Club3D Ends Partnership with NVIDIA

Club3D might not be the best known hardware company, but it has 16 years of experience none the less, when it comes to manufacturing graphic cards. The company has manufactured cards with both NVIDIA and AMD chips on them for many years, but the company has now decided that it will focus on AMD's chips only. The reason for parting with NVIDIA is unknown, although rumors say that NVIDIA is currently trying to decrease the number of add-in boards. 

AMD is, according to Judith Ma Tseng, CEO at Club3D, able to deliver a complete solution to the customers. Tseng believes that "[Club3D] can offer a better solution going forward wth AMD alone." 

The Director of Desktop Product management at AMD Graphics, Zvika Greenstein, is confident that Club3D made the right decision, because "with products like the Radeon HD 7990 Dual GPU, Club3D has a long-standing reputation for delighting enthusiasts with spectacular products based on AMD Radeon™ graphics chips". He also takes the decision as "a powerful acknowledgement of [AMD's] leadership in graphics space". 

Source: Club3D

PowerColor Announces Low Profile Graphics Card

PowerColor is now offering a low profile version of the HD7750 GPU, the HD7750 Eyefinity 4 LP Edition. The small form factor of this card isn't an indication that it isn't powerful as it offers the ability to use four monitors in an Eyefinity setup, though the size does limit users to four mini DisplayPort connections. The GPU has a clock speed of 800MHz with 2GB of GDDR5 at 1125MHz. In addition to Eyefinity, the card also supports AMD HD3D and PowerPlay technologies.

Source: Press Release

Details On NVIDIA's Upcoming GTX 770 Revealed

The specifications for the upcoming NVIDIA GTX 770 graphics card have been revealed. Unlike the GTX 780, which is based on the new GK110 architecture, the GTX 770 is based on the GK104 architecture like the previous generation. It is going be a rebranded GTX 680 with higher clocks. It has 1,536 CUDA cores and a core clock of 1,046 MHz, which goes up to 1,085 MHz with NVIDIA's GPU Boost 2.0. It will be available in two variants, one with 2 GB and one with 4 GB of memory, both with a memory clock of 7,000 MHz, which is paired with a 256-bit memory interface.

The card will need a 6-pin and an 8-pin PCIe power connector, and it has a TDP of 230 W. The cooler is apparently going to be the same as the one used on the GTX Titan, which should keep the card rather cool and quiet. Two DL-DVI, an HDMI, and a DisplayPort output has been fitted on the board, so it should work with most modern monitors.

Performance has been estimated to be anywhere from 10 to 20 percent faster than AMD's HD 7970 GHz Edition; though in some games, like Tomb Raider, Crysis 3, and Max Payne 3, the GTX 770 will be on par or a little faster.

A price has not been revealed yet, but it is expected to be around the same as the HD 7970 GHz Edition.

Source: Fudzilla

AMD Launches World's Fastest Notebook Graphics Card

Today AMD launched the world's fastest notebook graphics card, the AMD Radeon^TM HD 8970M. AMD managed to pack 1,280 stream processors on the card with an engine clock of 850 MHz (900 MHz with Boost) and a memory clock of 1,200 MHz. This gives the card 2,304 GFLOPS of single precision compute power and 144 GFLOPS of double precision compute power. Despite these impressive numbers, it is more efficient than previous generations, so your battery should last longer while you conquer the battlefield. The card supports Eyefinity, OpenCL, GPU acceleration, and DirectX 11.1. 

AMD has provided some numbers on how much better the HD 8970M is compared to NVIDIA's GTX 680M, and it is clear that AMD has stepped up their game this time. The HD 8970M churns out about 20 frames more per second in Battlefield 3, which is quite impressive. The system used for the comparison contained a Core i7 3770k, 4 GB of DDR3 1600 MHz RAM, a Seagate Barracude 7200.11 hard drive, and a monitor with a 1920x1080 resolution.

Source: AMD

PowerColor Looks for Silence with New Video Card

High powered video cards have included massive heatsinks with multiple fans for several years to dissipate the amount of heat produced by the powerful GPU. The newest card from PowerColor, the SCS3 HD7850, looks to diverge from the trend by including a heatsink that doesn't require fans. The G-shape heat pipe design offers the same cooling as dual U-shape heat pipes, and features several aluminum fins to assist in heat dissipation. The SCS3 features a core speed of 850MHz and 1GB of 1200MHz GDDR5.

