The ASUS Republic of Gamers have at long last sent us a final version of the new ROG MARS II, the most powerful graphics product in their arsenal and arguably the most powerful graphics card ever made, period.
This colossus is a triple-slot monster, so be warned, it’s not for the faint of heart, light of PSU, or cramped of case. It is for those who want to brandish the best in video prowess just in time for gaming season, as the MARS II will tear through the likes of Rage, Battlefield 3, Modern Warfare 3 and later Bioshock Infinite and Mass Effect 3 in 1600p or higher with all details on max like a planet streaking through the solar system.
As seen by the Hubble space telescope
The sweet and lowdown
Like the previous MARS incarnation, this giant is a dual GPU board. It features two NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580s, each with 512 CUDA cores. The memory is 3GB of your finest GDDR5, clocked at 4008MHz. The cores run at a swift 782MHz, and the data bus defies the very concept of generosity with a twin 384-bit interface.
We can’t share specific performance and benchmarking information with you at this time, but suffice it to say, if you have the proper support hardware, the MARS II will really transform your gaming landscape, like a mammoth sand storm sweeping across the dusty plains of the red planet. OK, enough with the Martian similes.
Limited edition with the power of levitation!
They’ve created a monster
But of the good kind, the kind you actually want to create. Also, of the literally cool kind. Thanks to DirectCU II application, the MARS II uses all-copper heat pipes to mitigate heat, as well as dual 120mm fans that reportedly push up to 600% more air than a reference GTX 590. This is a nice touch, for sure, added to Super Alloy Power components that enhance performance potential, extend product lifespan and lower temps. It also means the MARS II is a potent overclocker, though why you’d want to overclock this beast is up for debate. But if you do want to overclock, then the included ASUS GPU Tweak has a friendly interface that lets anyone from novice to expert tune voltages and clocks to their heart’s content.
Look, it’s quite simple, if you crave the meatiest graphics card around for gamers, this is it. It’s got more hardware than your local Home Depot (or your local equivalent of choice), makes native DX11 performance look well and truly at ease, and comes clad in that chic ROG red and black colour scheme we love so much.
Either for yourself or for the gamer in your life, this is going to be a spectacular present for the holidays. Just keep in mind this is a limited production run, so you may have to buy early. And don’t expect a bargain, this will not be a cheap card!
And now, some photos.
Showing the DirectCU II twin fans
Back plate with twin openings for the GPUs
Rear I/O panel
Board layout showcasing the dual GTX 580s
Suds McSoapdish
Thirty years ago, toddler Suds got his first taste of just how enjoyable technology can be when his parents gave him an Atari 2600. He soon picked up on the wonders of the Commodore 64, and the rest is history in the form of a long list of consoles, 80’s home computers and PCs built and assembled with great fervor. Writing and technology gradually moved up from hobbies to professions as Suds became the man he is today, and although he’s worked and traveled the world and experienced many things, technology, especially computing and gaming, has remained a solid constant.