Asus GTX 660 TI-DC2T-2GD5 Review- Tech Reviews, Firstpost
Nvidia’s GTX 660 Ti GPU has been a big hit with gamers all over and we’ve already seen it in action in the ZOTAC GTX 660 Ti. Although it offers amazing performance, the price point is a bit on the high side and not many gamers are willing to shell out so much when the GTX 670 can be had for just a little more. Maybe Asus can change that with their GTX 660 Ti offering. We have with us today the GTX 660 Ti-DC2T-2GD5, their factory overclocked GTX 660 Ti with their custom cooler.
Design and Build
Unlike ZOTAC’s custom PCB design, which we absolutely love, Asus has stuck with the reference PCB design but has used their own cooler we’ve seen on their previous offerings as well. At 10.7 inches in length, it’s a big card so make sure you have a decently spacious mid-tower chassis. It is a dual-slot card thankfully and not a triple-slot one so it shouldn’t block too many slots. The cooler uses copper heatpipes to direct heat from the core more effectively. The aluminium fins help dissipate the heat which is then cooled by the two fans.
Well designed and built
For connectivity, we have two dual-link DVI (one DVI –D and one DVI-I) connectors, HDMI and a full sized DisplayPort. There are some exhaust vents at the rear as well although it really shouldn’t matter much since the card has an open design so most of the hot air is dumped inside the chassis itself. The GTX 660 TI-DC2T-2GD5 has a very good design and the build of the card is very good; no complaints here.
Features
Asus has pushed the clock speeds of the card quite a bit, slightly higher than ZOTAC’s AMP! Edition. The core is clocked at 1059MHz while the 2GB GDDR5 memory is clocked at 1502MHz (6008MHz effective). ZOTAC had pushed the memory speeds a bit higher in the AMP! Edition so it may be able to have an edge in performance, which we’ll see in a bit. Other than a DVI-VGA adapter and PCIe to Molex power adapter, Asus does not bundle any game with the card. The bundle also includes Asus’s GPU Tweak utility.
Very good set of connectors
Since this GPU is based on the same GK104 die, you get all the new features that Kepler offers. These include GPU Boost, Adaptive V-Sync and new Anti-Aliasing (AA) models. GPU Boost is similar to Turbo Boost, in the sense that the card will dynamically increase its own clock speeds and voltages in a game, if and only if it does not go beyond a set TDP threshold. For instance, if there is an intense battle scene in the game which demands more shader power, the built-in algorithms will automatically check the current power draw, temperature, voltage etc. of the card and accordingly increase only those parameters that can be pushed. This keeps changing as you play the game and is built into Kepler itself, so it kicks in by default. Adaptive V-Sync can now be found in the Nvidia Control Panel and what it does is, dynamically toggle the V-Sync state depending on the frame rate. For instance, if you’re getting more than 60fps, then V-Sync will be on to avoid screen tearing and if it dips below 60fps, then it switches it off to avoid stuttering. The two new AA modes (FXAA and TXAA) are said to offer similar quality levels as MSAA, but without the huge performance hit.
Testbench
- Processor: Intel Core i7-2600K CPU @ 3.40 GHz
- Motherboard: GIGABYTE P67A-UD3R
- Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws 8GB (4GB x 2) @1600MHz
- Hard drive: Intel SSD 520 240GB (Boot Drive), WD Velociraptor 300GB (Secondary Drive)
- GPU: Asus GTX 660 TI-DC2T-2GD5
- PSU: Cooler Master Silent Pro 1000W
- OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
Performance
The Asus GTX 660 Ti delivers performance very similar to ZOTAC’s AMP! Edition. The latter manages to inch ahead due to the higher memory bandwidth. The card otherwise runs whisper quiet thanks to the low RPM fans that manage to dissipate enough of air to keep temperatures in check. The card idles at 44 degrees Celcius and on full load, does not go beyond 69 degrees Celcius. This is slightly higher than ZOTAC’s offering but still good nonetheless.
