Asus ARES: Is This The One Graphics Card To Rule Them All?

Asus' new ARES immediately earns bragging rights as one of the fastest single graphics cards ever created. We put the beast through a gauntlet of tests to measure this product's true power. At the end of the day, we answer whether it's worth four digits.

I love computer hardware. In fact, I love it so much that I built my career around it. But I have to admit, after reviewing countless graphics cards, nothing has ever come close to the excitement I experienced when I purchased my first 'big league' graphics card (It was the Canopus Pure3D by the way, sporting a colossal 6 MB of RAM when all of the other 3dfx Voodoo cards only had 4 MB). The point is that, as an experienced reviewer tasked with testing hardware all day, it's rare that I feel anything close to the gleeful anticipation I did in the days of my youth.

How strange for me, then, when I come to realize that I'm wearing a huge cheese-eating grin while unpacking the Asus ARES graphics card.

At first I am a bit puzzled by the package on my doorstep. Asus mentioned that a graphics card was being sent for review. But this package is huge. It looks more the size of a laptop. There's very little information about the product inside, other than a Republic of Gamers (RoG) logo on the top left and some small Radeon-related logos on the bottom.

Opening the box, I'm treated to a locked James Bond-style attache case with reinforced metal edges. The name ARES is proudly emblazoned on a medallion at the bottom-right of the case. Attached to the handle is a small booklet that gives some hints about the product inside. But at this point, who would do anything but open the thing as fast as possible?

As I fold open the case, I notice a number of items protected in compartments cut into the black protective foam. However, my eye is quickly drawn to the colossal graphics card that dominates my field of vision...