Asus ROG Ares III Dual 290X Watercooled GPU

Come on admit it, who at Asus cocked up the positioning of all the screws. It really doesn't look as smart as a normal card fitted with an EK block to me especially from the top. For what i'm sure will be a monumental cost it really doesn't look good enough but I guess if they've only got 500 to sell they will manage to avoid fussy people like me ;)

JR

You would think considering the price they could have pushed the budget to a few more mm of pcb and block so those god ugly washers didn't stick out by a yard.. it was the only thing that caught my eye when I first saw it, so your not alone mate, I'm fussy too.
 
You would think considering the price they could have pushed the budget to a few more mm of pcb and block so those god ugly washers didn't stick out by a yard.. it was the only thing that caught my eye when I first saw it, so your not alone mate, I'm fussy too.

Yey i'm happy now 5 pages in there's finally someone who wasn't just like 'zomg so pwettyy' I do not know what they were thinking :/ it seems like a cheap style of backplate too it's got nothing on EK's machined and countersunk plates with proper fitting screws. I'm sure they will find 500 people who want one for £1400 but I dont. I'd sooner buy a couple of Titan Z's and true EK block's and it would be cheaper if you bought a battlebox and threw the rig away. Weird stuff but this is not my idea of a hyper-card.

JR
 
I'd sooner buy a couple of Titan Z's and true EK block's and it would be cheaper if you bought a battlebox and threw the rig away. Weird stuff but this is not my idea of a hyper-card.

JR
Because its not Nvidia? ;) Don't get me wrong, I'd not be getting one if I wanted to either but I still see it as high end.
Also I don't think it'd be cheaper to get a battlebox. Not from what I can see atleast.


Eh. Looks nice enough (except the rivets/washers/whatever and the color combo). Still not the ultimate dual AMD gpu in my opinon. That said the 290x2 Devil 13 is ugly and hot running...
 
Yey i'm happy now 5 pages in there's finally someone who wasn't just like 'zomg so pwettyy' I do not know what they were thinking :/ it seems like a cheap style of backplate too it's got nothing on EK's machined and countersunk plates with proper fitting screws. I'm sure they will find 500 people who want one for £1400 but I dont. I'd sooner buy a couple of Titan Z's and true EK block's and it would be cheaper if you bought a battlebox and threw the rig away. Weird stuff but this is not my idea of a hyper-card.

JR

Don't know what you mean by a proper EK waterblock, but it is a proper EK waterblock, designed specifically for this card.

You'd have to be crazy or pretty stupid to buy two Titan Z and waterblocks for them over this card or two of them. This Ares III is the fastest GPU to date, plus the cores are cherry picked so they should be very good clockers.

The only Nvidia dual card that could compete with this (but doesn't exist) would be a dual full fat GK100 card not a gimped version like the Titan Z. Shame they don't have one though, hopefully Asus do a Mars version for Nvidia similar to this but with two full fat GK100 cores.
 
Because its not Nvidia? ;) Don't get me wrong, I'd not be getting one if I wanted to either but I still see it as high end.
Also I don't think it'd be cheaper to get a battlebox. Not from what I can see atleast.


Eh. Looks nice enough (except the rivets/washers/whatever and the color combo). Still not the ultimate dual AMD gpu in my opinon. That said the 290x2 Devil 13 is ugly and hot running...

No i'm open to AMD they can have hyper-cards that's fair play, the standard 295x2 especially given its current pricing is one hell of a thing. And yes this is high end for sure but its not hyper, performance, materials and aesthetics have not been spared at any cost.

Don't know what you mean by a proper EK waterblock, but it is a proper EK waterblock, designed specifically for this card.

You'd have to be crazy or pretty stupid to buy two Titan Z and waterblocks for them over this card or two of them. This Ares III is the fastest GPU to date, plus the cores are cherry picked so they should be very good clockers.

The only Nvidia dual card that could compete with this (but doesn't exist) would be a dual full fat GK100 card not a gimped version like the Titan Z. Shame they don't have one though, hopefully Asus do a Mars version for Nvidia similar to this but with two full fat GK100 cores.

I mean a true EK Clean CSQ block and backplate are a far better looking package with less compromises. There is far more effort and time going into the machining and finish, there wouldn't be bits of copper showing and there is no way the screws would protrude from the edge of the PCB. Considering the PCB has been designed to work with only this bespoke package it's not a great effort.

ek-fc-r9-295x2-backplate---black_front_800.jpg


03143223563l.JPG


The Ares is only about the title of fastest card and the e-peen, saying there should be a full GK100 dual card is pointless when you could just get 4 Titan Blacks. The actual performance is irrelevant because they will always be beaten by twice the amount of single cards.

The only time it would become relevant is if they produced so little heat that it could be dissipated with a small amount of radiator space and they could be packaged into ITX or mATX rigs where single cards could not. But seeing as it will probably need a full loop with a 360 rad attached to it you can't exactly consider it a compact setup.

