The Card

ASUS has once again completely changed the looks of their cooler for this generation, giving it a more plain look that relies on RGB LEDs to provide color. On the back, you will find a sturdy metal backplate with RGB lighting on the ROG logo. Dimensions of the card are 30.0 cm x 13.0 cm.


The RGB colors can be adjusted via software. It's also possible to adjust the color according to the GPU's temperature.


Installation requires two slots in your system.


Display connectivity options include a DVI port, two HDMI ports, and two DisplayPorts. Note that one DisplayPort has been switched to HDMI. ASUS says this is to cater to users who are looking to either run two VR headsets or a VR headset and a TV off their graphics card. It's also good to see ASUS include a DVI connector, something the reference design lacks.

The HDMI port is now version 2.0b, and DisplayPort has been updated to 1.3 HBR3/1.4 HDR ready, which enables support for 4K @ 120 Hz and 5K @ 60 Hz, or 8K @ 60 Hz with two cables. GPU accelerated encoding is now supported for H.264 at up to 4K30, and HEVC is supported at up to 4K60. Accelerated decoding is supported for HEVC at up to 4K60 Main-10, VP9 is supported at up to 4K, and H.264 works at up to 4K120.


AMD CrossFire has been running over the PCI-Express bus for a few generations now. The Polaris Series is no different. CrossFire is supported at up to 4x configurations.


Pictured above are the front and back, showing the disassembled board. High-res versions are also available (front, back).