3DMark 11
3DMark is a computer benchmarking tool created and developed by Futuremark Corporation to determine the performance of a computer’s 3D graphics rendering and CPU workload handling capabilities. The latest version makes extensive use of all the new features in DirectX 11, including tessellation, compute shaders and multi-threading. We used the ‘Performance’ preset for this benchmark.
Battlefield 3
Battlefield 3 is a first-person shooter developed by EA Digital Illusions CE and is based on the new Frostbite 2 game engine. The game only supports DX10 and DX11, which enables enhanced in-game destruction with Destruction 3.0, creating more refined physics than its predecessor and quasi-realtime radiosity using Geometrics’ Enlighten technology. The game is a visual treat and a nightmare for graphics cards, which makes it perfect for our test. We used the ‘Ultra High’ preset, Post AA: High, Blur: Full, Field of View: 90, Level: ‘Fear no Evil’.
Crysis 2
Crysis 2 is a first-person shooter developed by Crytek and is based on the new CryEngine 3. Just like the first iteration of the game, Crysis 2 continues to be one of the best looking shooters to date. The settings used for this benchmark were ‘Ultra High’ preset in Adrenalin, DX11 and High-resolution texture patch.
Dirt 3
Dirt 3 is a rallying video game and the third in the Dirt series of the Colin McRae Rally series, developed and published by Codemasters. The game is extremely scalable and features DX11 tessellation effects. We used the built-in benchmark tool, along with ‘Ultra’ quality preset.
Metro 2033
Metro 2033 is a slightly older first-person shooter, which continues to bring even the toughest of graphics cards to their knees. The game has a lot of DX11 eye-candy, which really puts a strain on any GPU. All DX11 features were enabled for the benchmark and we used the “Tower” level for our test.
Batman: Arkham City
A sequel to Arkham Asylum, Arkham City features a more open-world style of gameplay as well as DX11 elements. For this test, we disabled Nvidia’s PhysX, since it would be unfair to AMD’s cards. Everything else was maxed out.
Verdict and Price in India
For Rs. 20,500, the Asus GTX 660 TI-DC2T-2GD5 offers great value as it offers very similar performance to ZOTAC’s offering but at a much lower price point. Yes, you don’t get a game bundled and the card is a lot bigger, but these are very small niggles when you’re saving almost Rs. 5,000. If you were contemplating buying the GTX 660 Ti but found the price too high, then the Asus GTX 660 TI-DC2T-2GD5 offers the same performance at a much lower price.
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ASUS series of GeForce GTX 660 Ti DirectCU II graphics cards features the newest member of the NVIDIA Kepler family is the ideal fusion of power, performance, and affordability. Crafted for performance, ASUS graphics cards incorporates DIGI+VRM and Super Alloy Power technologies to bring precise power delivery by utilizing exclusively engineered power design along with specially formulated power components for better power efficiency, stability, and reliability. Along with DirectCU II thermal solution, ASUS graphics delivers a cooler and quieter performance. Optimize your performance further with ASUS GPU Tweak for real-time monitoring and overclocking. Experience the best with ASUS graphics cards.
DirectCU thermal design utilizes direct contact copper heatpipes so heat is dissipated efficiently, delivering a 20% cooler and vastly quieter performance than reference.
Acclaimed DIGI+ VRM has been applied via a power design that uses digital voltage regulators to minimize power noise by 30% and enhance power efficiency by 15%, widen the voltage modulation range, and improve overall stability and longevity by 2. 5 times longer than reference.
On-board memory for the best gaming experience & the best resolution.