Intel Introduces Iris Graphics

Intel has just announced Iris, the newest iteration of its built-in graphics solutions. Iris marks an upgrade over previous versions of Intel HD Graphics and is targeted at ultrabooks and similar mobile platforms. New systems that combine Iris with fourth generation Intel Core processors will see 3D graphics performance increases of two to three times, depending on processor model. In addition to improved graphics performance, Iris will also offer improvements in video and photo editing as well as providing the ability to display at 4k Ultra HD resolutions.

Source: Intel

AMD Releases New $1000 GPU

AMD’s answer to the $1000 GPU has finally arrived. It is called the Radeon HD 7990 and it features two chips based on AMD’s GNC architecture. The core clock is 950MHz, which can go up to 1 GHz with Boost. The card will have 6GB of GDDR5 memory clocked at 1500 MHz and a memory bandwidth of 288GB/s. It is estimated to do 8.2 TFLOPs of Single Precision compute power and 2.04 GFLOPs of Double Precision compute power. The inside of the chip contains 64 compute units equaling 4096 stream processors and 256 texture units. All the information travels through a PCIe 3.0 x16 bus interface. To power the card AMD recommends a 750W PSU with two 150W PCIe connectors. For connectivity a DisplayPort 1.2 is required to run the total amount of six monitors; however, the card also supports HDMI, Dual-link DVI with HDCP, and VGA. 

So if you are looking for a card that can supply your three to six 1080p or higher monitors, then look no further. The cost is fairly high, but the card is guaranteed to deliver. And as an extra treat, AMD throws in eight AAA games to ensure that you have something to push the card with. The titles are Hitman: Absolution, Tomb Raider, Crysis 3, BioShock Infinite, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Sleeping Dogs, Far Cry 3, and Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon.

Source: AMD

Two New Versions of the GTX Titan in the Works

According to reports, NVIDIA's GTX Titan card will soon be joined by two comrades. A beefier version and a slimmed down version are both rumored to be in the works.

The budget version called GTX Titan LE is expected to be released this summer. It'll feature 208 TMUs and 2,496 CUDA cores vs. 240 TMUs and 2,688 CUDA cores on the standard GTX Titan. The memory will also drop to 5GB of GDDR5. These reductions results in a lowering of power consumption though, which is expected to fall to around 180W compared to 206W that the standard Titan requires.

The beefier version is supposedly going to be called either GTX Titan II or GTX Titan Ultra. It'll increase the TMUs up to 256 and the amount of CUDA cores up to 2,880. The GPU used in Titan has exactly 2,880 CUDA cores available. That means NVIDIA would have to avoid any little defect or issue, which is something the company has yet to accomplish. The card will also receive a bump in clock speed, from 837MHz to 950MHz. These changes of course increase the power consumption and the TDP will go up to around 220W.

This is still a rumor and no release dates or prices has been announced, and it might be a controlled leak by NVIDIA to steal some of the spotlight from AMD's launch of the Radeon HD 7990, but wouldn't we all like to see what the GK110 is capable of when fully unlocked and pushed to the limit?

Source: Extreme Tech

NVIDIA GeForce 320.00 Beta Drivers Now Available

A slew of new games are on the way, which means it's time to update your video card drivers. NVIDIA released the GeForce 320.00 beta drivers earlier today that increase performance by up to 20% in games like Dead Island: Riptide, Star Trek, and Neverwinter. Other games see performance increases too, so you don't need to have the latest titles to benefit. Tomb Raider and DiRT Showdown both see an up to 20% boost, Assassin's Creed III at 8%, Far Cry 3 gets 6%, and BioShock Infinite up to 5%. Other titles like Deus Ex: Human Revolution and StarCraft II see improvements at 1920x1080 and various levels of FXAA or MSAA. NVIDIA also added new SLI profiles for Call of Juarez: Gunslinger, Neverwinter, Dead Island: Riptide, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, GRID 2, and Remember Me, along with updated ones for Natural Selection 2, Resident Evil 6, and TrackMania² Canyon.

The new drivers can be downloaded directly through GeForce Experience or on GeForce.com.

