The coolest stuff about this card is to put it inside a mATX case which is totaly possible. Such a PC will truly become a powerhouse. However, do i need so much power? Nope... not me. So i can save up the bucks and simply wait for newer generations to arrive.
We have a software problem not a hardware problem. We will need a lot of games able to take advantage of such GPUs, else its simply a waste. I know, some people use such power GPUs for other stuff (GPGPU tasks and other calculations) but those people are still a minority because the other (GPGPU user) usualy dont need such a monster GPU.
Still, that GPU got max potential in mATX cases because of its heat management. It will basically use 2 ways of cooling. Direct and indirect. The indirect one will act as a case cooler at the same time and take away even more heat directly from the GPU without heating up case. Such a design is the future for mATX mini PCs, and surely is someday showing us on how to build stuff even smaller without the lack of cooling capabilitys. So its indeed a interesing card from Asus considering its lesson when it comes to its true potential. Soon people can have "movable" PCs with the power of a reactor, the kind of stuff usualy only builded inside very huge and close to immovable towers.
The electronics itself got no problem to handle all the current (its possible to put a 1200W PSU inside a mATX case), it mainly comes up to the heat management. Quality can be a problem too because most manufacturers of mATX got in mind that a mATX have to be junk because of its use. However, its possible to use much higher quality parts with much higher power, its a marketing prob. Power/quality users want big stuff and users of small systems dont care neither quality nor power. But anyway, its still fun to try out the possibilitys. ASrock is actually almost the only company building "good" mATX boards, all the others got in mind that only huge stuff need to be of good quality, thats the true mess.
A single Ares II is not the max a mATX could tackle, its possible to put 2 of them inside i guess. Because in theory 2 different slots are available in order to attach the 2 double fans to the case. The only requirement is not to exceed 2 slot each card which is the case (mATX board size is limited). The PSU cant be bigger than 1200W but a platinum rated 1200W is able to deliver the required juice, so it truly may open new possibility into extreme cm3/power ratio, prehaps world record for that category. It becomes possible with the implementation of the new micro WC tech. Using the old WC or aircooling it wont be possible anymore, either to less cooling or to much size.
Well 500W each GPU = 1000 W
130 W for the CPU
100 W for all the other stuff, its kinda like 1230 max W but a Corsair 1200i can handle that, it can go up to that number without getting damage or causing damage, so its possible. A good 1200W PSU can even exceed its rated number, especially when only a few additional W.
I dont think that the stuff is useful apart from tech hype trying to make something impossible possible, but its surely interesting to think about the new possibilitys. Its simply the same stuff a bencher is striving for, to achieve something no one ever achieved.
