ASUS HD6770 1GB DirectCU Silent Review
Introduction
Product on Review: EAH6770 DC SL/2DI/1GD5
Manufacturer and Sponsor: ASUS
Street Price: £111.94 Inc. VAT
While many enthusiasts are looking for the most powerful GPU for their money, often overlooked is the cooling it takes to keep temperatures under control. Inevitably this usually means fans need to rotate at high rpm's which in turn leads to excessive noise. While there are now examples of modern graphics cards on the market today that operate quietly, none can claim to be totally silent. As such, the engineers at ASUS have produced a graphics card that is passively cooled. Having no rotating parts, it is understandable why ASUS claim the HD6770 DirectCU Silent emits 0dB. The HD6770 GPU may not be the hottest chip on the block, nor the most powerful but keeping temperatures under control with just a passive heatsink will take some achieving so it will be interesting to see if ASUS' claim is found to be truthful.
The HD6770 DirectCU Silent is not the only HD6770 core GPU in their line-up though as it has two other stable mates, one with DirectCU cooling and one without. Both of these cards however have a fan to assist cooling however it is the passive version we will be looking at today.
The HD6770 is little more than a rebranding exercise sadly as it offers virtually the same performance save for some video enhancements as the older HD5770, both being Juniper core examples so it is odd that ASUS have gone to the trouble to design a passively cooled card which by today’s standards, is old technology. Obviously they believe there is a demand for such a product and while I do agree that silent cards are always going to be sought after, performance is also a primary attraction when choosing a graphics card and in that respect I hope ASUS have not overlooked this key aspect.
It remains to be seen then if ASUS have succeeded in releasing a graphics card that is not only silent, but can perform to the high standards enthusiasts will expect.
Let's see how the product specification matches up to the rest of the field...
Product on Review: EAH6770 DC SL/2DI/1GD5
Manufacturer and Sponsor: ASUS
Street Price: £111.94 Inc. VAT
While many enthusiasts are looking for the most powerful GPU for their money, often overlooked is the cooling it takes to keep temperatures under control. Inevitably this usually means fans need to rotate at high rpm's which in turn leads to excessive noise. While there are now examples of modern graphics cards on the market today that operate quietly, none can claim to be totally silent. As such, the engineers at ASUS have produced a graphics card that is passively cooled. Having no rotating parts, it is understandable why ASUS claim the HD6770 DirectCU Silent emits 0dB. The HD6770 GPU may not be the hottest chip on the block, nor the most powerful but keeping temperatures under control with just a passive heatsink will take some achieving so it will be interesting to see if ASUS' claim is found to be truthful.
The HD6770 DirectCU Silent is not the only HD6770 core GPU in their line-up though as it has two other stable mates, one with DirectCU cooling and one without. Both of these cards however have a fan to assist cooling however it is the passive version we will be looking at today.
The HD6770 is little more than a rebranding exercise sadly as it offers virtually the same performance save for some video enhancements as the older HD5770, both being Juniper core examples so it is odd that ASUS have gone to the trouble to design a passively cooled card which by today’s standards, is old technology. Obviously they believe there is a demand for such a product and while I do agree that silent cards are always going to be sought after, performance is also a primary attraction when choosing a graphics card and in that respect I hope ASUS have not overlooked this key aspect.
It remains to be seen then if ASUS have succeeded in releasing a graphics card that is not only silent, but can perform to the high standards enthusiasts will expect.
About ASUS
ASUS comes from the last four letters of Pegasus, the winged horse in Greek mythology that represents the inspiration of art and learning. ASUS embodies the strength, creative spirit and purity symbolized by this regal and agile mythical creature, soaring to new heights of quality and innovation with each product it introduces to the market.
ASUS pursues technological and aesthetic perfection through continuous innovation. We place ourselves in our customers’ shoes to develop a deep understanding of, and genuine empathy for, their needs—enabling us to create user experiences that transcend the norm.
ASUS Design develops high-quality solutions our customers will enjoy. Our design process is built on thorough research, early anticipation and well-planned execution. We act with a global vision and a focus on local strengths, conditions and heritage.
ASUS comes from the last four letters of Pegasus, the winged horse in Greek mythology that represents the inspiration of art and learning. ASUS embodies the strength, creative spirit and purity symbolized by this regal and agile mythical creature, soaring to new heights of quality and innovation with each product it introduces to the market.
ASUS pursues technological and aesthetic perfection through continuous innovation. We place ourselves in our customers’ shoes to develop a deep understanding of, and genuine empathy for, their needs—enabling us to create user experiences that transcend the norm.
ASUS Design develops high-quality solutions our customers will enjoy. Our design process is built on thorough research, early anticipation and well-planned execution. We act with a global vision and a focus on local strengths, conditions and heritage.
Let's see how the product specification matches up to the rest of the field...
