GeForce GTX 690 - May 3rd. $999. One beautiful and crazy expensive video card.

[snowhiker]

Anandtech article: http://www.anandtech.com/show/5795/...gtx-690-dual-gk104-flagship-launching-may-3rd

HardOCP article: http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/04/28/geforce_gtx_690_perfection_inside_out

From the HardOCP article, "Can you imagine a video card without any flimsy plastic parts? Now you can because the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 will not be composed of any cheap plastics. A heavy duty dual vapor chamber cooling system relying on heavily nickel plated finstacks will sweat what little heat these GPUs pump out. A cast aluminum frame with trivalent chromium plating gives the card a unique look and tremendous rigidity. An injection molded magnesium fan housing adds to the formidable stiffness of the card. A brand new thixomolding process was used to get the required part precision."

 

[time]

To me, this says a lot about HardOCP's target audience: yes, it's even got chrome nickel plating. :lol:

 

[Mercutio]

"We spent millions on a heat sink fabrication process and cosmetic improvements, so we're going to cheap out and use a $.75 fan that end users can neither replace nor service."

 

[sechs]

How much does this thing weigh?

Also, I really hate those center fan designs, as they vent half of the hot air back into the case. Maybe it's time to break down and go with triple-slot cards for a reasonable cooling solution.

 

[ddrueding]

I spin my own cooling these days; none of those guys can manage a decent combination of airflow, noise, and longevity.

At home I put in a GIGABYTE GV-R797OC-3GD, pulled the shroud and all three fans, replacing them with a pair of Antec 140mm fans about 1cm from the heatsink. Fortunately for that install the motherboard is directly mounted to a shelf in a rack, so getting the heat out of a case is a non-issue.

 

[LunarMist]

Plastic is not necessarily inferior to metal. What kind of fool thinks chro

 

[CougTek]

Plastic is not necessarily inferior to metal. What kind of fool thinks chro

I guess the forum was ungry and ate your post.

 

[LunarMist]

Yeah, that often happens. I meant that the oxidation state of the chromium in the plating solution is rather irrelevant to the description since plating on heat sinks fins is a basic commercial process. That part especially and the tone of the article in general are pretentious.

 

[Mercutio]

I suspect that people who are buying $1000 chrome-plated video cards are really looking to make up for their shortcomings in other areas.

 

[LunarMist]

Gamers tend to be weak in the hard drives and RAM.

 

[timwhit]

Gamers tend to be weak in the hard drives and RAM.

I don't think that's what he meant.

 

[Handruin]

I suspect that people who are buying $1000 chrome-plated video cards are really looking to make up for their shortcomings in other areas.

Gamers tend to be weak in the hard drives and RAM.

I'm quite certain he meant their penis.

 

[Mercutio]

I totes meant their FAH points production. TOTES.
The chrome makes it go faster you know. It would be even fasterer if it had a cherry-red PCB and a little pair of Truck Nutz(TM).

 

[Howell]

I'm quite certain he meant their penis.

I like to think Lunar also meant their penis'. ;-D

 

[LunarMist]

I don't see the correlation.

 

[paugie]

WoW! went and looked at the pix in the links.
One does not even have to play. Just show the video card through the glass on the desk top and you're already an awesome gamer! Plus the assumption would automatically be you've got a massive video card between your thighs, too.