GPU
Name | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti |
Core Speed | 1059 MHz |
CUDA cores / Stream processors | 1344 |
Fab Process | 40nm |
Memory
Type | GDDR5 |
Amount | 2GB |
Speed | 1502 MHz |
Bus Width | 192-bit |
DirectX Support | DirectX 11 |
Video Outputs
D-Sub | Yes |
DVI | Yes |
DisplayPort | Yes |
HDMI | Yes |
Dimensions
Dimensions (W x D x H) | 10.7 x 5.4 x 1.7 inches |
Specs ASUS GTX660 TI-DC2O-2GD5 graphics card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2 GB GDDR5 (GTX660 TI-DC2O-2GD5)
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Long product name ASUS GTX660 TI-DC2O-2GD5 graphics card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2 GB GDDR5
:
The short editorial description of ASUS GTX660 TI-DC2O-2GD5 graphics card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2 GB GDDR5
GeForce GTX 660 Ti DirectCU II OC 2GB, GDDR5, 192-bit, HDMI/2 x DVI/Display Port
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ASUS GTX660 TI-DC2O-2GD5 graphics card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2 GB GDDR5:
The official marketing text of ASUS GTX660 TI-DC2O-2GD5 graphics card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2 GB GDDR5 as supplied by the manufacturer
ASUS GTX 660 Ti DirectCU OC: overclocked sweet spot gaming.
— TOP-selected 1058MHz core — 78MHz higher than reference for smoother gameplay.
— DirectCU thermal design utilizes direct contact copper heatpipes so heat is dissipated efficiently, delivering a 20% cooler and vastly quieter performance than reference.
— Acclaimed DIGI+ VRM with Super Alloy Power technology delivers precise digital power and enhanced durability for stable overclocking and smooth gaming.
— GPU Tweak utility helps you modify and tune clock speeds, voltages, and fan performance via an intuitive interface.
Short summary description ASUS GTX660 TI-DC2O-2GD5 graphics card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2 GB GDDR5:
This short summary of the ASUS GTX660 TI-DC2O-2GD5 graphics card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2 GB GDDR5 data-sheet is auto-generated and uses the product title and the first six key specs.
ASUS GTX660 TI-DC2O-2GD5, GeForce GTX 660 Ti, 2 GB, GDDR5, 192 bit, 6008 MHz, PCI Express 3. 0
Long summary description ASUS GTX660 TI-DC2O-2GD5 graphics card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2 GB GDDR5:
This is an auto-generated long summary of ASUS GTX660 TI-DC2O-2GD5 graphics card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2 GB GDDR5 based on the first three specs of the first five spec groups.
ASUS GTX660 TI-DC2O-2GD5. Graphics processor family: NVIDIA, Graphics processor: GeForce GTX 660 Ti, Processor frequency: 967 MHz. Discrete graphics card memory: 2 GB, Graphics card memory type: GDDR5, Memory bus: 192 bit, Memory clock speed: 6008 MHz. DirectX version: 11, OpenGL version: 4.2, Dual Link DVI. Interface type: PCI Express 3.0. Cooling type: Active
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Specs
Reviews
Recommended products
Distributors
Specs
Processor
CUDA
*
CUDA cores
1344
Graphics processor family
*
NVIDIA
Graphics processor
*
GeForce GTX 660 Ti
Processor frequency
*
967 MHz
Processor boost clock speed
1058 MHz
Graphics card RAMDAC
400 MHz
Parallel processing technology support
*
2-Way SLI, 3-Way SLI
Maximum analog resolution
2048 x 1536 pixels
Maximum digital resolution
2560 x 1600 pixels
Stream processors
1344
Maximum displays per videocard
4
Memory
Discrete graphics card memory
*
2 GB
Graphics card memory type
*
GDDR5
Memory bus
*
192 bit
Memory clock speed
6008 MHz
Memory bandwidth (max)
144. 2 GB/s
Ports & interfaces
Interface type
*
PCI Express 3.0
HDMI ports quantity
*
1
HDMI version
1.4a
DVI-D ports quantity
*
1
DVI-I ports quantity
*
1
DisplayPorts quantity
*
1
DVI ports quantity
2
Performance
PhysX
TV tuner integrated
*
DirectX version
*
11
Performance
Shader model version
*
5. 0
OpenGL version
*
4.2
HDCP
Dual Link DVI
*
Full HD
Design
Cooling type
*
Active
Form factor
Full-Height/Full-Length (FH/FL)
Bracket height
Full-Height (FH)
Number of slots
2
Power
Minimum system power supply
*
450 W
Power consumption (typical)
*
150 W
Supplementary power connectors
2x 6-pin