Source: NVIDIA

Purchase a NVIDIA GTX 660 or Better and Receive Metro: Last Light for Free

If you are or soon going to be in the market for a new video card, NVIDIA has an offer for you. NVIDIA announced earlier today that all purchased GeForce GTX 660 and higher video cards will include a copy of Metro: Last Light. Deep Silver and 4A Games' sequel to smash hit Metro 2033 arrives on May 14 in the U.S. and May 17 in Europe, so you'll need to wait a little bit before venturing back into the Russian post-apocalyptic landscape. Thanks to the NVIDIA Kepler technology, Metro: Last Light should look positively stunning on your new GTX 660 or better card. Anyone fortunate enough to get a GTX Titan should be in for an especially beautiful treat, but really, there isn't a wrong choice depending on your budget. Just try not to be too scared while exploring the deadly yet stunning environments in Metro.

Sapphire Introduces AMD HD 7790 with 2GB of RAM

Sapphire has gone and pushed the envelope once again, as it has just introduced a 2GB version of the AMD Radeon HD 7790. This card, dubbed the HD 7790 2GB OC Edition, comes factory overclocked to 1050MHz on the core and 1600MHz (6400MHz effective) on the 2GB GDDR5 RAM. The HD 7790 is based on the Bonaire chipset and Graphics Core Next (GCN) architecture on the 28nm process, yet previous versions all had 1GB of RAM. Sometimes more memory is necessary on a video card, which is where Sapphire's 2GB HD 7790 comes in. Other specifications, like the 128-bit memory bus, 896 stream processors, Crossfire and Eyefinity support, two DVI ports, one HDMI, and one DisplayPort, are all the same as the lower memory versions. However, the 2GB card does feature a metal backplate to help with cooling of the extra memory chips.

The Sapphire HD 7790 2GB OC Edition should be available now, though no price was mentioned. Participating retailers are including a copy of BioShock Infinite with every purchase.

NVIDIA Details New Mobile GPUs

NVIDIA has announced the addition of five new GPUs to its GeForce 700M mobile lineup. These new GPUs offer a trio of new technologies to improve the GPU performance. GPU Boost 2.0 adjusts the clock speed of the GPU to maximize performance. Optimus technology enables more efficient use of battery life by turning the GPU on and off as necessary. GeForce Experience software adjusts in-game settings and always keeps your drivers updated. The five new GPUs are the performance oriented GT 750M, GT 745M, and GT 740M and the mainstream GT 735M and GT 720M.

Source: NVIDIA

AMD Teases HD 7990 Dual GPU Monster at GDC

Last year, PowerColor unveiled its Devil 13 HD 7990 video card, which packed two Tahiti XT cores on a single PCB. At the time it was more of an unofficial HD 7990, since only PowerColor has branded with the 7990 label. However, all of that is soon to change as AMD has officially teased, for lack of a better word, its dual GPU monster known as, what else, the HD 7990. Details are beyond scarce on this card aside from a picture and the fact it'll have two 7900 GPUs, three cooling fans, and is "whisper quiet." It also features four mini DisplayPorts, one full size DVI port, is believed to be powered by two 8-pin PCIe connectors, and is a dual-slot card. AMD showed the card off during the Game Developers Conference, going on now, and called it the "world's fastest graphics cards."

Hopefully more information and exact specifications are revealed soon, but it's expected to launch sometime in the next several months. The HD 8000 series is on track to arrive by the end of this year, so it's reasonable to believe AMD wants the HD 7990 out well before then.

Source: PC World and Tech Report

Hardware Roundup: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650Ti Boost Edition

A bit less than a week ago, AMD filled in its video card lineup with the release of the Radeon HD 7790 at a price point of $149 to $159. Now it's NVIDIA's turn as they have introduced the GeForce GTX 650Ti Boost card that slots in between the GTX 650Ti and the GTX 660 with a price tag of $169. The GTX 650Ti Boost is based on the GK106 core that allows a boost in performance over its predecessor while also upping the VRAM to 2GB. Will the GTX 650Ti Boost be a worthy opponent of AMD HD 7790 cards like the Sapphire Radeon HD 7790 Dual-X OC? Read the reviews below to find out.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650Ti Boost @ OCC
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST @ Benchmark Reviews
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST 2GB Graphics Card Review - Revised GK106 @ PC Perspective
Nvidia GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost @ Bjorn3D
Nvidia GTX 650 Ti Boost 2GB @ LanOC Reviews
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost Video Card @ [H]ardOCP

