Update (2012.01.23): the ASIC quality detection is probably based on the GPU voltage. Then the question: how ASIC quality detection is done and, above all, is it reliable?Īnd you, what is the ASIC quality of your GPU? This test with two identical cards (MSI Cyclone) is interesting because it shows us that ASIC quality detection is not based on a database. As I said, finest GPUs are found in high-end graphics card (MSI’s Lightning: > 96%) while worst ones are found in entry level card (ASUS GT 520: 56%). MSI GeForce GTX 460 Cyclone (sample number two) – ASIC quality: 62.0%ĮVGA GeForce GTX 580 SC – ASIC quality: 60.0%ĪSUS GeForce GT 520 Silent – ASIC quality: 56.3%Īs you can see with MSI’s GTX 460 Cyclone samples, you can’t rely too much on ASIC quality to choose a graphics card because even on the same model of graphics card (here MSI GeForce GTX 460 Cyclone 768D5 OC), ASIC quality values can be quite different. MSI GeForce GTX 460 Cyclone (sample number one) – ASIC quality: 75.4% MSI GeForce GTX 470 – ASIC quality: 85.4% MSI GeForce GTX 580 Lightning – ASIC quality: 96.3%ĮVGA GeForce GTX 480 – ASIC quality: 88.6% Here are the ASIC qualities for some GeForce cards: The finest dies are reserved for ultra-high end cards (like MSI’s Lightning series, ASUS Matrix, EVGA Classified for example) while pieces of silicon with large amount of electrical leaks are found in entry level cards… The ASIC quality should allow to quickly know if a GPU is overclockable or not. Not all GPUs on a silicon wafer have the same quality, some dies are finer than other. The latest GPU-Z 0.5.8 includes a new feature that displays the quality of the GPU ( ASIC quality) of recent graphics cards (GeForce GTX 400, GTX 500 and Radeon HD 7800, HD 7900 series).