System requirements
Windows operating systems supported
Mac operating systems supported
Linux operating systems supported
Packaging data
Interface adapters included
DVI-I — VGA
User guide
Manual
Other features
HDMI
Number of processors installed
1
Graphics card family
NVIDIA
Maximum operating temperature
97 °C
Reviews
Source | Testseek summary | Average rating |
---|---|---|
Updated: |
Uk has collected 19 expert reviews for ASUS GTX660 TI-DC2O-2GD5 graphics card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2 GB GDDR5 and the average expert rating is 78 of 100. The average score reflects the expert community’s view on this product. Click below and use Uk to see all ratings, product awards and conclusions. Read the full review |
Source | Review comments | Score |
---|---|---|
eteknix.com Updated: |
Recently we have looked at a number of tweaked and tuned cards from a number of manufacturers that offer up more performance out the box, which for a large number of users is a great thing. There is a downside to this however and that lies with the cost –… With so many pre-overclocked cards on the market these days, it is worth wondering why we would even consider purchasing a stock board with a better cooler. As I previously mentioned however, there are a number of advantages of doing so. First and foremos… Read the full review |
|
xbitlabs.com Updated: |
According to recent news, the next generation of graphics processors from AMD and Nvidia is not going to arrive anytime soon. We won’t have new graphics cards until at least the fourth quarter of this year, so their manufacturers keep on extending thei… It is but rarely that the subject of our tests – a CPU, cooler, mainboard, SSD or graphics card – is absolutely flawless, but today is exactly a day like that. The ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II OC 2GB shows what a mainstream graphics card must be l… |
|
thinkcomputers.org Updated: |
This item can be found at the following stores: Back in August NVIDIA released the GTX 660 Ti, which came in around the $300 price range. Performance on the card was great, but not everyone has $300 to spend on a video card. So NVIDIA released t… Great overall performance, DirectCU II cooling, DIGIVRM power design, Only requires a single 6pin PCie connector, Factory overclocked, GPU Tweak software included… Only accessory is a DVI to VGA adapter… The GTX 660 sits at a very good position at the $200-$250 mainstream market. You are going to get a good price for performance ratio with this card, which many gamers will apprecaite. Remember this card is based off the GK106 core not the GK104 core… Read the full review |
|
hardocp. com Updated: |
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. is one of the largest and most successful computer hardware manufacturers in the world. A Taiwan-based company, it manufactures a wide variety of computer hardware, including motherboards, video cards, optical drives, notebooks, netw… The ASUS GTX 660 DIRECTCU II OC is available in etail for $199.99 after $20 MIR which makes it a great deal at $199. The Radeon HD 7870 GHz edition can be had for $239.99, and after a rebate $229. Radeon HD 7850 cards equipped with 2GB of video memory sta… Read the full review |
|
hardocp. com Updated: |
On Thursday, September 13th NVIDIA launched the brand new GeForce GTX 660 GPU. We evaluated a full custom retail ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II video card. This video card was not the OC or TOP version, but based on the reference clock speeds of the new… Read the full review |
|
benchmarkreviews.com Updated: |
Benchmark Reviews Compares SLI Performance Between NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti and GeForce GTX 670. Back in May (2012) NVIDIA released their $400 GeForce GTX 670 video card, securing the number two position in their single-GPU product stack. Just three… IMPORTANT: Although the rating and final score mentioned in this conclusion are made to be as objective as possible, please be advised that every author perceives these factors differently at various points in time. While we each do our best to ensure… |
