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ASUS TUF Gaming X3 Radeon RX 5700 OC 8GB: graphics card specs and fit
A triple-fan Radeon RX 5700 graphics card with 8GB GDDR6, PCIe 4.0, three DisplayPort 1.4 outputs and HDMI 2.0b. What the specs mean and what to check.
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The ASUS TUF Gaming X3 Radeon RX 5700 OC (model TUF 3-RX5700-O8G-GAMING) is a desktop graphics card built on AMD's second-generation 7nm Radeon technology. It adds 8GB of GDDR6 memory, a factory overclock and a triple-fan cooler to a desktop PC, and it is aimed at gaming at common monitor resolutions. Here is what the listed specs mean.
The GPU and its memory
ASUS lists a boost clock of 1750 MHz, 2304 stream processors and 8GB of overclocked GDDR6 memory. Stream processors are the small compute units that do the graphics work, and the more a card has, the more work it can do in parallel at a given speed. "OC" means the card ships with higher clock speeds than AMD's reference design. Actual gains depend on the game and on how well the case is cooled. The 8GB of memory is the space for textures and frame data, and is a common amount for cards aimed at gaming at 1080p and 1440p.
PCI Express 4.0
The card uses PCI Express 4.0, which ASUS says doubles the bandwidth of the previous generation, with throughput up to 16 GT/s per lane. It works in a PCIe 4.0 slot at full speed. PCIe cards are generally backwards compatible, so it can also be used in an older slot, though at that slot's lower speed.
Cooling: three fans and DirectCU III
The "X3" in the name refers to the three fans. ASUS pairs them with DirectCU III technology, which places heat pipes in direct contact with the GPU to improve heat transfer into the heatsink. A larger cooler typically lets a graphics card hold its boost clocks for longer and run quieter. It also means the card is long and thick, so measure your case.
Build quality and testing
ASUS says its Auto-Extreme manufacturing and Super Alloy Power II components aim for premium quality and reliability. The company also describes a 144-hour validation programme and compatibility testing across TUF Gaming and TUF Alliance products. These are the brand's own statements about its testing.
Display outputs
The card has three DisplayPort 1.4 outputs and one HDMI 2.0b output. ASUS says it can drive up to six monitors, which in practice means using DisplayPort daisy-chaining or hubs where your monitors support them. DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC (Display Stream Compression) is listed as supporting 5K at 120Hz.
Who it suits
This card suits someone building or refreshing a desktop PC who wants a gaming-focused card with several display outputs, including people running more than one monitor. It is a board for a desktop tower and does not fit most compact or small-form-factor cases.
What to check before you buy
- Physical size: ASUS lists 10.6 x 5.0 x 2.1 inches, so check the length, height and slot width against your case.
- Power: confirm your power supply wattage and the power connectors the card needs (see the manual).
- Slot: you need a free PCIe x16 slot.
- Monitor connections: match your monitors to DisplayPort and HDMI inputs, and bring any adapters you need.
- Drivers: you will install AMD's drivers for your operating system.
The short version
- AMD Radeon RX 5700 on 7nm with 2304 stream processors and a 1750 MHz boost clock.
- 8GB of overclocked GDDR6 memory.
- PCIe 4.0 interface.
- Triple-fan cooler with DirectCU III heat-pipe contact.
- Three DisplayPort 1.4 outputs and one HDMI 2.0b output.
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