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We continue our acquaintance with interesting Radeon RX models based on the second generation of Polaris. Previously, the Radeon RX 580 video cards from Sapphire and the top version from PowerColor were considered. Next in line is a representative of the ASUS Strix family. Let’s explore the capabilities of ASUS ROG-STRIX-RX580-O8G-GAMING, evaluate the cooling efficiency, compare performance with competitors and check the overclocking capabilities.
ASUS ROG Strix Radeon RX 580 O8G Gaming OC Edition
The video card comes in a large box. The packaging shows a three-fan ASUS cooler, which is used to cool this model. The package includes a disk with software and a set of Velcro for fixing cables inside the case.
The new ROG-STRIX-RX580-O8G-GAMING graphics card is reminiscent of the predecessors of the Radeon RX 480 series. But the increased frequencies and heat dissipation of the Radeon RX 580 increase the requirements for the cooling system, so there were some improvements.
ASUS covers a massive cooler with a large heatsink and three fans. The black casing has an intricate design that is identical to other representatives of the ASUS ROG Strix.
The card is wider than conventional versions, more than two slots thick, and the total length reaches 30 cm. The reverse side is protected by a metal plate. On its surface there is a large white backlit logo.
In the corner of the board there is one eight-pin power connector. There are slots around the fans in the case, inside of which an LED strip is stretched.
The video adapter allows you to adjust the illumination of the body and logo. You can change the color and set different modes through a special software application (flicker, wave, music effects, etc.).
ASUS has five ports for displaying images: two HDMI, two DisplayPort and one DVI. Having a pair of HDMI makes it easy to pair your monitor and VR systems.
The cooling system has retained continuity in the overall design, but has been improved. Instead of direct contact, a large base with a smooth polished surface is now used. Six thick heat pipes are used.
The radiator is thicker in comparison with ASUS ROG STRIX-RX480-O8G-GAMING. Thanks to the new base and dimensions, we have a cooling solution that is reminiscent of the ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING cooler.
Three 92 mm fans are installed on top of the radiator (the impeller is slightly smaller). This trinity not only blows the heatsink well, but also provides airflow to the entire board.
The board is covered by a large plate that cools power elements and memory chips.
The ASUS ROG Strix Radeon RX 580 circuit board is similar to the ASUS ROG Strix Radeon RX 480 circuit board. Super AlloyPower II quality electronic components are used.
A six-phase GPU power system is implemented, the memory is powered by two phases. Near the power connector there are two sockets for connecting the power supply of fans and backlight. External case fans can be connected to adjacent connectors so that their speed is regulated depending on the temperature of the video card. This unique ASUS FanConnect II technology is also available on other top-end ROG Strix graphics cards.
The Polaris 20 processor operates 2304 stream processors.
Eight gigabytes of memory has a similar number of Samsung K4G80325FB-HC25 chips. The same chips were used in the ASUS ROG Strix Radeon RX 480.
The graphics card runs at 1360 MHz core instead of the recommended 1340 MHz. The effective memory frequency of 8000 MHz meets the standard specifications.
The declared core frequency is in fact a Boost value, but it is stably maintained under gaming load. When working on an open bench with an indoor temperature of 24-25 ° C, the core of the video card in games did not heat up above 61 ° C at peak times. For a hot Polaris chip, this is an excellent indicator, although in more severe operating conditions the temperature can be higher. With a continuous run of the Tom Clancy’s The Division benchmark, the maximum fan speed reached 2100 rpm. This is a bit much, but since the speed has constantly varied and dropped to a lower level, the actual noise level is moderate. When testing the RX 580/570 series graphics cards, we noticed strange cooling behavior in For Honor, where the fan speed constantly increased and the temperature was very low. There really is no such problem with the new video driver (lower right screenshot) – although the average speed of the fans has increased slightly, the peak values are no higher than in The Division.
All representatives of the ASUS ROG Strix line support several working profiles with different frequencies, which allows you to balance between performance and noise characteristics. Switching is done through the ASUS GPU Tweak II application. The initial factory settings correspond to the Gaming Mode profile. There is also OC Mode with frequencies of 1380/8000 MHz and Silent Mode with frequencies of 1340/8000 MHz. Both modes involve small changes in the power limit, which slightly affects the overall heat dissipation. But in reality, the difference in temperature and noise characteristics is negligible.
For comparison, we ran a test in The Division in Silent Mode, and saw a one-degree drop in peak temperature with a minimal drop in average fan speeds.
The demanding user can achieve the optimal ratio of operating parameters by adjusting the operating voltage of the core. This is the first video card of the Radeon RX 580 series, where the softvolmod worked. It allows you to programmatically increase the voltage during overclocking or lower it at nominal to reduce heating. These capabilities were tested by lowering the voltage slightly at 1360 MHz with the fans fixed at 1700 rpm. The result of this combination of settings was to maintain the temperature of the GPU at the same level of 60-61 ° C.
A good result that could be even better. A persistent user can choose lower voltages, achieving complete comfort and silence.
Against the backdrop of outstanding cooling efficiency, there are hopes for good overclocking results. However, in previous reviews of video cards based on the Polaris GPU, we noted that the stable core frequency ceiling for older models is approximately at the same level. So ASUS did not present any surprises, but managed to bypass the Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 580 8GD5. In this case, we managed to pass gaming tests at 1440 MHz. Higher frequencies led to a loss of stability, and increasing the voltage did not help, sometimes it only accelerated the appearance of a failure. The memory was overclocked to 9040 MHz.
We managed to pass most of the tests while fixing the fan speed at 2200 rpm. Interestingly, this acceleration of the fans with increasing frequencies gave temperatures of 59 ° C, and this differs little from the initial heating. And even with this combination of parameters, not everything is perfect, there were failures and repeated tests in a couple of applications. However, this is already a familiar note when describing overclocking Polaris over 1400 MHz.
If we talk about the maximum overclocking for tests in 3DMark, then we managed to pass Time Spy without any problems at video card frequencies of 1470/9100 MHz. This was combined with a serious increase in voltage and fan speed.
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