The eSports scene is an ever-growing behemoth, with more and more viewers tuning in to watch the professionals play the game from around the world. Whether it be for entertainment, or to learn to play the game better themselves, as a result there are more people out there working towards becoming a pro gamer: to be the next Raydere, the next Madlife, the next Faker.
There are barriers to entry, however, and challenges that face gamers trying to take their play to a professional level. The skill barrier can be overcome through time, practice and study, but obstacles such as latency and computer power are less obvious in their solution. In many cases, gamers cannot afford the hardware needed to run games at a decent quality, with some unable to play at all as a result — this is especially prevalent here in Australia, with computers and technology costing more than our American counterparts. Many would-be pro gamers go without a high-end computer simply because they can’t afford one.
Enter the Asus STRIX GTX 950: the perfect eSports graphics card.
The 950 comes with everything you need right in the box.
The 950 is NVIDIA’s ‘entry level’ card for high performance graphics and gaming, but in reality, it’s anything but that. Calling the card entry level is like calling the cheapest Ferrari a family car – it’s an injustice. Contrary to its title, the 950 still boasts impressive performance numbers in a multitude of newer and more taxing games, being capable of running most, if not all, major releases on high settings.
The card really shines, however, while playing games designed for low to medium graphics in mind. There are an insane number of PC games that fall into this category, but to name a few: League of Legends, CS:GO, Smite, Hearthstone.
Are you seeing the pattern here?
eSports games share the common trait that the focus of the game designers is not necessarily on the graphics of their game, but their gameplay. Perhaps that’s what makes these games so perfect for watching and playing. Consequently, many of these games do not have high graphics requirements. This means that not only is the 950 capable of running these games — it does it effortlessly. Despite being ‘entry level’ in terms of cost and (although I would argue otherwise) power, the 950 can handle these eSports games without breaking a sweat, barely losing any FPS even on the higher settings.
The Asus STRIX GTX 950 is the ultimate eSports card for three main reasons, the first being its price. Making an affordable high performance graphics card is no easy feat, but NVIDIA have managed it. The low cost of the card means that it won’t break the bank to add it to a PC build, without compromising the computer’s quality. Even people with more to spend on their PCs should consider purchasing this card if these are the types of game they are planning to play, and spending the extra cash on more hard drive space, a better processor, or some cool peripherals.
ASUS does offer the most expensive edition of the 950, but the tradeoff is well worth it. The card’s clock speed is higher than its competition, meaning you get more bang for your buck. ASUS are also the only company in the market that utilises Auto-Extreme Technology when manufacturing their cards. This means ASUS have much higher quality control in the manufacturing process, and as a result there is dramatically lower potential for DOA or failure in use. In short, the ASUS STRIX GTX 950 is the most expensive variant, but the benefits and peace of mind are well worth the inflated cost.
The second main strength of the card is in its hardware. ASUS has one of the most highly rated cooling systems by utilising a proprietary heat pipe cooling technology, meaning you get better graphics performance with greater endurance. ASUS’s 950 also has an incredibly efficient PCB design which eliminates empty, unused space on the card. This is beneficial for two very important reasons: it increases the efficiency of all cooling efforts, and it means that the card will be less likely to sag or bend over time. The card makes no major sacrifices to compatibility or design either, being compatible with every mainstream system and still possessing the ability to be doubled up in an SLI setup.
The ASUS GTX 950 minimises wasted space by utilising as much of the PCB as possible.
The final strength of the Asus STRIX GTX 950 comes not from the card itself but from ASUS and NVIDIA, and their excellent software and drivers. The 950 comes with all of the perks of NVIDIA’s powerful GeForce Experience, with easy updating and additional functions such as the ShadowPlay recording system, GameStream, game settings optimisation feature, and integration with other systems like NVIDIA’s SHIELD. Asus also have a reputation for excellent customer service and support, which brings additional peace of mind and itself is worth spending the extra few bucks on over another brand.
The Asus STRIX GTX 950 is ultimately a compromise – less power for a lower cost – but it’s the best kind of compromise; it gives so, so much while taking very little away. What’s more, despite being in the lower end of the power spectrum, the GTX 950 will handle almost any game out there, and will easily manage any of the popular eSports titles at high quality while barely breaking a sweat. This, coupled with the fact that the card comes jam packed full of additional features and capabilities, is what makes the GTX 950 what it is — the perfect graphics card for eSports.
Check out Asus and NVIDIA on social media!
Pingback: NVIDIA ANZ's NFAN Sydney Meet Up | The Chiefs