ASUS ROG MATRIX-HD7970-P-3GD5 Review

• MATRIX-HD7970-P-3GD5

• ASUS ROG MATRIX 7970: world record-breaking overclocking and gaming power

• TOP-selected 1100MHz cores run 175MHz higher than reference for smoother gameplay.
• VGA Hotwire connects card and ROG board voltage regulators for accurate and solder-free hardware-level voltage control.
• TweakIt offers real-time fingertip-easy hardware level voltage adjustment by simply pressing the + and - buttons.
• Acclaimed DIGI+ VRM joins superior quality 20-phase Super Alloy Power to drive precise digital control for enhanced performance, reliability, and card longevity.
• ROG GPU Tweak suite offers the world's first graphics overclocking tool with loadline calibration and VRM overclocking. 

ROG MATRIX HD 7970: Jaw-dropping game thrills thanks to extreme overclocking

The ASUS ROG MATRIX HD 7970 continues the ROG tradition of catering to overclockers who want the fastest and smoothest performance. It meets extreme tuning needs, utilizing a TOP-selected GPU factory-set to 1100MHz. For hardware-level overvolting, customers get VGA Hotwire and the TweakIt interface, with one-press 100% fan speed settings. DIGI+ VRM digital controllers and Super Alloy Power components form the basis of massive 20-phase power delivery. Exclusive GPU Tweak has been enhanced for ROG duty, adding GPU loadline calibration and VRM tuning to an already full range of parameters.

VGA Hotwire

Quick hardware-level voltage tuning
DIY modification of voltages on MATRIX HD 7970 becomes simple by removing the need for complicated and risky soldering. Just connect wires from dedicated headers on compatible ROG motherboards to VGA Hotwire connectors on MATRIX HD 7970, after which you can change voltages directly on the hardware level through the ASUS UEFI BIOS or via the Windows-based Ai Suite II.

TweakIt

Instant voltage adjustment
TweakIt provides flexible overclocking control even when gaming or running benchmarks! The + and - buttons put overvolting adjustments at your fingertips, with more power translating into the faster and smoother gaming you crave and the winning edge you require for intense multiplayer and competitive benchmarking.

Turbo Fan Activator

One-press 100% fan speed
Instantly trigger the dual 100mm fans to 100% speed regardless of driver settings. This proves very useful in extreme overclocking and other heavy workload scenarios where rapid heat evacuation and max cooling are a must.

Safe Mode

One-press VBIOS reload
The Safe Mode button resets the graphics card back to default frequencies and BIOS settings. This is a very useful feature for hardware enthusiasts and experimental tuning - think of it like the motherboard's clear CMOS function.

DIGI+ VRM with 20-phase Super Alloy Power

Precise digital control enhances performance, reliability, and card longevity
MATRIX HD 7970 is built with carefully-designed massive 20-phase power delivery, unmatched by any other graphics card for the ultimate in performance and spectacular power delivery. This ensures ample room for experimental performance tuning, as its DIGI+ VRM digital voltage regulation design augments precision overclocking capabilities, which are further supported by the use of hardened Super Alloy Power capacitors, chokes, and MOSFETs. These components are forged under extreme pressure and temperatures to increase reliability, power output, and overall card lifespan while eliminating bothersome choke buzzing noise, unlike much tamer reference cards. All these and more enable the absolute best in overclocking potential and experience.

DirectCU II

20% cooler and 3X* quieter
ASUS DirectCU thermal design utilizes all-copper heatpipes so heat is removed efficiently. DirectCU II generates 6X greater airflow yet performs 3X quieter than reference in idle and full load thanks to dual 100mm sound-dampening fans.

*Equivalent to 14dB

MATRIX LED Load Indicator

GPU loading at-a-glance
A color-coded LED MATRIX indicator at the back of the ROG MATRIX graphics card gives real time and easy-to-understand visual display of the current GPU workload, with colors changing dynamically depending your card’s work load.

GPU Tweak

The world's first graphics overclocking tool with loadline calibration and VRM overclocking.
Easily fine-tune core and memory clocks, voltages, and fan settings intuitively via sliders or manual value entry. MATRIX HD 7970 arrives with a new ROG edition of GPU Tweak, which adds detailed GPU loadline calibration and VRM frequency tuning, allowing for the most extensive control and adjustment parameters for maximum overclocking potential.

Graphics GPU Features

	Powered by AMD Radeon™ HD 7970 GHz Edition		28nm GPU Less power consumption & more efficient transistor
	PCI Express 3.0 Delivers double the bandwidth per lane of PCIe 2.0 for faster GPU-CPU communication.		DirectX® 11 Support Bring new levels of visual realism to gaming on the PC and get top-notch performance
	AMD Eyefinity Technology Broaden your gaming landscape across up to six independent displays simultaneously via DisplayPort or DVI connectivity. Now fully certified and supported by over a 100 games.		CrossFire X Support Multi-GPU technology for extreme performance
	AMD HD3D™ Technology Immerse in stereoscopic 3D gaming and get up close and personal with your favorite stars while watching Blu-ray 3D. AMD HD3D is also designed for professionals who create complex visual effects and detailed data visualizations.		Microsoft® Windows® 7 Compatible Enables PC users to enjoy an advanced computing experience and to do more with their PC.

       

I/O Ports Highlight

ASUS ROG MATRIX-HD7970-P-3GD5 Specifications

• Graphics Engine
  AMD Radeon HD 7970
• Bus Standard
  PCI Express 3.0
• Video Memory
  GDDR5 3GB
• Engine Clock
  GPU Boost Clock : 1100 MHz
  GPU Base Clock : 1050 MHz
• Memory Clock
  6600 MHz ( 1650 MHz GDDR5 )
• RAMDAC
  400 MHz
• Memory Interface
  384-bit
• Resolution
  D-Sub Max Resolution : 2048x1536
  DVI Max Resolution : 2560x1600
• Interface
  DVI Output : Yes x 1 (DVI-I), Yes x 1 (DVI-D)
  HDMI Output : Yes x 1 (via DVI to HDMI adaptor x 1 )
  Display Port : Yes x 4 (Regular DP)
  HDCP Support : Yes
• Accessories
  1 x CrossFire cable
  1 x Power cable
  1 x DVI to HDMI adaptor
• Power Consumption
  up to 300Wadditional 8+8 pin PCIe power required
• Software
  ASUS Utilities & Driver
  GPU Tweak
• ASUS Features
  DirectCU Series
  Matrix Series
  TOP Series
  Super Alloy Power
• Dimensions
  11.2 " x 5.5 " x 2.5 " Inch
• Note
  ● To have the best cooling performance, ASUS MATRIX-HD7970-P-3GD5 extends the fansink to 2.5 slots. Please double check you Chassis and Motherboard dimension prior to purchase to make sure it fits in your system!
  ● Support for six simultaneous displays may require complementary products compatible with DisplayPort 1.2 Multi-Stream Transport.

Data taken from http://www.asus.com/Graphics_Cards/MATRIXHD7970P3GD5 (accessed on Jan 26, 2013)

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