ASUS Matrix GTX 580 Platinum Review - PAGE 2

The ASUS Matrix GTX580 Platinum is packaged in a red ROG themed box that includes the model of the graphics card and key supported features on the front. The size of the box is roughly the same as those used for ROG motherboards, and it also has a handle at the top for easy transportation.

The front panel of the packaging can be lifted to reveal a panel that gives detailed descriptions of the ROG features, while the back panel of the box includes addition features regarding the graphics card. With the front panel open there is a clear shot of the top of the ASUS Platinum showing off its dual fan DirectCU II thermal solution. The graphics card and accessories are packaged in separated boxes inside the package.

As far as the accessories go, ASUS has included dual 8-pin PCIe power adapters, an extendable SLI bridge, a DVI to VGA adapter, installation guide and a driver CD. It may not seem like much for a graphics card of this caliber, but ASUS has included everything that is needed to get the Matrix Platinum up and running.

The ASUS Matrix GTX580 Platinum is a large graphics card that utilizes a dual fan DirectCU II thermal design. Overall the heatsink is massive, and while it's hard to see from the top, the Matrix occupies not two, but three full expansion slots. Along with the large heatsink, the total length of the PCB has also been increased and the Matrix measures out to be a full inch longer than the reference models. The size could prove to be an issue for some users, as it could limit SLI support and prevent installation of some add-on devices. Aside from the size, the Matrix utilizes the ROG visual theme with a black heatsink shroud and PCB with red accents throughout.

The GPU attached to the Matrix is hand-picked to ensure it is fully capable of maintaining a default clock speed of 816Mhz. This gives it a 5% increase in comparison to the reference models and sets the CUDA engine to 1632MHz. The graphics processor is the infamous GF-110 GPU, which consists of 4 GPCs, 16 Polymorph engines, 64 Texture units and 512 CUDA cores. Essentially, it is a GF-100 GPU that has been maxed and tweaked for better performance and reduced leakage. In addition, the Matrix utilizes a 1536MB GDDR5 frame buffer that run on a 384-bit bus and is clocked at 4Gbps, giving the GTX 580 a total memory bandwidth of 192.4GB/s.

On the back of the Matrix is a full-sized perforated heatplate that extends to both ends of the PCB. There are a few areas on the back plate that have been removed to accommodate the ROG features. The most predominant ROG feature on the back is a NEC-Tokin Proadlizer Super-capacitor, which is positioned directly under the GPU. This chip is part of the "Super Alloy Power" design and it ensures the GPU wil be provided with the most efficient supply of power.

There are a few more ROG features along the end of the PCB that have been added to the Martix. On the side closest to the power connectors, there are six "Probelt" hardware monitoring points. There are voltage monitoring points which can be used in conjunction with a multimeter for the GPU, memory, PLL and PCIe lane. On the other side of the PCB is a feature ASUS calls the Modzone. This area allows for easy hard-modding to the board by giving a dedicated area where overheating and current protection can be disabled. It also can be used to adjust the memory/PLL voltage and double the Super Hybrid engine that is clocked from 250KHz to 500KHz.

At the back of the PCB, ASUS has included a few features that are quite unique for a graphics card. First they have increased the power that is available to the board by removing the standard 6+8-pin configuration for a more robust dual 8-pin PEG layout. This gives the board an extra 75W of juice, which will come in handy when overclocking. Additionally, the back includes on-board TweakIt buttons that allow the voltage level and fan speed to be adjusted in real-time.

The video connection options on the Matrix Platinum are a custom design that consists of two Dual-Link DVI outputs, a single HDMI 1.4a port and a DisplayPort. While there is a DisplayPort present (which is not the case with reference models) Nvidia surround and 3D Surround are still not natively supported. This means it will still take a second graphics card to enable support for these features. On the video output panel ASUS has included a "Safe Mode" button. Essentially what this feature does is reset the card back to the default voltage and frequency settings. This option will come in handy if any mishaps occur while overclocking the GPU.