ASUS Releases Two-Slot GeForce® GTX 680 DirectCU II with 4GB GDDR5

Meeting popular demand, the redesigned graphics card doubles video memory while delivering superior cool and quiet graphics power in a more accessible two-slot form

Taipei, Taiwan (November 21, 2012) ― while previous ASUS GeForce® GTX 680 DirectCU II graphics cards presented extreme power in a three-slot design, the redesigned edition packages the product in a convenient two-slot height. This allows for easier integration into more desktop PCs, and answers a popular call from the gamer and overclocker community to provide a two-slot GeForce® GTX 680 DirectCU II card. Notably, the new edition ups video memory to a massive 4GB GDDR5, which is twice the previous allotment. It updates DirectCU II thermal design with new and efficient SSU-shaped heatpipes, and offers the stability, longevity, and enhanced overclocking of exclusive ASUS DIGI+ VRM and Super Alloy Power. The card includes the GPU Tweak utility and participates in the ASUS/Ubisoft® game bundle promotion, which allows customers to choose one bonus game out of five on offer. The redesign signifies a move by ASUS towards more high-end cards with 4GB GDDR5, as the GeForce® GTX 670 DirectCU II has also been re-released in a 4GB edition. A two-slot GeForce® GTX 680 with 2GB GDDR5 will be made available early December.  

More compact size with double the video memory for higher resolution gaming

The enhanced GeForce® GTX 680 and GTX 670 DirectCU II offer a massive 4GB of GDDR5 video memory clocked at a fast 6008MHz. This is twice the memory of previous GeForce® GTX 680 and GTX 670 models, supporting far smoother gaming in higher resolutions. With 4GB, the cards are ready for WQHD (2560 x 1440), which is set to become a major resolution in PC gaming in the near future. At the same time, ASUS engineers succeeded in reducing the size of the DirectCU II cooler, so that the new GTX 680 DirectCU II requires just two expansion slots, making it an easy fit in most modern PC cases. 

SSU-shaped heatpipes introduce a new level of cooling efficiency

The latest DirectCU II thermal design goes beyond merely packing the same DirectCU cooling excellence in a leaner shroud. It features a new all-copper heatpipe layout, with heat channels precision-shaped in a twin “S” and a single “U” configuration. The optimized SSU design makes better use of highly-conductive copper heatpipes, which are also nickel-plated to reduce oxidization. The pipes contact the GPU directly and improve thermal efficiency by being centered on the core. This shortens heat transference travel distance while doubling dissipation capacity in a similar or even smaller space than that of previous coolers, working together with large aluminum heatsinks. As a result, the redesigned GeForce® GTX 680 DirectCU II retains trademark DirectCU performance figures, including 20% lower temperatures and up to three times quieter operation compared to reference cards.

DIGI+ VRM and Super Alloy Power boost stability, longevity, and overclocking

Demonstrating the engineering achievement at hand, ASUS DIGI+ VRM digital voltage regulation and Super Alloy Power long-life durable components have made the move to the redesigned GeForce® GTX 680 DirectCU II uncut. They enhance stability, prolong product lifespan by a factor of 2.5 compared to reference, and lower power noise by as much as 30%. Overclocking margin also grows, as six phase power delivery supports a wider tuning range with improved reliability and safety.

GPU Tweak taps redesigned power

Exclusive to ASUS graphics cards, GPU Tweak offers a consolidated and friendly user interface that opens up effortless graphics card tuning options. Customers can modify clock speeds, voltages, fan performance, power delivery targets, and game-specific profiles, all with a few mouse clicks. GPU Tweak includes safeguards that ensure overclocks are extra-stable and safe, with easy resets should users opt to undo any changes.

Eligible for ASUS and Ubisoft® co-op game bundle promotion

The redesigned GeForce® GTX 680 and GTX 670 DirectCU II have been added from launch to the ASUS and Ubisoft® game bundle promotion announced a few weeks ago. With every purchase, customers receive one free game from a choice of five via UBIshop®. Game titles available to choose from are 2012 hit title Assassin’s Creed® III, survival actioner I Am Alive™, intense shooter Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Vegas 2®, suspenseful stealth adventure Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction®, and real time strategy game R.U.S.E®. 

Specifications

Product specifications and features may change without prior notice. Check the official product pages for further details:

http://www.asus.com/Graphic_Cards/GTX680DC2G4GD5/

http://www.asus.com/Graphic_Cards/GTX670DC2G4GD5/

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About ASUS

ASUS is a worldwide top-three consumer notebook vendor and maker of the world’s best-selling and most award-winning motherboards. A leading enterprise in the new digital era, ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of today’s digital home and office, with a broad portfolio that includes motherboards, graphics cards, optical drives, displays, desktop and all-in-one PCs, notebooks, netbooks, servers, multimedia devices, wireless solutions, networking devices, tablets, and smartphones. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS won 3,886 awards in 2011 and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with its Eee PC™. ASUS has more than 11,000 employees around the globe with a world-class R&D team of 3,100 engineers. Company revenue for 2011 was approximately US$11.9 billion.