So the HIS Radeon HD 5970 comes with 2048MB of GDDR5 memory. And just like the reference model it is clocked at 725MHz on the GPU core and the memory at 4000 MHz (effective).

If we zoom in a little at the front side we stumble into connectivity. I think it is safe to say that we can leave the explanation of single and dual-link DVI behind us. It is incredible to see how much connectivity the series 5000 cards can deal with. We spot two DVI and a mini-DisplayPort connector. AIB/AIC partners will bundle a converter cable for this small Display port.

Why a mini-DisplayPort connector you ask ? Well, a regular one could not fit in-between the two DVI connectors, so it would have been necessary to move it on top of a DVI connector, and that's restricting airflow. This solution allows for better cooling, plain and simple.

But dude, if you like to go 3x 2560x1600 with some Eyefinity lovin, that'd be not an issue. It's that kind of flexibility I like very much.

And yes yes .. should one Hemlock not be enough for you .. you could always install two of course, just pop a Crossfire bridge on that connector and prepare for some serious maddness.

So the rear side basically functions as air-intake. As such make sure you have fresh breezy air coming into that PC. Two GPUs need to dispose of a lot of heat. The cooler the supplied air is, the better.

Again, we are talking about a 30 CM / 12 in card here. Make sure you measure up the available space inside your PC chassis so you are certain that it will fit. Typically the card is located at the same height as the HDD bay, keep that in mind with SATA cables etc.

last photo -- here we have the HIS iClear card delivered along with the HIS Radeon HD 5970 LE. The theory is that you place this card in-between say your graphics card and your soundcard to protect from signal noise.

Anyway, let's head on over to the next page and discuss some of the Radeon series 5000 overall features -- starting off with DirectX 11.