Some introduction and specification of the card: (based from overclock3d.com)
Less than a fortnight ago we tested nVidia's latest midrange performance offering; the GeForce GTX 460. The product in question was of reference design, sporting its default clock frequencies and cooler. However it became clear that a number of Add In Board partners had developed their own versions of the graphics card. We are fully aware that many of you readers are less fond of the trusty but more basic reference designs so today we're going to test something with all of the bells and whistles attached. This is the Asus GeForce GTX 460 1GB graphics card.There are a number of things to pay attention with this particular graphics card. As the Asus GTX 460 is of the 1GB variety, it sports a wider 256bit memory interface and 32 ROPS as opposed to the 768MB's 192bit and 24 ROPS. The differences that I've mentioned apply to any 1GB graphics card, however the Asus GTX 460 boasts from three additional features. First of all, the DirectCu TOP edition boasts a 100MHz increase in Core Frequency, a 200MHz increase in Shader Frequency and a 400MHz increase in Memory Frequency. Moreover, it might be possible to push this particular variant as it allows the user to manipulate its core Voltage. As far as cooling a heavily overclocked graphics card is concerned, Asus were kind enough to implement an all new cooling system.
| Manufacturer | nVidia | Asus | nVidia |
| Model | GeForce GTX 460 | GeForce GTX 460 DirectCu | GeForce GTX 465 |
| Stream Processors | 336 | 336 | 352 |
| Memory | 768MB | 1024MB | 1024MB |
| Memory Interface | 192bit | 256bit | 256bit |
| ROPS | 24 | 32 | 32 |
| Core Frequency | 675MHz | 775MHz | 606MHz |
| Shader Frequency | 1350MHz | 1550MHz | 1215MHz |
| Memory Frequency | 3600MHz | 4000MHz | 3206MHz |
| RRP | £150 | £195 | £220 |
The Packaging and accesories (From overclock3d.com)
Asus certainly don't believe in the conservation of trees as the DirectCu arrived in a rather elaborate set of packaging. Aside the use of Asus' recent white and green livery, it is also both wide and deep. I say...what lurks inside..?