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Review and testing of the video card ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II GECID.com. Page 1
::>Video cards
>2013
> ASUS GTX660-DC2-2GD5
31-03-2013
Page 1
Page 2
One page
Most component manufacturers are trying to expand their product lines as much as possible in order to offer the right solution for as many different requirements as possible. Take, for example, the video card considered in this review ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II , as of March 2013, it is one of the four modifications of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 presented by ASUS. In October 2012, we already had one of the versions tested, namely the ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II TOP, and in order to avoid confusion in versions, we bring to your attention a small comparative table of the main differences between all four modifications that are currently relevant:
Model |
ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II |
ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II OC |
ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II TOP |
ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II TOP Game |
Product code |
GTX660-DC2-2GD5 |
nine0002 GTX660-DC2O-2GD5 |
GTX660-DC2T-2GD5 |
GTX660-DC2TG-2GD5 |
Graphics core frequency |
980 |
1020 |
1072 |
1072 |
GPU Boost |
1033 |
1085 |
1137 |
1137 |
Video memory frequency |
6008 |
6008 |
6108 |
6108 |
Cooling system |
DirectCU II |
DirectCU II |
DirectCU II |
DirectCU II |
Type of cooling system |
Axial |
Axial |
Axial |
Axial |
Number of fans |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
Video outputs |
DVI-I DVI-D HDMI DisplayPort |
DVI-I DVI-D nine0002 HDMI DisplayPort |
DVI-I DVI-D HDMI DisplayPort |
DVI-I DVI-D HDMI DisplayPort |
Dimensions, mm |
260 x 133 |
260 x 133 |
260 x 133 |
260 x 133 |
Features |
Game as a gift |
As you can see, the main difference between the versions, except for the game bundled with ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II TOP Game, lies in the GPU frequency and a slight overclocking of video memory in versions with the TOP index. Otherwise, at first glance, there are no differences, but we won’t say for sure, since we only had two of the four video cards. Speaking about the cost, it is worth noting that the difference between the cheapest version and the most expensive one is about $ 20, respectively, users who are familiar with the overclocking procedure firsthand can theoretically save the amount announced above by purchasing the heroine of our review — ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II and manually speeding it up. nine0003
However, in order not to be unfounded, we will compare the overclocking potential and the element base of ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II and ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II TOP to find out whether it is realistic to achieve the performance of a more expensive version.
Specification:
Model |
ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II (ASUS GTX660-DC2-2GD5) |
Graphics core |
NVIDIA GK106 (Kepler) |
Number of universal shader processors |
960 |
Supported APIs |
DirectX 11 (Shader Model 5. 0), OpenGL 4.3 |
Proprietary technology support |
GPU Boost, Adaptive V-Sync, PhysX, SLI, NVIDIA Surround, 3D Vision, CUDA |
Graphics core frequency, MHz |
980 (1033MHz with GPU Boost) |
Memory frequency (effective), MHz |
1502 (6008) |
Memory size, MB |
2048 |
Memory type |
nine0002 GDDR5 |
Memory bus width, bits |
192 |
Tire type |
PCI Express 3.0 x16 |
Maximum resolution |
Digital — up to 2560×1600 (up to 3840×2160 DisplayPort) Analog — up to 2048×1536 |
Image output interfaces |
DVI-D DVI-I HDMI DisplayPort |
Support for HDCP and HD video decoding |
Yes |
Dimensions, mm |
260 x 133 |
Drivers |
Latest drivers can be downloaded from the ASUS website or the GPU manufacturer’s website. nine0003 |
Manufacturer website |
ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II is an alternative version of the «reference» NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660. As a graphics core, and video memory operate at the values recommended by NVIDIA. Only the cooling system and the element base of the video card have been changed.
