ASUS ROG POSEIDON
Hardware Award
RRP: TBA | Website: rog.asus.com
Test Machine
• INTEL Core i7 4960X
• ASUS Rampage IV Extreme
(4802)
• CORSAIR Dominator
Platinum 4x4GB DDR
2666MHZ CL10
• Corsair Force LS 240GB SSD
Cooler Master Silent Pro M2
1500W
• Windows 7 64-bit SP1
(FW 334.67)
W
ith every generation of
graphics processors (at
least in recent history),
the ROG team had made a
special graphics card using
one or two of these GPUs. This
is over and above their DCII
versions which are competent
cards in their own right. For
those seeking something a little
extra though, perhaps even a
little special, ROG has produced
various incarnations of the Mars,
Matrix and Ares graphics cards.
The Poseidon that we have here
is an extension of this family of
32 The OverClocker Issue 28 | 2014
cards featuring the latest NVIDIA
GPU (barring the GPU as used on
the ROG MARS 760) in the form of
the GK110 or better known as the
GTX 780 GPU.
It is an interesting time to release
this card given that we presently
have the GTX 780 Ti which
represents the best gaming
performance available today.
Moreover, as far as competitive
overclocking is concerned, this
is also the fastest GPU money
can buy. Thus, we have to say
we would like to see a 780 Ti
version of the ROG Poseidon more
than anything else really.
There is perhaps some
sensibility in the 780, because it’s
very apparent that this product
is intended for gaming over
and above everything else. A
seemingly vacuous statement,
but we have to consider several
things with the ROG Poseidon
before we scrutinize it as we
would say for instance a MATRIX
card or a competing vendors
offering.
The standard GTX 780 has
a respectable cooler and
it’s no surprise that it has
garnered some favorable
reviews on various websites
and publications. Aftermarket
coolers and the ones provided
by vendors on their custom
built offerings are obviously
better, but the reference cooler
is very useable. The ROG Poseidon
goes beyond all of this however.
This card aims to not only offer
superior air cooling, but make
liquid cooling a viable option for
those who find the prospect
of liquid cooling daunting. At
the very least it simplifies the
process by shipping with a
partial coverage water block.
What is then left for the end
user, is simply attaching the
appropriate piping, a pump and
a radiator.
Instead of buying the card
with the only a water block,
thus liquid cooling being
your only option. You get to use
your brand new graphics card
immediately and when you’re
ready to upgrade or bought all your
components for your liquid
cooling setup, you simply add
the card to the loop. There’s no
need to dismantle anything and