Hardware Roundup: AMD HD 7790 Edition

AMD has released the HD 7790 video card to fill in the gap between the HD 7850 and HD 7770 models at a price point between $150 and $160, depending on the design. The card is built on a new GCN core that has a few changes over the prior version that can be considered evolutionary. The HD 7790 has 40% more streaming processors than the HD 7770 and should be able to play the latest games at 1080p without breaking the bank. Our roundup includes the OCC review of the non-reference Sapphire with higher clock speeds than the reference design at 1075MHz on the core and 1600MHz on the memory. We also have other reviews on cards from Gigabyte and ASUS for you to check out.

Sapphire Radeon HD 7790 Dual-X OC @ OCC
AMD Radeon HD 7790 Review - Sea Islands and Bonaire Make an Appearance @ PC Perspective
Sapphire Radeon HD 7790 OC Edition Video Card @ ThinkComputers
AMD Radeon HD 7790 @ TechSpot
Sapphire HD 7790 1GB Graphics Card @ Bjorn3D
ASUS Radeon HD 7790 DirectCU II OC Video Card @ [H]ardOCP

NVIDIA Reveals Next-Generation Volta GPU

NVIDIA's annual GPU Technology Conference kicked off earlier today in San Jose, California, and CEO Jen-Hsun Huang has revealed the company's latest roadmap. Maxwell, which features unifed virtual memory and is the followup to Kepler, is still on the way, but now we know that Volta is due to arrive after Maxwell. Volta is designed to be even more energy efficient than previous chips and it uses something called stacked DRAM. Basically, it'll have DRAM on top of the GPU with silica sub-strate between the two, allowing for "a whole bunch of DRAMs stacked atop each other." There will be a hole through the silicon to connect each layer, with one terabyte per second of bandwidth. Jen-Hsun says it's the equivalent of moving all the data off a Blu-ray disc in 1/50^th of a second and through the Volta chip.

Now, there's no telling when Volta is due to arrive and NVIDIA didn't include any ballpark dates besides 2014 for Maxwell. So whenever Volta does arrive it should knock the socks off of anything around it, but until then we just have to dream about that 1TB/s bandwidth.

NVIDIA Releases New Video Driver Tuned for Tomb Raider

The newest Tomb Raider game, which reboots the franchise to show Lara Croft's beginnings, released early last week to much critical praise. However, PC gamers running NVIDIA cards weren't able to play the game with maximum settings due to the unfortunate problem with the company not receiving the new game early enough. Now that some time has passed, NVIDIA's engineers were able to come up with a new beta driver to deliver the performance GeForce users have come to expect. The 314.21 beta driver improves stability and performance on all GeForce GTX GPUs in Tomb Raider by up to 45% at 1920x1080 and 60% at 2560x1600. Those numbers are with a GTX 680 at those resolutions, but gamers should expect gains with whichever GeForce card they are running.

NVIDIA GeForce 314.21 drivers can be downloaded at GeForce.com.

AMD HD 7790 Codenamed Bonnaire XT, Runs on GCN 2.0 Architecture

Last month, AMD announced its Radeon HD 8000 series would arrive this year, just not until the tail end of it. Bridging the gap would be more HD 7000 series cards, including new versions to presumably cater to all price points. At the time AMD wasn't ready to say just what those new HD 7000 series cards would be like, but now it looks like we have an idea of at least one. Now this isn't official from AMD as all we have to go on are leaks, but it sounds pretty accurate. Next month will see the AMD Radeon HD 7790 launch, which aims to fill the void between the 7770 and the 7850. This new card supposedly has 786 shader processors, a clock speed of 1075MHz, and 2GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus. It'll support DirectX 11.1 and OpenGL 4.3, but performance comes in about 10% less than an HD 7850.

Interestingly, the HD 7790 features a 28nm Bonnaire XT chip and uses the Graphics Core Next (GCN) 2.0 architecture. That component should be appearing in the HD 8000 series, so perhaps the 7790 is a sneak preview of what's to come later this year. That is, of course, if the rumor holds true. We'll find out in April one way or the other. The HD 7790 is expected to be priced in the $150-180 range.

