Monday, January 7th 2013
ASUS Announces the ROG ARES II Limited Edition Graphics Card
ASUS ROG presents the fastest and most powerful graphics card currently available with the limited edition ARES II. Its dual Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition GPUs and 6 GB GDDR5 memory support provide the ultimate PC gaming experience in a space-saving 2-slot design. The ARES II features exclusive ASUS DIGI+ VRM and Super Alloy Power technologies for greater stability and product longevity. The bundled ROG Edition GPU Tweak utility allows customers direct access to graphics card overclocking and tuning options via a user-friendly interface.
Continuing the ARES legacy with collectible hardware for enthusiasts
Launched in the summer of 2010, the original ROG ARES provided a new milestone in graphics power that soon became an in-demand commodity among hardware enthusiasts and collectors. ARES II likewise debuts as a limited edition product, with only 1000 units produced. It ships in a special ROG-themed case, with each card featuring a laser-etched serial number on the aluminum backplate to denote its collectible status.
New thermal cooling design enables maximum performance
ARES II provides a custom cooler that utilizes liquid and air cooling to achieve drastically improved heat dissipation over reference design cards. The hybrid design consists of a closed-cycle liquid system with dual 120 mm fans and a radiator block that easily fits in most PC cases. The card itself includes an 80 mm dust-proof fan to enable additional cooling for critical components such as video memory and power delivery components. The new design assures continuous stability even under full load, and achieves up to 31C cooler operation compared to a reference GTX 690. ARES II features a 2-slot height design, making it accessible to most PC cases on the market.
DIGI+ VRM, Super Alloy Power, and GPU Tweak provide unparalleled power
Exclusive ASUS DIGI+ digital voltage regulation technology provides precise power delivery to bolster graphics card stability and help increase overclocking flexibility. The 20-phase Super Alloy Power architecture, consisting of heavy duty solid state capacitors, high quality chokes and MOSFETs can withstand higher temperatures and stress loads than typical designs while providing a much longer lifespan. Users can modify card parameters including core and memory speeds, fan performance, and voltages using the bundled ROG Edition GPU Tweak utility, all via a user-friendly interface. Multiple profiles for individual games and applications can also be set up, and GPU Tweak doubles as a monitoring program for keeping an eye on ARES II temperatures and power consumption levels.
Specifications:
Model name: ARES2-6GD5
Graphics engine: 2 x AMD Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition
System bus: PCI Express 3.0 x 16
Video memory: 6 GB GDDR5
Boost clock: 1100 MHz (base clock: 1050 MHz)
Memory clock: 6600 MHz (1650 MHz GDDR5)
Memory interface: 768-bit (2 x 384-bit)
Maximum DVI resolution: 2560 x 1600
Maximum VGA resolution: 2048 x 1536
Microsoft Direct3D version: DirectX 11
I/O: 1 x single link DVI / 1 x dual link DVI / 1 x HDMI via adapter/ 4 x native DisplayPort
Bundled accessories: 3 x 8-pin power cable / 1 x DVI to HDMI adapter / 1 x extended CrossFireX bridge
Minimum recommended power supply: 850 W (42A on the 12V rail)
Power connectors: 3 x 8-pin
Dimensions: Card: 11.8" x 5.5" x 1.8"
Fan block: 4.6" x 5.8" x 1.9"
Fan: 4.7" x 4.7" x 1"
Liquid cooling tube length: 13.4"
Continuing the ARES legacy with collectible hardware for enthusiasts
Launched in the summer of 2010, the original ROG ARES provided a new milestone in graphics power that soon became an in-demand commodity among hardware enthusiasts and collectors. ARES II likewise debuts as a limited edition product, with only 1000 units produced. It ships in a special ROG-themed case, with each card featuring a laser-etched serial number on the aluminum backplate to denote its collectible status.
ARES II provides a custom cooler that utilizes liquid and air cooling to achieve drastically improved heat dissipation over reference design cards. The hybrid design consists of a closed-cycle liquid system with dual 120 mm fans and a radiator block that easily fits in most PC cases. The card itself includes an 80 mm dust-proof fan to enable additional cooling for critical components such as video memory and power delivery components. The new design assures continuous stability even under full load, and achieves up to 31C cooler operation compared to a reference GTX 690. ARES II features a 2-slot height design, making it accessible to most PC cases on the market.
DIGI+ VRM, Super Alloy Power, and GPU Tweak provide unparalleled power
Exclusive ASUS DIGI+ digital voltage regulation technology provides precise power delivery to bolster graphics card stability and help increase overclocking flexibility. The 20-phase Super Alloy Power architecture, consisting of heavy duty solid state capacitors, high quality chokes and MOSFETs can withstand higher temperatures and stress loads than typical designs while providing a much longer lifespan. Users can modify card parameters including core and memory speeds, fan performance, and voltages using the bundled ROG Edition GPU Tweak utility, all via a user-friendly interface. Multiple profiles for individual games and applications can also be set up, and GPU Tweak doubles as a monitoring program for keeping an eye on ARES II temperatures and power consumption levels.
Specifications:
Model name: ARES2-6GD5
Graphics engine: 2 x AMD Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition
System bus: PCI Express 3.0 x 16
Video memory: 6 GB GDDR5
Boost clock: 1100 MHz (base clock: 1050 MHz)
Memory clock: 6600 MHz (1650 MHz GDDR5)
Memory interface: 768-bit (2 x 384-bit)
Maximum DVI resolution: 2560 x 1600
Maximum VGA resolution: 2048 x 1536
Microsoft Direct3D version: DirectX 11
I/O: 1 x single link DVI / 1 x dual link DVI / 1 x HDMI via adapter/ 4 x native DisplayPort
Bundled accessories: 3 x 8-pin power cable / 1 x DVI to HDMI adapter / 1 x extended CrossFireX bridge
Minimum recommended power supply: 850 W (42A on the 12V rail)
Power connectors: 3 x 8-pin
Dimensions: Card: 11.8" x 5.5" x 1.8"
Fan block: 4.6" x 5.8" x 1.9"
Fan: 4.7" x 4.7" x 1"
Liquid cooling tube length: 13.4"
32 Comments on ASUS Announces the ROG ARES II Limited Edition Graphics Card
Would be interesting to pit it against the GTX 690...
I'm sure we'll see pics of the card from CES.
I wonder what it could've costed them to connect the tubes on the GPU with G1/4 and fittings, would have been nice for who already has a loop to swap that tiny 120mm.
Let's hope this time they binned the GPUs on the SKU because the 7970 Platinum wasn't and it blew.
The 690 however offers a far better balance of performance, taking into account the usual heat, noise and power consumption.
This product is horribly late and it's gonna be way overpriced.
www.techpowerup.com/gpudb/730/AMD_Radeon_HD_7990.html
www.techpowerup.com/reviewdb/Graphics-Cards/ATI/HD-7990/
But I'm all for you die-hards buying one. :cool:
This card doesn't require a specially tailored driver ;)
Asus' claims are 13% better performance over a (presumably stock) GTX 690
Not taken with the design personally. Two full-fat Tahiti GPU's being cooled by a single 120mm rad, and an 80mm intake fan with zero backplate airflow ( 2 x DVI, 4 x DP on a dual slot backplate) doesn't sound like a recipe for success.Sounds good doesn't it...except in dual card Crossfire and no workable profile its an easy matter to drop one card out, whereas a duallie is going to ramp both GPU's regardless.