Gainward GeForce GTX 760 2GB Phantom Pro Reviews

Since only a small number of hardcore gamers can afford to pay more than €/$250 for a graphics card, most gaming is still done on mid-range cards. Of course, more powerful cards can deliver more eye candy, but for 1080p gaming the GTX 760 should meet the needs of most consumers. Prices start at €220, which sounds like a decent offer in this market segment. The GTX 760 Phantom has a couple of things going for it. First of all it is overclocked and the factory overclock is pretty impressive (92MHz). Secondly, its cooler performs very well indeed – and it’s quiet, as it doesn’t compromise on noise over performance. But as always there are some downsides. The Phantom cooler uses a massive triple-slot cooler which makes it look pretty mean for a mid-range card, but then again a triple-slot cooler isn’t a great choice for all users. Furthermore, although the cooler has a lot of potential, the card is not a great GPU overclocker, hence the potential is wasted. The memory was willing to party and we achieved a 250MHz (effective 1000MHz) overclock with relative ease. If you’re after a decent mid-range card for 1080p gaming, the GTX 760 Phantom is worth a look.

Although the HD 7950 and HD 7950 Boost remain somewhat viable options, with the way things are currently structured, there's no denying that the GTX 760 is a better value all around. Furthermore, Gainward has improved Nvidia's base formula with extra goodies that should please most enthusiasts who are looking for a solution to processing intensive graphical loads without going bankrupt.

The GeForce GTX 760 isn’t as sexy as the Titan, 780, or even 770 we reviewed most recently. Nvidia’s reference design is very GeForce GTX 670-like, and partners mostly seem to be introducing versions with axial fans that blow waste heat into your case (bummer). However, the card changes the balance of power at its $250 price point, besting more expensive AMD boards and even knocking older GeForce products out of the way. Although we’re dealing with a mature GPU and derived specifications, we’re led to the same conclusion we drew in The GeForce GTX 770 Review: Calling In A Hit On Radeon HD 7970?: GeForce GTX 760 is a card worth recommending, owing to the fact that it’s faster than pricier competition. Truly, this is the upper end of the spectrum for gaming on a 1920x1080 display, and it's more accessible than ever.