Whenever people see something they do not like it is always the media outlet that is suspect. BTW your IP traced back awfully close to the AMD Markham Canada HQ? Is that a well educated observation to make or an incredible coincidence?
1) The disassembly photo-shoot of the card was done AFTER all performance tests had been done, ergo the card is tested in it's default state. The remark was made due to the fact i still needed to use the card for pending FCAT tests. I also make the photos like that so that people can see how TIM is applied. But I'll rewrite that a bit to make it more clear.
2) We tested in a final configuration. All other previews you refer to are just that, based on preview / non-final early sample cards, some media had quick access to a card for merely an hour or so as ASUS dropped by to show them. No-body tested with long duration temps and DBa measurements with the card properly warmed up, we did. Other future media reviews will back the temps we are seeing, unless our sample had an isolated problem of course.
3) The performance differential in-between reference and the ASUS card is 100% based on throttling, and VEGA64 sure is throttling up and down a lot causing small FPS differences.
But you know what - I hope it is an isolated issue on our side, I honestly doubt it, but I do hope it. But be glad we do not cover up our findings and post results as they are measured here in the lab.