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Manufacturers roll out firmware updates for GeForce GTX 1070 due to memory Issue
If you own a GeForce GTX 1070, you might want to pay attention to this news-item as you could be effected. There have been some problems reported with certain GeForce GTX 1070 cards.
After further investigation it became apparant that the issues like flickering and poor memory overclocking results on the memory sub-system are graphics memory related. GeForce GTX 1070 cards fitted with Samsung memory do not have any issues, however some manufacturers have or switched towards Micron chips, and these are the culprit of the reported issues. Especially during overclocking of the graphics memory problems will appear fast with bad results like checkerboard patterns. The problem is was found in the the speed of the voltage adjustment from the low power idle P-States to support the memory voltage requirements under load. If you can keep the idle voltage above 0.800V before you apply the overclock you never see the issue.
Some users also have reported that at default configuration they noticed the occasional odd issue like flickering or experiencing graphical artifacts. Multiple brands are and could be effected. Right now most of them are working on (or already issuing) a BIOS firmware update for the graphics cards, these BIOS updates likely increase the voltage level of the GDDR5 memory. Mind you that this only effects GeForce GTX 1070 graphics cards fitted with Micron based GDDR5 memory.
I've been doing some rounds at the manufacturers with the following info (we'll update as feedback gets in). A number of manufacturers is or have been working on VBIOS updates:
- EVGA: updates download here
- Gainward: updates download here (select card -> BIOS download)
- Palit: updates download here (select card -> download)
- MSI : Updates downloads available (check for proper card model!)
- Gigabyte: F11_Beta Update downloads available (check for proper card model!)
- ASUS downloads available (check for proper card model!)
- Inno3D: did not reply
- KFA2/Galaxy: did not reply
- PNY: did not reply
- Zotac: no info available on website - update should be out
The most easy way to check what brand of memory your GeForce GTX 1070 is using is to download GPU-Z and read out the memory type (click thumbnail below for an example). The reality is that Micron’s GDDR5 memory chips shouldn’t really be any weaker opposed to what the Samsung ICs are doing. All cards we tested here ate Guru3D.com got Samsung memory. It however is not uncommon for manufacturers to switch to another brand of memory, as they purchase them in SMT batches and yes, a selection in price is made but should not effect performance. Due to the fact that our samples have Samsung memory we have not been able to verify any instability.
Have you noticed any issues with your GTX 1070? If so, let us know in the comments of this news-itsem.
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Denial
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#5348374 Posted on: 10/20/2016 03:03 PM
Doesn't happen with Founders Edition cards.
Maybe their value is now becoming apparent...
All the FE cards use Samsung.
Doesn't happen with Founders Edition cards.
Maybe their value is now becoming apparent...
All the FE cards use Samsung.
fantaskarsef
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Posts: 14623
Joined: 2014-07-21
#5348375 Posted on: 10/20/2016 03:06 PM
Doesn't happen with Founders Edition cards.
Maybe their value is now becoming apparent...
You do know that they're not the only cards using Samsung memory?
Or that a simple bios flash for micron cards might fix everything?
Or that when the fix does work, you paid more for the same card essentially?
Just thinking.
Doesn't happen with Founders Edition cards.
Maybe their value is now becoming apparent...
You do know that they're not the only cards using Samsung memory?
Or that a simple bios flash for micron cards might fix everything?
Or that when the fix does work, you paid more for the same card essentially?
Just thinking.
Weecka
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Senior Member
Posts: 322
Joined: 2007-12-10
#5348377 Posted on: 10/20/2016 03:15 PM
Isn't any card you buy such as the "superclocked" SC model already overclocked at factory nearly to as fast as it can go reliably?
If you are then trying to add even more overclocking to it, then of course the GPU overclock and any benchmark run will fail. Doubt it is anything to do with the memory.
The sc/oc cards are not overclocked to max. They are overclocked to a certain degree so the superior cooling (aftermarket) would still maintain acceptable noise and cooling levels for a 24/7 use. Most of these cards can go alot higher as long as the heat is not going too high. As it is one of the fastest pc hardware killers. As you notice when Hilbert tests these cards he's pushing more or less 100/500 overclocks on core/memory respectively (on oc'd/sc'd models). For exaple, intel wouldn't recommend overclocking i7 2700k (that i still have - BOO) to 4.7-5 ghz for 24/7 use as it it is suppose to severely reduce the lifespan of the cpu. I've been running it at 4.7ghz for nearly 5 years, but wih a custom H2O loop that is keeping it very cool (60-65 C on 100% stress testing load)
Isn't any card you buy such as the "superclocked" SC model already overclocked at factory nearly to as fast as it can go reliably?
If you are then trying to add even more overclocking to it, then of course the GPU overclock and any benchmark run will fail. Doubt it is anything to do with the memory.
The sc/oc cards are not overclocked to max. They are overclocked to a certain degree so the superior cooling (aftermarket) would still maintain acceptable noise and cooling levels for a 24/7 use. Most of these cards can go alot higher as long as the heat is not going too high. As it is one of the fastest pc hardware killers. As you notice when Hilbert tests these cards he's pushing more or less 100/500 overclocks on core/memory respectively (on oc'd/sc'd models). For exaple, intel wouldn't recommend overclocking i7 2700k (that i still have - BOO) to 4.7-5 ghz for 24/7 use as it it is suppose to severely reduce the lifespan of the cpu. I've been running it at 4.7ghz for nearly 5 years, but wih a custom H2O loop that is keeping it very cool (60-65 C on 100% stress testing load)
Weecka
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Posts: 322
Joined: 2007-12-10
#5348379 Posted on: 10/20/2016 03:20 PM
It is an issue, you just fail to see it. And that's ok.
Defective products (hardware level) must always! Always! be recalled, fixed and exchanged (but yeah it cost a lot of money to do so)...Soft patch a Software is ok, soft patch a Hardware defect is NOT...
The problem is, they get away with it way too easily lately...
If the card would have a chance of malfunctioning and maybe even damaging your pc then i have no doubt they would recall them. But if a bios fix can solve the problem without affecting performance/reliability of the card then it would make no sense to do so.
Here we go again. I hate those dirty discoveries months after a product's release. Sure this is not the 970 memory fiasco but still it's a dirty discovery hidden under the rug. Can NVIDIA stop this already with these expensive products?
You do understand that it is not nvidia that is putting the memory onto the card but the actual card manufacturers (such as evga, asus, gigabyte..etc.) nvidia pretty much only supply the gpu chip. So the problem lies (my guess) in lack of communication or information between micron and the aforementioned card manufacturers.
It is an issue, you just fail to see it. And that's ok.
Defective products (hardware level) must always! Always! be recalled, fixed and exchanged (but yeah it cost a lot of money to do so)...Soft patch a Software is ok, soft patch a Hardware defect is NOT...
The problem is, they get away with it way too easily lately...
If the card would have a chance of malfunctioning and maybe even damaging your pc then i have no doubt they would recall them. But if a bios fix can solve the problem without affecting performance/reliability of the card then it would make no sense to do so.
Here we go again. I hate those dirty discoveries months after a product's release. Sure this is not the 970 memory fiasco but still it's a dirty discovery hidden under the rug. Can NVIDIA stop this already with these expensive products?
You do understand that it is not nvidia that is putting the memory onto the card but the actual card manufacturers (such as evga, asus, gigabyte..etc.) nvidia pretty much only supply the gpu chip. So the problem lies (my guess) in lack of communication or information between micron and the aforementioned card manufacturers.
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Bios updates this days are easy as installing the drivers. Most cards even have dual-bios switch.
I dont see whats the big deal is.