Source: Tom's Hardware

ASUS GTX 670 DirectCU Mini: Small but Powerful

It is pretty much an easy task to build a decent mini-ITX gaming machine with the right hardware and chassis. To ASUS' credit, its efforts in this segment have been impressive (P8Z77-I Deluxe) - and likely to improve further with the GTX 670 DirectCU Mini. The smaller enthusiast-class Kepler GPU has a PCB length of 17cm, sports a redesigned DirectCU cooler which (according to ASUS) is just as effective as its bigger siblings, whilst enabling the same amount of graphics horsepower as a standard-sized GTX 670. Despite using just a single 8-pin connector (instead of the usual two 6-pin), the GTX 670 DirectCU Mini still manages to offer outputs of dual DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort. ASUS is currently working on a testing sample of its GTX 670 DirectCU Mini and has not released further details, but the company promises to make more information available near the card's launch. 

Source: ASUS Republic of Gamers

Zotac Updates GeForce GTX 680 AMP! Edition

Zotac is changing the configuration of its GeForce GTX 680 AMP! Edition with a new cooling solution and an included copy of Assassin's Creed III. The new Dual Silencer cooling promises to help increase performance by keeping your card cooler than previous cooling options while running quieter as well. The AMP! Edition has a GPU speed of 1176MHz and 2GB of GDDR5 that runs at 6608MHz. The card also features a number of NVIDIA technologies including GPU Boost and Surround compatibility. An included download voucher for Assassin's Creed III will give users a copy of the popular game.

Hardware Roundup: NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan Edition

NVIDIA released its latest and greatest GPU yesterday in the guise of the GeForce GTX Titan and we managed to pick up a couple of reviews of the reference version on this card in addition to the pair of reviews done here at OCC. Named after the world's fastest computer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the GTX Titan is coming to market with a MSRP $999. Quoting from the OCC GeForce GTX Titan review:

Basic specifications for GTX Titan include five GPC, 14 SMX, 2688 CUDA Cores (Single Precision), 896 CUDA Cores (Double Precision), 448 texture units, 48 ROPs, 6GB of GDDR5 memory though a wider 384-bit bus, 28nm process, and finally 7.1 billion transistors with a 1536K L2 cache. Base clock speed on the CUDA cores comes in at 837MHz with a boost clock of 876MHz while the 6GB frame buffer is clocked at 6008MHz (1502MHz effective).

So read on and decide if this newest offering from NVIDIA is worth the price.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan @ OCC
NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan Gaming @ OCC
NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Performance Review and Frame Rating Update @ PC Perspective
GTX TITAN: The beast to unseat the best! @ Bjorn3D
NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Video Card @ [H]ardOCP

GeForce 314.07 WHQL Drivers Arrive with Improvements for Crysis 3, Assassin's Creed 3, and More

NVIDIA has answered the cries of gamers everywhere for new video drivers to help in the latest games, with the GeForce 314.07 WHQL drivers. These new drivers are ideal for Crysis 3, as performance in single-GPU systems increases up to five percent and SLI systems up to 65% over the last WHQL driver. Improvements aren't just limited to Crytek's latest, however, as Assassin's Creed III sees a boost up to 27%, Sid Meier's Civilization V up to 19%, Call of Duty: Black Ops II and DiRT 3 at 14%, Just Cause 2 up to 11%, and Deus Ex: Human Revolution, F1 2012, and Far Cry 3 are all at 10%. All those numbers are with single and SLI systems compared to the 310.90 drivers. Also included in the new driver is an "Excellent" 3D Vision profile for Crysis 3, a new SLI profile for DmC: Devil May Cry, and an updated SLI profile for Warframe.

The 314.07 WHQL drivers can be downloaded from GeForce.com or through the GeForce Experience app.

Source: NVIDIA

AMD Radeon HD 8000 Series Set for End of the Year

AMD delivered on its promise to clarify its GPU plans for 2013, although it may not entirely be what you want to hear. The good news is the Radeon HD 8000 series is on track to arrive later this year, but the bad news is it'll be near the tail end of 2013. Radeon HD 7000 series cards will be the focus for the first half of the year, with AMD even planning on new product launches. What exactly those entail wasn't specified, so your guess is as good as mine. The reason AMD is still focused on a series of cards a year old (or more) is because the sales numbers in January 2013 were better than at any point in 2012. That's largely due to the Never Settle campaign, which offers big-name titles (like Far Cry 3, Crysis 3, BioShock Infinite) with purchase of HD 7000 cards. Bundles will continue to be offered with the cards, and some are going to contain image-editing software so AMD can show its about more than just gaming.

