We gave the GeForce GTX 560 Ti a thorough evaluation at launch. But Nvidia was perhaps most excited about some of its partners were doing with GF114. And so, we set out to find customized boards. Our search lead to five factory-overclocked alternatives.

What do you call a hardcore gamer who can’t afford the fastest parts, yet won’t settle for much less? We like to call them enthusiasts. But then again, we think the weekend warrior who spends six weeks in his garage turning a $3000 sedan into a race car is a bit more enthusiastic than the guy who buys a $150 000 status symbol. In the computer world, that’s what overclocking is often about.

The GeForce GTX 560 Ti was designed for just such a market. Unfortunately, not all graphics cards are created equal. Factory overclocked parts satisfy a third market, giving potential overclockers a chance to taste the performance of high-end parts when he may otherwise have been unable to “catch a break” in his own overclocking attempts. This is guaranteed speed without the prestigious model name that goes with it.

Only five of the many brands vying for this market were able to supply cards in time for today’s comparison. Before we set out to establish performance and value leadership, let’s take a look at the specifications of each competitor. 

One company sent a second, standard-speed part to set the reference by which we could judge the level of improvement for other products. While it would be easy to simply hand a top-speed award to the fastest card, differences in warranty, price, and functionality make today’s comparison a true competition.