Asus Matrix Platinum GeForce GTX 980 Graphics Card - Review

Asus like pushing limits not only in their research, but also in the products they release onto the market. So a device like the Matrix Platinum GeForce GTX 980 graphics card showing up shouldn’t be too surprising. And yet what this card can do most certainly is just that.

Not only does this card sport the mammoth GTX 980 chipset which is a quick beast no matter which way you look at it but it comes with a whopping 4GB of VRAM. Right out of the box, there are few that can compare with this card’s absolutely brilliant performance. Without any tweaking, it runs around 13% faster than reference models using the same chipset… and those reference models are really fast to begin with.

Part of this performance boost is made possible with the cooling technology that Asus uses for the Matrix Platinum. It starts with the DirectCU II system, that we have mentioned many times before. By placing the 10MM heat pipes in direct contact with the GPU, and combining them with generous heat sinks, things look better already. But another part of the process are Asus’ new CoolTech fans. The curved blades and dust resistant design of these fans of which the Matrix Platinum has two ensure faster heat dispersal, with less noise. A quiet graphics card that runs cool and really fast? Yes, please!

However, for those that want to squeeze even more out of the Matrix Platinum, it is built for that, too. Several systems incorporated into this monster are designed to simply and improve overclocking. Say, for example, that you want to get into sub-zero overclocking. The card has an integrated memory defroster that can be turned on or off, which will help to mitigate any cold bugs that arise from your efforts.

In addition, it comes with a VBIOS restore system. At the flick of a switch, any changes made to the card will be reset to safe defaults, meaning that a tweak or two that endangers the card can easily be rectified.

And just as an added bonus, the Matrix Platinum has a built in LED indicator that indicates how much load the card is under. Those who use the card with a windowed PC case (or who work with an open case will have access to a quick and simple visual reference that indicates just how hard the card is working.

Asus have, yet again, created a real winner in the form of the Matrix Platinum GeForce GTX 980 graphics card. It’s performance, even out of the box, is truly remarkable, and it can easily, safely and effectively be pushed to even greater heights. Impressive is not a strong enough word to describe it.

9.5/10