Packaging and bundle Since the packaging of ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II is standard for the latest ASUS products, we will not dwell on it in detail. We note only the key advertised points, namely the use of a digital power system DIGI + VRM, as well as the presence of a proprietary utility for overclocking the GPU Tweak in the package. The back of the package contains the main specifications of the video card, a brief connection diagram for displays with various interfaces, and an advertising description of the key features of the graphics accelerator. nine0003 The list of system requirements for the computer in which you plan to install ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II is located on one of the sides of the package. Based on the recommendation, the power supply in such a system must have a power of at least 450 W and be capable of delivering up to 24 A along the + 12V line. The delivery set of the ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II video card is completely identical to that of the video card with the TOP index. In the box, we found a disk with drivers and utilities, a brief manual, and an adapter from DVI-I to VGA. If it is necessary to use an adapter from two 4-pin peripheral power connectors to one 6-pin video card power connector, the user will have to take care of it himself. nine0003 ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II video card has the following set of ports for displaying images:
The following resolutions are supported:
As we said in the review of ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II TOP, this configuration of video outputs can be considered one of the most optimal, especially given the presence of an adapter from DVI-I to VGA. Appearance and element base The PCB design of the ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II video card differs from the reference version proposed by NVIDIA engineers. In this case, we are dealing with better components, another power converter, as well as a textolite 254 mm long. nine0003 ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II video card power stabilization system is made according to the 6+1 phase scheme (for GPU and memory chips, respectively). At first glance, we see an element base similar to the ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II TOP, and if we study the components of the two video cards in more detail, we can pay attention to absolutely identical “mosfets” manufactured by ON Semiconductor, namely NTMFS4937N, which, judging by the markings , differ only in the date of production, as well as in various capacitors. The GPU power circuit of the ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II video card uses capacitors marked 5KS45 820 3V and 5KS47 820 3V, while on the ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II TOP we see FP5K 27 Ah 821 03 and FP5K 26 Ph 821 03. So which, albeit slightly, but the main elements of the two video cards are still different. nine0003 The core power system is implemented on the familiar 6-phase Digi + ASP1212 controller, which supports phase switching to optimize the power consumption of the video card. In addition to the PCI-Express 3.0 connector, additional power for the ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II video accelerator is provided through one 6-pin power connector installed on the side of the video card. Similar to other versions of video cards based on the GeForce GTX 660 graphics processor, ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II claims to support NVIDIA SLI technology. Accordingly, the board contains a connector for the corresponding bridge, which allows you to combine two video cards for joint calculation of graphic effects. nine0003 Similar to the previously reviewed ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II TOP, in addition to mounting the cooling system and several components of the power stabilization module, four of the eight memory chips are located on the back of the board. The ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II is based on the NVIDIA GK106 (Kepler) graphics chip manufactured using the 28 nm process technology. It contains 960 universal shader pipelines (or CUDA cores in NVIDIA terminology), and 24 ROPs. The frequency of the graphics core, as we have already mentioned, complies with NVIDIA recommendations and is 980 MHz. Thanks to the support of GPU Boost technology, in turbo mode, the frequency of the graphics core can reach 1033 MHz. Data exchange between the graphics core and memory is carried out via a 192-bit bus. The memory of the ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II video card, the total amount of which is 2 GB, is assembled using 8 chips of 256 MB each manufactured by Samsung. The chips are marked K4G20325FD-FC03 and, according to the documentation, their nominal frequency is 6 GHz. Cooling system The ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II video card, as its name implies, has DirectCU II proprietary OS, already familiar to us from the previously reviewed ASUS video cards. The video card with installed CO occupies two expansion slots and has a total length of 260 mm. The cooler consists of a massive heatsink with 42 aluminum nickel-plated plates and two 75 mm fans mounted on the shroud. nine0003 Three nickel-plated copper heat pipes are used to evenly distribute heat over the entire area of the radiator. The tube diameter is 8 mm. As standard for DirectCU II, the heat pipes directly contact the graphics chip through a small layer of thermal paste. The main cooling system, unfortunately, does not directly contact the power elements of the power stabilization module, however, two of the four video