We’re testing with our 2012 VGA benchmark system. The driver we're using was the "miracle" update that catapulted AMD's performance out in front of what Nvidia could do with its GK104. As a result, we can draw comparisons between the dual-Tahiti boards and Nvidia's GeForce GTX 690 without worrying about software-based misrepresentations. Overall, the data should look pretty similar using today's beta drivers, at least in the games we're benchmarking.
| Benchmark System | |
|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core i7-2600K (Sandy Bridge), 32 nm, 4C/8T, 8 MB Shared L3 Cache, Hyper-Threading Enabled, Overclocked to 4.5 GHz |
| Motherboard | Gigabyte Z68X-UD7-B3, Intel Z68 Express, BIOS F10 |
| Memory | 4 x 4 GB Kingston HyperX DDR3-1600 |
| CPU Cooler | Cooler Master TPC 800 with Noiseblocker eLoop B12-PS (PWM) |
| System Drive | Kingston V200+ 480 GB |
| Power Supply | Corsair AX1200i Digital ATX Power Supply, 1200 W, 80 PLUS Platinum |
| Operating System | Windows 7 x64 Ultimate |
| Drivers | Catalyst 12.11 (Beta) and Catalyst 12.9 GeForce 306.97 WHQL |
| Ambient Temperature | 22 °C (held constant) |
| Benchmark Case | NZXT Phantom 820 |
It’ll be interesting to see how these enormous cards fare in a closed case. It’s not easy to exhaust out 500 or more watts of heat.
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Summary
- Adding Asus' Ares II To Our High-End Benchmark Results
- The Benchmark System
- Asus ROG Ares II: The Challenger
- The Competition: Two Dual-Tahiti Cards And GeForce GTX 690
- Synthetic Benchmarks
- Gaming Benchmarks
- Noise And Temperatures
- Power Consumption
- A Page In History: The World’s Fastest Dual-GPU Card
Ask a Category Expert


hope it doesnt cost a kidney
I've nothing against the Dual 7970s but just want to let consumers be aware of the pros and cons especially the cards are not for the meek of wallet.
If you live in Australia and have a spare $1900 you can still get your hands on one.
I actually had a chance to own a 690 so I went for it and, upon the next reboot, I was greeted by a black screen. Yay. I looked on the web and, as expected, others were suffering with the same issue. An ebay auction later and I'm back to 2x 660s in sli. The moral of the story is: Just because it's expensive doesn't mean it'll work
http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Graphics-Cards/Frame-Rating-GeForce-GTX-Titan-GeForce-GTX-690-Radeon-HD-7990-HD-7970-Cross-6