Tailored for mini-ITX motherboards, Asus has designed a new graphics card based on GeForce GTX 970 adapter. The GeForce GTX 970 DirectCU Mini OC features 170x122x40 mm dimensions only, targeting small-sized chassis for mini-ITX platforms. The heart of the card is Nvidia’s GM204-200-A1 GPU with 13 SMM blocks, 1664 CUDA cores, 104 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. It runs at the nominal 1088 MHz frequency but might be overclocked to 1228 MHz index.



Asus GeForce GTX 970 DirectCU Mini OC employs a shortcut PCB that accommodates a two-slot cooler with a vapor chamber, a backplate, and a high-efficiency CoolTech Fan. The latter is distinguished by a unique design that dramatically enhances airflow. The incorporated hardware base features Super Alloy Power design. It implies the inclusion of prime-quality chokes, capacitors, and power transistors. Their combination provides for some incredible efficiency and a prolonged lifespan.


The integrated GPU is accompanied with 4GB of GDDR5 memory; it …

The debut of a new line of graphics cards AMD FirePro Wx000 on base of graphics processors family Southern Islands (28 nm) is also known as the basis for gaming decisions Radeon HD 7000.



Single-chip FirePro W9000 includes a GPU Taxiti XT 4 teraflops of performance when dealing with numbers and a single-precision teraflops in operations with double precision. The volume of on-board video memory is 6 GB of GDDR5, the recommended price — $ 4000. Scope of the discrete graphics FirePro / Southern Islands is traditional: CAD-applications that work with the media content, and system digital signage.


One position lower is FirePro W8000. It uses the kernel Tahiti Pro or XT, characterized by Tflops/806 3.23 Gflops of performance, memory capacity of 4 GB and a price tag of $ 1,600. Even lower in the hierarchy is the FirePro W7000. The card is equipped with 4 GB of GDDR5 RAM and the chip Pitcairn XT (Radeon HD 7870). Performance, according to AMD, is 2.4 Gflops Tflops/152 when …

Requirements of customers towards computer hardware differ relying on their needs. People with modest desires tend to gather systems with average specifications, while gamers and enthusiasts try to wring every possible bit, MB, GB, etc., from their PCs and hardware. Motherboard integration is usually given a special attention, since it will directly influence the overall performance. ASRock understands the desire of people with heightened demands, primarily gamers, and offers an efficient solution in the form of motherboard ASRock Fatal1ty Z77 Professional that will be a perfect match for high-end systems within middle-sized chassis.



Design and Integration


The application of black-red color scheme is supposed to be a distinctive feature of Fatal1ty series. At the first glimpse the customer won't see any extraordinary approaches in design; nevertheless more close look will unveil all the facilities ASRock motherboard offers. The first distinctive feature is digital …