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Review: ASUS GeForce GTX 465 - Fermi for under £250

by Tarinder Sandhu on 31 May 2010, 08:31 3.0

Tags: GeForce GTX 465, ASUSTeK (TPE:2357)

Quick Link: HEXUS.net/qayi6

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GTX 465, GTX 470, all the same?

We've thus far compared the GeForce GTX 465 against the GeForce GTX 470 and noted that, whilst based on very similar technology, a few snips will result in performance that is around 20 per cent lower. Now we extend the comparison to a look at the card.



You'd be forgiven for thinking that this was a GeForce GTX 470, because there are no outward signs to differentiate the two.



One is a GeForce GTX 470 and one is a GTX 465. Which is which, folks?

The PCB is a matching 9.5in long, and the card uses the same cooler. We know the TDP is 20W or so lower than the GTX 470 - 195W vs. 215W - so it's logical to assume that the cooling will be quieter as a result. NVIDIA's recommend PSU wattage for a single-card GTX 465 system remains a GTX 475-matching 550W, however.




195W of juice still means the card uses two six-pin PCIe connectors, located on the left-hand side. Just as with the other 400-series cards, a frame is positioned on top of the PCB, helping to secure a heatsink against the memory modules and other hot-running components. The actual cooler is then screwed in on top.

ASUS tows the NVIDIA line by releasing the card at default frequencies, that is, 607MHz core and 3,206MHz memory, but there's plenty more headroom on tap for a slew of special-edition models to be released in the coming weeks. Head on over to page nine for the overclocking and noise results, if you can't wait.





Following tradition, the ASUS GeForce GTX 465 is equipped with two dual-link DVI ports and a mini-HDMI.


Feel free to play a game of spot-the-difference with the back of the GTX 470.




Remove the plastic shroud that helps channel hot air out of the back and the GTX 465's setup continues to be identical to the 470's. The five-heatpipe heatsink appears to be the same, as well, suggesting that GTX 470 inventory is being pushed for this card.



Here's where there is an obvious departure between the two, as the GTX 465's 256-bit memory-bus is made up of eight chips, rather than the 10 for the 320-bit GTX 470. Take a close look to the left of the GPU to see two 'missing ' memory modules.



The Samsung chips, rated up to 4,000MHz at 1.5V, are also found on, you've guessed it, the GeForce GTX 470. As a comparison, Radeon HD 5850s uses the faster HC04 memory, rated at 5,000MHz at 1.5V.

As for the bundle, ASUS throws in a DVI-to-HDMI dongle and, of particular interest, throws in the Voltage Tweak software via the SmartDoctor application. It enables the card's voltage to be changed from 0.962V (default) to 1.087V, as well as providing conservative adjustments to the core and memory frequencies.

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