memory chips located on the front side of the board are cooled through a special thermal interface applied to the radiator base. As we said in the ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II TOP review, cooling only two of the eight memory chips seems a little strange to us. nine0003 As you can see, the heatpipes are simply inserted into the heatsink fins, there is no solder, which can slightly degrade the efficiency of the cooling system over time. With automatic fan speed control, in the maximum load mode, the graphics core heated up to 62 degrees, and the cooler, judging by the monitoring readings, worked at only 42% of its capacity. In the maximum fan speed mode, the temperature of the GPU drops to 52 degrees. At the same time, the noise level can be described as «medium». nine0003 Note that these results are better than those of the ASUS GeForce GTX 660 DirectCU II TOP, but do not forget about the significantly higher GPU frequency, and, accordingly, higher temperature, in the latter. When there is no load, the graphics core and memory frequencies are automatically reduced to reduce the power consumption and heat dissipation of the graphics core. In this mode, the GPU temperature does not exceed 30 degrees, and the cooling system is silent. nine0003 Overview of the video card ASUS GTX660 DirectCU II OC (GTX660-DC2O-2GD5)In the already established line of graphics solutions NVIDIA with Kepler architecture, video cards of the series GeForce GTX 660 play a special role. This is the striking force of the Californians in the most interesting middle price segment. Falling into the $200+ price category, the GeForce GTX 660 can be of interest to those who know exactly why to spend such a sum on a graphics adapter. At the same time, the requirements of potential owners for devices of this class are often even higher than those of those who decide to purchase the most expensive solutions. That’s why the demand from the video card ASUS GTX660-DC2O-2GD5 , which came to us for testing, will be appropriate. Specifications and general capabilities of the GeForce GTX 660 are already well known to us, so let’s consider the features of the adapter from ASUS. Course BUSINESS ANALYST IN IT Open the profession of business analyst in IT and earn $700 per cob of career. REGISTER! The base clock speed of this graphics card’s GPU has been increased from the recommended 980 to 1020 MHz. In this case, the average value of automatic overclocking is 1085 MHz (for the reference — 1033 MHz). The adapter is equipped with 2 GB of GDDR5 memory running at 6008 MHz. The used cooler is one of the numerous variations of DirectCU II proprietary coolers, which feature direct contact of copper heat pipes with the surface of the graphics chip. In this case, we have a fairly large radiator block of aluminum plates, which are pierced by three massive 8 mm heat pipes pressed into the aluminum base. Direct contact with the GPU die accelerates heat dissipation by transferring it to a heatsink with a large heat dissipation area. On one side of the base there is a heat-conducting pad that covers the memory chip, which does not fall under the air flow of active CO. The structure is blown by two 80mm axial fans. nine0003 The top of the structure is covered with a protective black plastic casing, which is visually separated by bright red stripes. Nickel-plated heat pipes protrude somewhat beyond the lid, but uncritically increase the dimensions of the adapter, rather giving some solidity to the appearance of the cooling system and the video card as a whole. In addition to the original cooler, ASUS GTX660-DC2O-2GD5 also uses the manufacturer’s own printed circuit board. A compact 175 mm PCB has given way to a noticeably larger textolite platform 250 mm long. The increase in size is due to the fact that the model from ASUS has a reinforced power supply subsystem. If the reference card has a 4 + 1 VRM scheme, then in this case a seven-phase version (6 + 1) is used. This uses Super Alloy Power components, as well as a DIGI+ controller (ASP 1212) to adjust the stabilizer parameters. nine0003 Note that the memory chips (Samsung K4G20325FD-FC03) are located on both sides of the PCB, four on each side. PCB in black with a matt finish. A similar technique is often used to give effect to motherboards, now it is also used to visually ennoble graphics adapters. Another noticeable decor element is a bright etched «ASUS» inscription on a fixing piece of textolite, located next to the PCI Express output area. nine0003 The top panel contains a connector for connecting an additional power supply. Given the rather modest requirements of the GeForce GTX 660 in terms of power consumption (TDP — 140 W), one six-pin connector is enough for normal operation. There are also no excessive power requirements for the power supply, the developer recommends using models from 450 W and above, which can provide current up to 24 A through the 12 V line. . The red light indicates that the advisory cable is not connected, and the green light confirms the connection to the 12 V line. The upper edge of the board also has a bracket decorated with a logo, which also functions as an additional stiffening rib. The interface panel has the usual equipment. There are four video outputs on the two-slot cover: a pair of DVI (DVI-I and DVI-D), as well as full-length HDMI and DisplayPort. There is also a grille for ventilation. The mounting plate is enlarged and shaped in such a way as to direct the airflow outside the system unit. Of course, in the case of axial fans, we can only talk about the partial removal of heated air, but this method will slightly increase its volume. nine0003 ZMIST
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