14 DAY TRIAL // Though not the fastest GTX 460 it ever made, the N460GTX HAWK from Micro-Star International definitely stands out from the fold through its Twin FrozR II cooler and the custom PCB, and it seems that end-users may finally be able to buy this model, in Europe at least, starting September 10.
As end-users know by now, the GeForce GTX 460 Fermi card from NVIDIA is its maker's solution for the performance segment (the upper part of the mainstream market).
When it was launched, this video board, thanks primarily to the GF104 GPU, was well received because of its performance and low heat generation compared to the GTX 480 and 470.
In terms of performance, the GF04 on the MSI N460GTX HAWK runs at 780 MHz and is backed up by 1GB of GDDR5 VRAM, which operates at 3,600 MHz.
The product also features 336 CUDA cores and a shader frequency of 1,560 MHz.
Now, MSI has conferred a new level of reliability and stability upon this device, not to mention a more effective cooling solution.
For one, the board boasts Military Class components, such as the Solid State Choke and Hi-C Cap, as well as a 7+1 phase power design, superior to the 3+1 design on reference models.
As for video output, MSI threw in dual-DVI and a HDMI connector, which make it compatible with a wide range of monitors.
Finally, the twin FrozR II cooler, with four heatpipes and two 80mm fans, drives temperatures 18 degrees lower and is 15.7% more silent than the stock version.
Though not yet on sale, pre-orders for the MSI N460GTX HAWK can already be set through online retailers, for prices of about £223.
As a bonus, the hardware developer has bundled its newest creation with “Assassin's Creed II”, one of Ubisoft's latest games.
Those interested will have to wait, as already stated, until September 10 for shipments to start being carried out.