Driver development and new industry partners are going to be another part of AMD's focus this year in order to remain in people's minds. New HD 8000 series cards are going to arrive at some point, just AMD doesn't feel like it needs to deliver them now. NVIDIA's plans could throw a wrinkle in all of that, but again we're waiting to see what Team Green is doing, too.

Source: PC World

AMD to Clarify GPU Plans Later This Week

AMD has thrown itself into reverse, as over the weekend some noise was made that the company wouldn't release its Radeon HD 8000 series cards until the end of this year or beginning of next. Now, however, AMD has issued a statement it'll "certainly" have new GPUs this year with more information arriving later this week. That is certainly good news for everyone wanting to see what the HD 8000 series brings, especially if they've been holding out as long as possible for their next upgrade. The reason AMD is wanting to clarify things later this week is because the report over the weekend was taken out of context, not to mention translation. If you're so inclined you can check out the report here, though hopefully your Japanese is clearer than the Google Translate version.

When AMD reveals information on the HD 8000 series later this week, even if it's just an expected launch date, you can be sure to check it out here.

Source: PC World

NVIDIA GeForce Beta Drivers Targeted at Crysis 3

NVIDIA has released the GeForce 313.95 Beta drivers which features big improvements for gamers that are in the Crysis 3 open beta, which will be available tomorrow. Multi-GPU performance will be increased by up to 35% with the new beta drivers. Improvements will also be seen in several other recently released games including Assassin's Creed III, Civilization 5, and Far Cry 3. The drivers are available on the NVIDIA website for Windows XP, Windows 7, and Windows 8.

Source: NVIDIA

GeForce Titan: NVIDIA's GK110-Based Mainstream Graphics Card

A purported NVIDIA product release on late February could very well spark a lot of interest in an unexciting initial first quarter for consumer-level PC graphics. That card is what's being called, not too subtly, as the GeForce Titan. Utilizing NVIDIA's GK110 graphics architecture, it has been hinted that the mainstream GeForce Titan SKU will have 14 SMX units or 2,688 CUDA cores. The unconfirmed specifications also point towards a GDDR5 memory interface with 384-bit bandwidth, together with a default memory loadout of 6GB. There was no mention of the high-end card maintaining the "600 series" moniker, which could very well indicate the Titan's integration into the GeForce 700 Kepler Refresh family. With a speculated price range of around $899, will the single-GPU prowess of the GeForce Titan be mighty enough to overthrow NVIDIA's own GTX690 juggernaut?

Single-Slot iGame GeForce GTX 650 Ti Announced by Colorful

The current crop of GeForce GTX 650 Ti cards are mostly of the dual-slot kind, but Colorful's latest is a sleek black Kepler design that's a tad thinner than its counterparts. The German GPU maker touts it as the world's first single-slot GeForce GTX 650 Ti, which incorporates a few design ideas from an equally slim iGame GTS450 card released back in 2011. The oddly named iGame GTX650Ti 1G Buri-Slim features high-C POSCAP capacitors and high efficient ON-SEMI MOSFET coupled with a 3+1 VRM phase.

Using two Dual-link DVI and a mini-HDMI port, the iGame GTX650Ti Buri-Slim is clocked at 928MHz with the memory running at 5400MHz. Colorful manages the card's thermals using a penetrated design for its chokes, which go through the card's PCB. Its heatsink uses a combination of copper base and aluminum for the shell, along with aluminum fins and a turbofan. If the iGame GTX650Ti Buri-Slim does keep its temps cool in tight spaces while pushing polygons, it's going to be right at home with a compact gaming rig. 

Limited Edition ROG ARES II Video Card on the Way from ASUS

Prepare to be blown away with pure power, as ASUS is preparing a limited edition ROG ARES II video card that is sure to shake the record books. ASUS has packed two AMD Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition GPUs and 6GB of GDDR5 RAM onto a single card that only takes up two PCIe slots, thanks in large part to an included hybrid water cooling system. The cooling system features a closed-cycle liquid system with two 120mm fans and a radiator block that should fit on the rear of many cases. On the card is an 80mm dust-proof fan to keep "critical components" like RAM and power delivery parts cool. According to ASUS, the design allows for continuous stability under full load, with temperatures 31 °C cooler than an NVIDIA GTX 690.

