Given how big some GPUs can get with the extra fans and heatsinks, they can also be quite heavy as well. Plus with the way they are mounted on your computer’s motherboard, we wouldn’t be surprised if there are some gamers who might be worried about it potentially bending due to the weight and position while it is mounted in their case.
Well if that is one of your concerns, or maybe you’d just rather not worry about it completely, you’re in luck as ASUS has recently taken the wraps off their latest GPU – the Strix GeForce GTX 980 Ti which actually comes with what the company calls a GPU fortifier which is essentially a reinforced backplate that supposedly prevents the card from bending over time.
As for the rest of the specs of the GPU, given that this is based on the GTX 980 Ti, safe to say that it will pack quite a punch. In terms of heat management, the GPU will use ASUS’ DirectCU III which according to the company will have a 220% bigger cooling surface area and will run 30% cooler compared to the reference card from NVIDIA.
The fans will only kick in once temperatures go above 65C, so for the most part it will remain silent which is a feature that some DIY computer makers prioritize. In OC mode, the GPU will run a base clockspeed of 1,216MHz and boost clockspeed of 1,317MHz, which is significantly higher than the 1,000MHz and 1,075MHz speeds offered on the reference.
ASUS expects that the Strix GeForce GTX 980 Ti will be made available later this month but no word on pricing just yet, although given its features we do not expect it to come cheap.