.
Aside from the common features mentioned above, the Galax GeForce GTX 970 EXOC features the following:
- Extreme factory overclock
- Anodized aluminum backplate protects components and reinforces the PCB
- All new Silence Extreme cooler reduces temps by up to 10C
- Silence Extreme technology switches to single fan cooling at idle for almost noiseless operation
- Quad mixed-gauge heat pipes ensure maximum heat dissipation
- Copper base with solid aluminum cover
- 5 + 2 Phase enhanced power system with 8 + 6-pin inputs delivers up to 50% more power for overclocking
Galax GeForce GTX 970 EXOC 4GB Specifications
| Specifications | Galax GTX 970 EXOC | Galax GeForce GTX 970 |
|---|---|---|
| CUDA Cores | 1664 | 1664 |
| Base Clock (MHz) | 1126 | 1050 |
| Boost Clock (MHz) | 1266 | 1178 |
| Memory Speed | 3505 (7010 ) Mhz | 3505 (7010 ) Mhz |
| Standard Memory Config | 4096MB | 4096MB |
| Memory Interface Width | 256-bit GDDR5 | 256-bit GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth (GB/sec) | 224 | 224 |
| OpenGL | 4.4 | 4.4 |
| Bus Support | PCI-E 3.0 | PCI-E 3.0 |
| Certified for Windows 8 | Yes | Yes |
| Supported Technologies | DirectX 12 | DirectX 12 |
| SLI Options | 4-WAY | 4-WAY |
| Maximum Digital Resolution | 4096x2160 | 4096x2160 |
| Maximum VGA Resolution | 2048x1536 | 2048x1536 |
| HDCP | Yes | Yes |
| HDMI | Yes | Yes |
| Standard Display Connectors | Dual Link DVI x2, HDMI x1, DisplayPort 1.2 x1 | Dual Link DVI x1, HDMI x1, DisplayPort 1.2 x3 |
| Audio Input for HDMI | Internal | Internal |
| Length | 271 mm | 281 mm |
| Height | 124.3 mm | 124.3 mm |
| Width | 41.5 mm | 41.5 mm |
| Maximum Graphics Card Power (W) | 250W | 250W |
| Minimum System Power Requirement (W) | 500W | 500W |
| Supplementary Power Connectors | One 6-pin,One 8-pin | Two 6-pin |
| Product Code | 97NQH6DNB4UX | TBA |
| UPC Code | 4895147117959 | TBA |
System Requirements
- PCI Express-compliant motherboard with one dual-width x 16 graphics slot
- 2 x 6-pin PCI Express supplementary power connectors
- Minimum 500W or greater system power supply (with a minimum 12V current rating of 42A)
- 300MB of available hard-disk space
- 2GB system memory (4GB or higher recommended)
- Microsoft Windows 7, Windows Vista (32 or 64-bit)
- Internet connection
- Windows XP no longer supported
Package Contents
- 1x Graphics Card
- Quick Installation Guide
- User Manual
- 8-pin and 6-pin PCI power converter
- 1 x DVI to VGA
Price and Availability
Galax has not yet disclosed their manufacturer’s suggested retail prices for the Galax GeGorce GTX 980 SOC, GTX 970 EXOC and their vanilla counterpart. But the graphics cards are expected to be available in the following days or weeks to come. I’ll try to post an update when information regarding their prices and availability becomes available.
