By David Ponce
Graphic cards are usually the flashier components on any PC build. Where the CPU would be an overachieving Asian student (please forgive the stereotype), the graphic card would be the weightlifter on steroids. Wearing fur. With a (potential) twin. And the new NVidia GeForce 690 takes things to a new level with the kind of nerdtastic specs that make serious gamers’ heads spin. Featuring two 28nm Kepler GPUs, the 690 packs a blistering 3,072 Cuda cores, effectively delivering double the framerates of its predecessor, the 680. And… it can be run in SLI mode, meaning if you have the cash, two of them can sit in your case.
But aside from processing power, there’s some serious mettalurgy going on:
An exterior frame made from trivalent chromium-plated aluminum, providing excellent strength and durability. A fan housing made from a thixomolded magnesium alloy, which offers excellent heat dissipation and vibration dampening. High-efficiency power delivery with less resistance, lower power and less heat generated using a 10-phase, heavy-duty power supply with a 10-layer, two-ounce copper printed circuit board.
This is some serious business so of course, the price is pretty darn serious too: $1,000. Expect it in limited quantities starting May 3, 2012, with wider availability by May 7, 2012.
P.S.: “For Crysis 2 Ultra, the GTX 690 scored 57.8 fps while the GTX 680 scored 32.3 fps. ”
VIA [ Engadget ]
