ASUS Unveils ARES II Graphics Card and ROG RAIDR Express SSD

World’s fastest graphics card showcased at CES 2013, alongside a new home theater PC motherboard, high-end audio hardware and high-performance solid-state storage

CES 2013, Las Vegas, USA (7 January, 2013) — ASUS today announced new products that elevate gaming and home entertainment to exciting new levels, including the ROG ARES II graphics card with dual AMD® HD 7970 GHz Edition GPUs and the Xonar Essence One MUSES Edition USB DAC with headphone amplifier. ASUS also announced the compact E2KM1I-Deluxe Mini-ITX motherboard that provides a solid energy-saving foundation for home theater PCs, and gave a sneak preview of the ROG RAIDR Express high-performance solid-state storage device for desktop PCs.

ROG ARES II sets new performance record

The limited-edition ROG ARES II graphics card packs two AMD® Radeon™ HD 7970 GHz Edition GPUs. Its slender two-slot design suits a variety of PC cases. ROG ARES II is the fastest graphics card currently available, and has a new hybrid thermal design that combines liquid and air cooling. ROG ARES II outperforms the dual-GPU GeForce® GTX 690 reference card by a significant 13%, yet its operating temperature is an incredible 31°C lower.

ROG ARES II features 6GB of GDDR5 video memory for ultra-detailed settings in the latest games at resolutions of 1920 x 1200 and beyond. Exclusive 20-phase power delivery with hardened Super Alloy Power long-life components better withstand heat and stress, prolonging the lifespan of ROG ARES II by up to two-and-a-half times, compared to the GeForce® GTX 690 reference card. ASUS DIGI+ VRM digital voltage regulation further enhances stability and offers precise overclocking control, managed with  the bundled ASUS GPU Tweak utility.

Perfectly matched for home entertainment

The ASUS E2KM1I-Deluxe Mini-ITX motherboard is purpose-designed for compact home theater PCs that take up little space in the living room. Pre-configured with a dual-core AMD® E2-2000 processor and Radeon™ HD 7340 DirectX® 11-compatible graphics capable of 1080p Full HD video playback, the E2KM1I-Deluxe combines efficient power delivery and modest energy requirements for long-term savings on electricity bills. The E2KM1I-Deluxe also features exclusive Wi-Fi GO! technology for seamless wireless connectivity with smart TVs, PCs, smartphones and tablets.

For sound, the ASUS Xonar Essence One MUSES Edition USB DAC with headphone amplifier enhances PC audio output for true hi-fi quality. It features six premium MUSES 01 Op-Amps from the New Japan Radio Company, which are considered to be among the best components in the audio industry for their clean and clear sound delivery. Xonar Essence One MUSES Edition features 8x symmetrical upsampling for increased precision in audio reproduction, ensuring that no detail is lost. The dedicated 600-ohm headphone amplifier also improves audio tone and timbre with dynamic sound range extension for greater listening enjoyment.

Accelerated desktop storage with ROG RAIDR Express

True to the ROG ‘Choice of champions’ creed, RAIDR Express is an advance look at an innovative new solid-state storage device for gamers seeking the ultimate in desktop PC performance. ROG RAIDR Express delivers significantly faster data transfer speeds and game loading times than SATA-based SSD storage, thanks to the greater bandwidth of its PCI Express interface. ROG RAIDR Express maintains full compatibility with all major chipsets and operating systems, and can be used as a bootable drive for accelerated PC performance across the board.  

AVAILABILITY & PRICING

Release dates, regional distribution and pricing information are all pending.

SPECIFICATIONS (1)

[1]   Specifications, content and product availability are all subject to change without notice and may differ from country to country. Actual performance may vary depending on applications, usage, environment and other factors.

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About ASUS

ASUS is a worldwide top-three consumer notebook vendor and maker of the world’s best-selling, 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 4,168 awards in 2012 and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with its Eee PC™. ASUS has more than 12,500 employees around the globe with a world-class R&D team of 3,800 engineers. Company revenue for 2011 was approximately US$11.9 billion.

About ASUS Motherboards

Driven by homegrown innovation and dedication to absolute quality, ASUS has become the standard for motherboard excellence across diverse product ranges, leading the industry in global sales and positive customer feedback. Acknowledged by numerous accolades, ASUS motherboards propel computing forward with pioneering inventions. These include New DIGI+ Power Control, Dual Intelligent Processors for combined performance boosts and energy savings, and the unique whole-motherboard heat protection offered by the company’s TUF Series Thermal Armor and Thermal Radar. ASUS Republic of Gamers motherboards enable unfettered overclocking and performance tuning, serving as the mainstays of numerous world computing records. Important ASUS exclusives such as USB 3.0 Boost with UASP support, USB BIOS Flashback, and UEFI BIOS with EZ Mode demonstrate the ASUS commitment to harmonizing ingenuity and environmental responsibility with care for the people who use technology in everyday life.

About ASUS ROG

The ASUS Republic of Gamers was created in 2006 in response to gamers and hardcore enthusiasts who requested more from their hardware. Since its creation, ROG has grown into a brand known for high quality and is an active participant in both gaming and overclocking events around the world, including QuakeCon, BlizzCon and Dreamhack. In the past five years, numerous overclocking records have been broken with ROG hardware and worldwide media have earned the brand over 1,800 awards and accolades. Adhering to the principle of “The Choice of Champions”, the ROG lineup includes motherboards, graphics cards, notebooks, desktops, mice and audio solutions, all designed to give gamers and enthusiasts the edge to win. To learn more, visit ROG at rog.asus.com.