Review: asus gtx 960 strix

Asus, leader in the manufacture of internal components, peripherals, all-in-one systems and routers, launches one of the most interesting graphics cards in the quality and price range. It is the Asus GTX 960 Strix 2GB and a width of 128 bits. Among its novelties we find its 0dB system and a more than interesting base overclock. Don't miss our review!

We thank Asus for trusting the product for its analysis:

Technical characteristics

ASUS GTX 960 STRIX 2GB TESTS
Chipset	GeForce GTX 960
PCB format	ATX
Core frequency	GPU Boost Clock: 1291 MHz GPU Base Clock: 1317 MHz
Digital and analog resolution	2560 x 1600 and 2048 x 1536
Memory Clock	7200 MHz
Process technology	28 nm
Memory size	2048 MB GDDR5
BUS memory	128 bit
BUS card	PCI-E 3.0
DirectX and OpenGL	Yes.
I / O	DVI output: x 1 (DVI-I), HDMI output: x 1 (HDMI 2.0) Display Port: x 3 HDCP support
Dimensions	215.2 x 121.2 x 40.9 mm
Warranty	2 years.

Asus GTX960 Strix 2 GB

Being the Strix series we find the mascot (a metallic owl), the graphics model and the most important characteristics. Inside the bundle we have:

Asus GTX 960 Strix 2GB graphics card with drivers Instruction manual DVI thief to D-SUB Strix sticker

As we see in the image, it has a design that combines the colors black and red. Its dimensions are quite small with 22.5 cm x 12.5 cm and a fairly light weight. For my taste it is an ideal graphics card for compact equipment such as ITX or MicroATX boxes.

The Asus GTX 960 Strix includes factory overclocking in the Maxwell and 1291 MHz core, which when activating the OC (Boost) mode reaches a frequency of 1317 MHz. This 12% improvement in the most leading games of the moment: Assassin's Creed Unity and Battlefield 4. As information, it has 1024 CUDA Cores, 128-bit interface and 2GB GDDR5 memory.

It comes very well accompanied with an 8 cm DirectCU II dual fan heatsink, which far exceeds the design of the reference models, thanks to its copper heatpipes with direct contact to the GPU chip. As with the Strix series GTX970 and GTX 980, Asus raises the bar by including 0 dB technology. What does this mean? That the fans are stopped at rest and only activates when the graphics card requires it by default. As a power outlet it includes 6 PCI Express pins, enough with a 500w source.

As rear connections it incorporates:

DVI output: x 1 (DVI-I), HDMI output x 1 (HDMI 2.0): Remember that it allows the reproduction of high definition audio and Blu-Ray in 3D.Display Port: x 3

As we like to gossip and see the "guts" we have arranged to remove the heatsink. We simply remove the 4 rear screws and the heatsink comes out only.

All components have maximum durability and excellent cooling thanks to Super Alloy Power technology that reduces energy losses, improving durability and excellent temperatures. The capacitors used have a lifespan of 50, 000 hours, more than double that of other graphics cards.

We highlight the coils that reduce the hum of the classic alloy, SAP capacitors that increase the overclocking margin, UPI voltage controller uP1608 and Samsung K4G41325FC-HC28 memories at 7000 Mhz and the MOS Super Alloy that allows a threshold greater than 30%. All this together allows us to perform an excellent overclocking.

Test bench and tests

TESTING BENCH
Processor:	Intel i7 4770k
Base plate:	Asus Z97 PRO GAMER
Memory:	8GB G.Skills Trident X.
Heatsink	Raijintek Triton
HDD	Samsung 840 EVO 250GB.
Graphic card	Asus GTX960 Strix 2GB.
Power supply	Antec HCP-850W
Box	Dimastech Mini White Milk

To evaluate the performance of the graphics card we have used the following applications:

3DMark11.3DMark Vantage.Crysis 3.Metro 2033Battlefield 3

All our tests have been carried out with a resolution of 1920px x 1080px and with 4xAA filters.

What are we looking for in the tests?

First the best possible image quality. The most important value for us is the average FPS (Frames per second), the higher the number of FPS, the more fluid the game will be. To slightly differentiate the quality, we leave you a table to assess the quality in FPS:

FRAMES BY SECONDS
Frames for Seconds. (FPS)	Gameplay
Less than 30 FPS	Limited
30 - 40 FPS	Playable
40 - 60 FPS	Good
Greater than 60 FPS	Fairly Good or Excellent

Let's not fool ourselves; there are games that can have an average of 100 FPS. It may be because the game is quite old and does not require excessive graphic resources or that the graphics is the most powerful on the market, or we have GPU systems for thousands of euros. But the reality is different, and games like Crysis 2 and Metro 2033 are very demanding and do not usually give high scores.

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ASUS GTX960 STRIX DIRECT CU II TESTS
3Dmark Vantage	P38132
3DMark11 Performance	P10085
Crysis 3	39 FPS
Metro Last Light	59 FPS
Assasin Creed Unity	16 FPS
Battlefield 4	52 FPS

Below are the results obtained from consumption and temperatures at rest and at the highest level of the entire equipment.

Temperatures at rest of 31ºC and at maximum load of 62ºC. Consumption at rest of 72W and at maximum load of 125w.

Final words and conclusion

The A sus GTX960 Strix Direct CU II is a mid-range / high-end graphics card with compact dimensions of 215.2 x 121.2 x 40.9 mm and 2GB memory, more than enough for FULL HD gaming. It includes a Maxwell chipset that works at speeds of 1291 mhz and with BOOST up to 1317 Mhz, Super Alloy Power components that improves the durability of its components, a 6-pin socket (ideal for low-power equipment) and a fantastic ideal backplate for windowed computers. If we put it all together we have an ideal gaming experience for the player.

We find a slogan "Fun game, play quietly" and the main factor in this is its Direct CU II heatsink which incorporates two 8 cm fans and a new heatpipe system that reduces heat by 40% to the reference ones.. Although the most interesting thing is that the fans do not work at rest and only start when they see an application or game that raises the temperature of the graphics card.

Regarding power, it is between the GTX 760 and the GTX770 but with a 128-bit bus. In our tests it has matched both 3DMARK Vantege and 3DMARK11 as well as the tested games: Crysis 3, Metro, Battlefield… A great graphic for 92% of mortals.

In short, we find one of the best graphics on the market, both for its design, components and cooling at a very succulent price of € 230.

ADVANTAGE	DISADVANTAGES
+ COMPACT	- MAYBE THE 128 BIT BUS IS NOT ENOUGH IN A FUTURE.
+ GOOD COMPONENTS.
+ HEATSINK.
+ WITH FACTORY OVERCLOCK.
+ SILENT (0 DB).
+ LOW CONSUMPTION.