The Silversurfer...
The Zotac GTX460 uses a reference Nvidia design so there's nothing spectacular that will set it apart from the competition unless users opt for the AMP! or Synergy editions. Nevertheless, we can still expect excellent quality with a few Zotac finishing touches to ameliorate the stock product. The first striking feature is just how short the card is. Recently when looking at graphics cards, we've seen them increasing in length and even the MSI GTX465 ended up with a 24cm PCB. The GTX460, on the other hand, is a mere 21cm long so compatibility is ensured in all cases without conflicts from HDD bays and other components. The card also uses a dual slot design for more efficient cooling, which we will touch on later. To differentiate their card, Zotac have stuck the same graphics art as found on the front of the box. I'm not too sure what the Silversurfer's role is though...
The GTX460
The card uses a tough plastic shroud to cover the whole card and underneath is the heatsink. The yellow and black theme is visible throughout so it can easily be recognisable as a Zotac card.
Looking at the back of the card
At the back of the card, we can see that the card uses an appealing black PCB. There are no components at the back to cool so the card doesn't sport a metal backplate. The cooling on the other side is screwed on securely rather than using push pins. It would have been more welcoming to see spring loaded screws for extra ease when removing the cooler but most users won't have to worry about that. There are also several Hi-c capacitors dotted around to ensure greater efficiency and reliability, similar to those found on the MSI N465GTX Twin Frozr II.
The I/O connectors
The rear I/O panel has a wide selection of connectors. The yellow ones are the traditional Dual Link DVI-I connectors and for those still using VGA outputs, an adapter is provided. On the right is a HDMI 1.3a port and to the left is a DisplayPort connector. These array of connectors makes 3D Vision surround possible with up to three monitors, and unlike ATI Eyefinity, having a DisplayPort monitor isn't a requirement. The I/O panel also has some air vents for hot air to exhaust out of but the presence of the top DVI-I port does create an obstacle for optimal airflow.
The power connectors
At the other end, the graphics card has 2 6-pin PCIe connectors. These are located at the end but should cause no issue with regards to length when the appropriate cables are connected. Two dual Molex-to-6 pin adapters for good measure so even older power supplies will be compatible.
The single SLI connector
On the side of the card is one SLI connector. Unlike the GTX465, the GF104 core only supports dual SLI hence the single connector.
