ASUS Matrix GTX 580 Platinum Review - PAGE 1

The GTX 580 is currently the undisputed single GPU performance king, and its reign looks to last until the next generation of graphics cards are released. ASUS is still pushing this beast even further by tweaking the reference design, utilizing premium hand-picked GPUs that are capable of running at a default speed of 816MHz, and also by including premium "Republic of Gamers" (ROG) features. The additions to the board allow ASUS to push the GTX 580's performance to its boundaries, all while providing excellent cooling, tweaking, monitoring and overclocking potential.

The latest addition to the ROG family is the ASUS Matrix GTX580 Platinum, which is designed exclusively for gamers, enthusiasts, professional overclockers and case modders. ASUS will entice these groups by including features such as high-quality on-board components, a triple slot thermal design, ROG lighting aesthetics, and a board that can easily accommodate LN2 for extreme cooling. High quality components and a boat load of features don't come cheap though, and currently the Matrix GTX580 Platinum has a MSRP of $529, while most GF-110 based graphics cards are priced at or below $499.

Looking over the specifications, it's easy to see that is card is going to be a beast, but admittedly we were expecting to see a larger frame buffer than the included 1536MB. This shouldn't hold back the card too much, but in some of the most demanding DX11 games such as Crysis 2, Metro 2033 and possibly Bulletstorm we might see the memory interface hold the card back from greatness. However, the model features dual 8-pin power connectors, a hand picked processor and a 19-phase VRM. So, any slowdown in the higher settings due to the frame buffer can be made up for by overclocking this card to its maximum threshold.