ASUS Shows Off Humongous Radeon HD 6970 DirectCu II Graphics Card

[btarunr]

ASUS displayed a huge new graphics card based on the AMD Radeon HD 6970 GPU. The EAH6970 DirectCu is perhaps the largest among the company's graphics cards that use a "direct-copper" GPU cooler in which heat pipes make direct contact with the GPU die. Such is the size of the cooler, that the card requires three expansion slots in your system. To make optimal use of the expansion brackets, ASUS wired out all TMDS links from the GPU, yielding a display connectivity consisting of two DVI and four full-sized DisplayPort 1.2 connectors.

The GPU cooler makes use of a large aluminum fin array which uses at least three 8 mm thick copper heat pipes. The aluminum fins are cooled by the airflow of two 120 mm fans. The card uses 2 GB of high-speed GDDR5 memory over a 256-bit wide memory interface, it packs 1536 VLIW4 stream processors. The card also seems to be using a 9-phase VRM that allows software voltage control. Power is drawn in from two 8-pin PCI-E power connectors.



View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[newtekie1]

Are you sure those are HDMI ports? Those look like DisplayPorts to me.

 

[kid41212003]

Too big for HDMI ports.

I'm quite sure those are HDMI ports, HDMI ports on Dell's have the same shape. I'm wondering why they don't use the universal shape...

EDIT: Err, those ports on Dell's are Display Ports too. I thought they are supposed to be smaller...

 

[shiny_red_cobra]

If you look in the pic, it says DP next to them.

 

[Swamp Monster]

That is monstrous! 3 expansion slots - I hope it's worth it.

 

[CDdude55]

It's Display Port, as it says DP next to them.

EDIT: shiny red cobra beat me to it.

 

[beautyless]

Extended ability for overclocking. So exited.

 

[..'Ant'..]

Thats one hell of a monster!

 

[LifeOnMars]

Wodney Weynolds - Kickass pwoduct!!

 

[silkstone]

You'd have a hard time fitting that into a lot of systems. But then again if you have the money for that kinda card, you should have a decent sized motherboard.
I find the label vaguely humorous Direct"CU" would mean something different in the language where i live.

 

[mastrdrver]

Looking through the fans, it appears to me that the cooler they use is the Zalman ZF3000A just with a different cover.

 

[wahdangun]

wow, i think DVi standart need to die, why they don't use dual HDMI port instead?

 

[silkstone]

wow, i think DVi standart need to die, why they don't use dual HDMI port instead?

DVI sends both digital and analog signals so it can be converted to HDMI or the older D-Sub type signal. Good for older displays

 

[TAViX]

They need to invent an external PCI-X 2.0 or 3.0 port asap. If this trend keeps up, the high-end video cards will be sold in a box form, with independent power brick, just like a media center box.

 

[H82LUZ73]

LOL 13 posts and no one noticed the new pvm area

Same with the new Power Cooler PSCh 6970 they have the revised pcb to me look at the back of the cards..

 

[TAViX]

This design was worth if they would have applied it to a dual GPU card. Why do I feel like this card is kinda of a waste...?

 

[Bundy]

This design was worth if they would have applied it to a dual GPU card. Why do I feel like this card is kinda of a waste...?

Because it is a waste. By the time that sort of GPU horsepower is needed in a game, it will be possible to purchase the same performance at much less power and cost.

 

[mastrdrver]

LOL 13 posts and no one noticed the new pvm area

Same with the new Power Cooler PSCh 6970 they have the revised pcb to me look at the back of the cards..

Got a link to the Powercolor? Can't seem to find it.

On the new power circuitry, looks "nVidia" like it its layout.

 

[Relayer]

Wow! I wanted to see a 6970 with a better cooler, but this looks more like it should be on a dual GPU card. I'll be curious to see it's O/C ability.

 

[H82LUZ73]

Got a link to the Powercolor? Can't seem to find it.

On the new power circuitry, looks "nVidia" like it its layout.

right here Sorry just gonna link it,http://www.techpowerup.com/live/images/CES_2011/unsorted_076.jpgActually the 6950.Here is the 6970 so looks like both cards got the pvm upgrades.http://www.techpowerup.com/live/images/CES_2011/unsorted_070.jpg
Also looks like the BIOS Switch is gone off ver2 pcb.
PS Booth babes are up too.

 

[gbird]

It better performs well for taking up an extra slot. I hope they dont go this route with 3 slots for a card in the future. Cards should be smaller and more power effecient as time passes, not bulkier.