My Titan Z point was just if you wanted two dual GPU cards all of the etaillers are running a free SLI promotion making them slightly cheaper than these if you discarded the entire rig of new parts. Not a sensible route in any way but something I would consider if buying insanely expensive GPU's. Don't take me as a noob saying nVidia will always beat AMD because I have no doubt this is the fastest single card on the planet. But from any performance, e-peen or aesthetic angle it makes absolutely no sense to me. For Performance 4x290X 8GB's, for e-peen 4x Titan Blacks and for dual GPU aesthetics 295x2's with aftermarket blocks.

JR
 
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I mean a true EK Clean CSQ block and backplate are a far better looking package with less compromises. There is far more effort and time going into the machining and finish, there wouldn't be bits of copper showing and there is no way the screws would protrude from the edge of the PCB. Considering the PCB has been designed to work with only this bespoke package it's not a great effort.
JR

Yeah, getting single cards is always better than buying these dual cards but people don't buy cards like the Ares III for the sake of getting the best for their money. Especially limited editions where only 500 of them are being made.

I think the card looks ok personally, but each to their own. The looks are a subjective thing anyway :)
 
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No i'm open to AMD they can have hyper-cards that's fair play, the standard 295x2 especially given its current pricing is one hell of a thing. And yes this is high end for sure but its not hyper, performance, materials and aesthetics have not been spared at any cost.

JR

Yeah you are right about the materials but then again I personally think that no ultra high end card (excluding some boutique level sh**) never looks the money it cost. The Titan did until they stuck it on their other cards.
 
Yeah, getting single cards is always better than buying these dual cards but people don't buy cards like the Ares III for the sake of getting the best of their money. Especially limited editions where only 500 of them are being made.

I think the card looks ok personally, but each to their own. The looks are a subjective thing anyway :)

Indeed. I do like some things about it like how the power connectors are hidden inside the block however that's kind of derped by the fact the backplate is cut out so you can see them again lol. You've taken my point exactly, they make no sense in raw performance terms because it will be inferior to 4 single cards and in actual dual GPU terms because a 295x2 with full blocks would come in at £500 less for essentially the same thing. I think cherry picking is the key word that attempts to justify the price. It will sell because ROG did it, agreed.

JR
 
It will sell because ROG did it, agreed.

JR

they could do a ROG GT 720 1gb for £300 and it'd sell. ROG is without a doubt the most powerful brand for pcs now. If they did cases and other such things they'd easily beat everyone else :/.
 
As long as there are gullible people who buy into a brand rather than using their brains to buy what is best for their money, instead of because its ROG, Corsair "insert brand here." Things like this will always exist at stupid prices.
 
It would be amazing to have two of these in crossfire with hard tubing. Maybe have a blood red coolant to go with the theme of the build. It would be nice if all water cooling manufacturers supplied a single slot PCI bracket with their Water Blocks. Just think it would make all water cooling builds that little bit cleaner
 
Anyone that would buy this card is for the Exclusivity and nothing else. If you have the money to spend on this card then you have no problem in getting a Titan Black tri SLI etc, but that is NOT the point.

If you want something unique, then you pay for it. A mercedes 250 coupe costs FROM $38 000, and has 201HP - for that price then you can get another car with much more HP etc etc. but its not Mercedes is it...?
 
Anyone that would buy this card is for the Exclusivity and nothing else. If you have the money to spend on this card then you have no problem in getting a Titan Black tri SLI etc, but that is NOT the point.

If you want something unique, then you pay for it. A mercedes 250 coupe costs FROM $38 000, and has 201HP - for that price then you can get another car with much more HP etc etc. but its not Mercedes is it...?

Not really the case. Where i live Titan Black costs 1000-1300 EUR.
This card costs 1700 EUR. Closest thing to this card is probably 2x 290x (each about 500-600EUR making 1200 total) So if you go watercooling 2x 290x will cost you about 300-350 additional for waterblocks, making price difference of about 150-200 EUR.

On the other hand if you pay said difference of 150-200 EUR for essentially same performance you dont need to have hassle with installing waterblock yourself.

BTW 2x SLI titan Black would cost 2000-2600 for cards only + waterblocks and you get about 3000 EUR price. Now question is if SLI titan blacks would perform better or not. (Titan blacks got 2GB more memory so i think in 4k they will do better than Ares 3)
3x SLI Titan black would cost over 2x Ares III

Im seriosly thinking about this card from budget perspective, would love to see someone do a review on it and show how it behaves. (Where is review :huh: )

After Edit:
I looked up if you try to order cards from internet (ebay or some other site) and install waterblock on them and came up with this number: Dual Sapphire R9 290x cards + waterblocks + backplate = 1212 EUR
This is 500 EUR cheaper than Ares 3. But im not sure how will whole taxes and stuff work.
If this is indeed the price, then you can almost squeeze in 3x R9 290X (or just290) for price of single Ares 3.
 
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Forget everything i said. atm Dual GTX 980 (or even 970) will be more powerful setup than Ares 3 and will cost 300-400 less (for 980) with waterblocks than Ares 3.

Im not sure how powerful will be SLI 970 + waterblocks, but i think it will be in the 10% mark of ares, but price is ridiculously different, like 1000 euros different.
 
The block is unique, it is a stunner!

Shame about the price, but its understandable given its a "limited edition", doesn't change the fact I'd still want one, though that ain't happening. :(
 
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