ASUS? Republic of Gamers Matrix graphics cards may be one of the most desirable series around and there's good reason for that. They have advanced features, upgraded components, high out-of-box clock speeds and typically feature some incredible overclocking headroom. This is why enthusiasts have been waiting for ASUS to bring the Matrix namesake over to NVIDIA's Maxwell lineup and that's exactly what has finally happened with the GTX 980 Matrix Platinum.

The GTX 980 lineup from ASUS is relatively straightforward with a reference-based card sitting in the lowest $549 tier and the shockingly-good STRIX OC just above that with a mere $20 premium. The Matrix Platinum takes over flagship status at an understandably high price of $650USD or a staggering $720CAD but considering the competition's comparable cost structures, ASUS? asking price seems right in line with expectation. With that being said, EVGA's Classified, Zotac's AMP! Extreme and MSI's upcoming Lightning will likely put up a fierce fight for supremacy. the 'standard? GTX 980 Matrix will likely hit a cost slightly lower than that.