As for the card itself, well, ASUS runs the two GPUs at 1050MHz base clock with an 1100MHz boost clock. The 6GB of memory runs at 6600MHz on a dual 384-bit bus, so you should be pretty well covered in the most demanding games. DIGI+ VRM helps keep power to the card stable, while the 20-phase Super Alloy Power ensures a long life even under heavy load and high temperature. Core and memory speeds, fan performance, and voltages can all be modified with the ASUS ROG Edition GPU Tweak program, which presents users with an easy-to-use interface. GPU Tweak can also be used to keep an eye on temperatures and power consumption levels, just in case you're worried things are getting a little too toasty.

There will only be 1,000 ASUS ROG ARES II video cards available, with each one coming in a custom ROG-themed case and a laser-etched serial number on the backplate to show its limited status. An 850W power supply with at least 42 amps on the 12V rail is required to run this beast, though there are PCIe adapters just in case you don't have three 8-pin PCIe cables. Four DisplayPorts, one single-link DVI, and one dual-link DVI round out the monitor connections, plus HDMI is available via an adapter. An extended Crossfire bridge is included as well just in case you want to run a second card next to this monster. The card comes in at 11.8" x 5.5" x 1.8", so it isn't too much bigger than other video cards.

No price or launch date was announced at this time for the ROG ARES II, but expect ASUS to reveal those soon.

All-White GeForce GTX 680 LTD OC V4 Prepped by KFA2

KFA2 previously made the striking black-and-white GTX 680 Hall of Fame edition, and will now be releasing an all-white version that promises to be even more eye-catching. The milky white KFA2 GeForce GTX 680 LTD OC V4 retains almost the same specs as its April-released predecessor, and is speculated for a January 2013 launch. The European NVIDIA card maker kept the same 2GB of GDDR5 memory with a 6GHz frequency, and the NVIDIA GK104 chip factory-overclocked at 1,150MHz with GPU boost. The winter-themed PCB takes advantage of an 8-phase VRM, combined with the matching white cooler that comes with three PWM controlled 90mm fans to dissipate the GPU's heat. Price is expected to hover around US $730, or £450. It'll come in a little late for the holidays, but the KFA2 GeForce GTX 680 LTD OC V4 looks good enough to be paired with a black chassis on any season. 

AMD Reveals Specs of HD8000M Series of Mobile GPUs

AMD has confirmed reports that it will be unveiling its new 'Solar System' series of mobile GPUs at CES in Las Vegas, Nevada, next month, along with two new GPUs code named 'Mars' and 'Neptune'. Another more advanced chip, code named 'Sun', will be made available in Q2 2013, around the time AMD's HD8000 series of desktop graphics are rumored to be released. The performance increase from the 7000M series of mobile GPUs is likely to be minimal, with more focus on performance and cost optimization instead of brute power. AMD has also revealed some additional details about the first few 8000M mobile GPUs to be released.

The 8000M series of mobile GPUs will range from the low-end HD 8500M, code named 'Mars', to the flagship HD 8970M, code named 'Sun'. AMD has not released any details of the high-end chip as of yet, however AMD has released the specs of many of the other GPUs in the series. All the chips will be based on a 28nm manufacturing process and will boast DirectX 11.1, OpenCL 1.2, OpenGL 4.3 and C++ AMP support, and will be available with either a 1GB or 2GB framebuffer. The low-end HD 8500M GPU will feature up to 33GFLOPS double-precision processing power and 20 texture units, as well as a 650MHz core clock speed. The more powerful HD 8870M GPU will have up to 62GFLOPS double-precision processing power, as well as 40 texture units and a 650-700MHz core clock.

AMD has not indicated that the chips will feature any significant architectural changes, so it is likely that the 8000M series of mobile GPUs will be based on the same GCN architecture currently featured in the HD 7000 series of desktop GPUs. This means the 8000M series are more likely to be geared towards reduced power consumption and heat output, consequently enabling smaller form factors and improved battery life.