Thursday, May 28th 2009
ASUS Designs Own Monster Dual-GTX 285 4 GB Graphics Card
ASUS has just designed a new monster graphics card that breaks the mold for reference design GeForce GTX 295, called the ASUS MARS 295 Limited Edition. The card, although retains the name "GeForce GTX 295", same device ID, and is compatible with existing NVIDIA drivers, has two huge innovations put in by ASUS, which go far beyond being yet another overclocked GeForce GTX 295: the company used two G200-350-B3 graphics processors, the same ones that make the GeForce GTX 285. The GPUs have all the 240 shader processors enabled, and also have the complete 512-bit GDDR3 memory interface enabled. This dual-PCB monstrosity holds 32 memory chips, and 4 GB of total memory (each GPU accesses 2 GB of it). Apart from these, each GPU system uses the same exact clock speeds as the GeForce GTX 285: 648/1476/2400 MHz (core/shader/memory).
Each PCB holds 16 memory chips, a 6-phase digital PWM power circuit, drawing auxiliary power from an 8-pin PCI-E power connector, the GeForce GTX 285-class GPU, and its companion NVIO2 processor. The PCB holding the PCI-Express bus interface, also holds the bridge chip. ASUS broke away with using the nForce 200 chip, and instead is using a yet to be disclosed third-party bridge chip. Currently, PLX and IDT are two likely sources for such a chip. The memory consists of high-density 0.77 ns memory chips made by Hynix.
The electrical-management on each PCB is care of a Volterra VRM controller, which supports the I2C interface, which means that the card supports software voltage control, perhaps a big plus for ASUS' Voltage Tweak feature that is gaining in popularity. Fused power circuit provides Over Current Protection while also facilitating extreme overclocking.
The cooler internally has the same basic construction as the reference cooler, it uses a single leaf-blower. The card spans across two expansion slots and is slightly higher than the reference design card. ASUS also used slightly longer internal bridges that make more room for third-party coolers, and the likes. Our source from ASUS EMEA conducted a quick 3DMark Vantage test proving the card's seamless compatibility with existing drivers, while also providing a significant boost in performance over existing GTX 295 cards. Being Quad-SLI capable, this card finally makes GeForce GTX 285 (effective) quad-SLI possible, and makes for the most powerful desktop multi-GPU setup ever conceived. ASUS designed this card despite pressure from NVIDIA enforcing its rigid policy of restricting its partners from custom-designing GeForce GTX 295. If everything goes smooth throughout the development process, the card might make it for a gala launch at Computex.
179 Comments on ASUS Designs Own Monster Dual-GTX 285 4 GB Graphics Card
It is like saying that a total of 3.2 GB of ram can only be addressed. So if you already have 3GB of ram, you can only address .2GB of your graphics card ram?
Also, who ever needs more than 3.2GB in any game? im sure no game needs more than 2GB at its max.
Im sure you are probably right, but it just doesnt seem right. If it is per application, it is just bad programming, as games can, and have before, ran as more than 1 application (check "processes" tab on your games)
any normal app won't need access to the full video memory. you tell directx, "give me that", and you get a memory pointer back to the object. then you do the same with the next object. vista/directx are smart enough to shuffle stuff around, and use memory pages so you can use all these 2 gb.
Picture this . I`m an average gamer that goes for the "gameplay" and not for the "eyecandy"
I do own a high end video card ( well it was kinda high end when i bought it ) Sapphire Radeon HD 4870 2GB version . Now , i game at different resolutions depending on the game .
I`m playing Counter-strike ( yes , i`m oldschool) , Fifa , Crysis , Unreal Tournament , COD4 , COD5 , Starcraft and so on . Fifa , Starcraft and Counter-strike don`t use the true power of my video card since , Starcraft is 2d , Counter-strike works on really lower end video cards . Now lets talk about Crysis . Ok , all settings high , higher resolution , you name it .
There is absolutely no difference between my video card , and the card a friend owns , a Sapphire Radeon HD 4870 1GB version in 1920x1200 with AA enabled . Now if people are buying a video card with 4 Gb of ram , i believe they are not playing Counter-strike , Day of Defeat or Starcraft . If you are going to buy that card to be "future proof" to play games based on engines like Crysis uses , you won`t have any performance increase. You need better GPU . 2 fps more in Crysis are not noticeable . However in Cod4 you will probably get 10 fps more at a higher resolution , but that won`t really matter since you already get 100 and you can`t see any difference . Now , in the EU the ASUS ENGTX295 is about 430E , but the starting pricepoint was 460 . Extra 2gb`s of GDDR3 and a custom cooler design increases manufacturing costs . Don`t forget that Asus has a higher price on the market than other competitors...
If a GTX295 was 460 Euros , i expect this card to be around 550-560 . So you pay extra money for that cool looking plastic shroud ? Well what happens when you realize you need a water block for your card ? that shroud must come off right ?
I believe Asus just wanted to show the world they can do more to improve a reference video card , other manufacturers can do that two but they don`t , because they know that 2gb extra ram are useless . Asus knows that too since they are just giving 1000 pieces away , don`t you think ?
Sorry for my bad English , but i hope you get the point ...
you have a better understanding than i do, cause you've programmed 3D apps. You're the w1zzard damnit, its not fair to argue with you. you need to share your knowledge more!
regardless of the addressing, I dont see using that much any time soon until modern warfare 2 or a round of 8 player BGH on stacraft II.
so to summarise your analogy: its not like its going to suck from the get go, but once the address space limit is full up, things are going to slow down until you got the old furniture out and the new furniture in.
Running x64 here just gives you a bigger door.
RV870 , DirectX11 are just around the corner . Nvidia is moving to GDDR5 . Gpu`s are currently hitting 1000MHZ . Imagine the performance boost . So do we need 4GB VRAM ? how do we benefit from that ? we don`t ... This is like the last line of defense , other manufacturers won`t respond to this "monstrosity" . A stock GTX295 is more than you need . And like i first said , two GTX 275 in SLI , will be a better solution to improve performance , and you will save money .
That was my point , Mussels ...
only exception might be gta4 which seems to benefit nicely from more memory even at less demanding resolutions/AA. read: shit engine. not to mention the extremely gay DRM - i boycott it for benchmarks
@ weer: But 2560x1600 is rare and hardly anyone uses it...I bet you rich ppl wont buy those screens until they're more popular...
But this is technically how it goes. In order to produce a card better than the maximum, they'd have to call it something of a "Limited Edition", because otherwise no one would buy the "regular" GTX 295. Now that they have that title.. they can go wild.. and they have.
Do you remember the "Limited Edition" X1950XTX Limited-Crossfire-Edition? I'm sure you know when it came out. Two super-charged X1950XTX's in both looks and performance, with the best GDDR4, that came in a collector's silver-brushed metallic case, and cost about twice the price of the already not-worth-it X1950XTX.
But this card is definitely worth it.. for me and everyone else who wants to game this summer without waiting for GTX 380. If it costs 600$, I'll get it. But it's extremely unlikely, says me.