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The Mars II arrives in a box adorned with the traditional Republic Of Gamers colours. Along the bottom is a list of features with the wording ‘GTX 580 SLI'. Just in case anyone was in doubt that this is two cards in one.
The box is an attractive gatefold design which folds open to reveal a list of selling points and technical data.
The card is shipped protected within a foam surround, with a metal plaque inserted above. Asus are only producing 999 of these cards and each card is numbered as a ‘special edition'.
Collectors are going to love this – a certification on the rear of the metal plaque which reads ‘This document certifies that the limited edition MARS II is a unique work of art designed by the ASUS ROG team. This aluminum plate is individually laser carved and sequentially numbered to certify limited edition status, making it a collector's item.'
The bundle includes a ROG sticker, a software disc, power converter cables and a video adapter. They also include an SLI cable, if you are lucky enough to get your hands on two of them (yes, some people will spend £2,300 on video cards). We noticed on the back of the box that there is a disclaimer note which reads “If you are planning to use two MARS II for QUAD Sli then Rampage III Extreme or Rampage III Extreme Black Edition is required. This is recommended for the best performance via dual x16 PCIE and best cooling operation.”
The card itself is a beast, and weighs easily as much as two standard reference cards. The whole outer cover is made from metal, with a backplate for added protection and strength. Asus have incorporated a 21 phase power architecture for this card to ensure stability and to prevent power loss under heavy load situations. Asus also discuss the patented PCI-E anti-shock sustainer that keeps the card firmly in its slot, preventing deformation as a result of heat exposure and resisting vibration if the PC case is moved.
There are dual 120mm fans at the top, each of which are branded with the Republic Of Gamers sticker. Underneath we can see the heavy duty aluminum heatsinks with copper pipes.
The card has a single SLI connector, for QUAD SLI configurations.
Yes, not one, not two, but three 8 pin power connectors. Not bad actually considering this card is basically two GTX580's in a single PCB design. There is a 100% fan speed button next to the power connectors, to manually bypass any fan related software installation and settings.
The Mars II is a triple slot design, and has 2x Dual Link DVI / 1x HDMI / 1x Display Port/ 1x VGA output capabilities.
Removing the cooler takes a little time as there are a plethora of screws to remove from all corners of the cooler and backplate. The card is split into two sections, with two separate coolers on either side of the PCB, each of which is a thick quad heatpipe design. Super Alloy power components are in place to deliver improved lifespan (up to 2.5x according to ASUS) and '35c cooler' operation.
ASUS bundle a special version of GPUz with the card which not only gives all the detailed information, but is branded with a special Republic Of Gamers colour scheme. Very sexy.
