Gigabyte RTX 4080 Gaming OC Review

1. Introduction2. Meet the Gigabyte RTX 4080 Gaming OC3. Testing Methodology4. 3DMark Time Spy Extreme5. Game Benchmarks6. Clock Speed7. GPU Temperatures8. Memory Temperatures9. Acoustics10. Noise-Normalised Temperatures11. Power Draw12. Overclocking13. Closing Thoughts14. View All Pages

Having already remarked on how similar the Gigabyte RTX 4080 Gaming OC is to the 4090 Gaming OC that we reviewed last month, it's safe to say we came into this review with a fair idea of what to expect. That's not a bad thing though, as the 4080 Gaming OC lived up to expectations in every single way.

For one, the cooling performance is very good, providing lower operating temperatures than the Founders Edition in every department. I couldn't quite believe just how cool the GDRR6X memory was operating during my testing, as the peak of 56C marks a 14C reduction versus Nvidia's own design.

Despite that, the Silent BIOS provides a low-noise mode for those who want the quietest experience possible, with the fan speed producing just 36dBa of noise. Even then, GPU temperatures did not exceed 63C, so it's not like you have to sacrifice temperatures in pursuit of a quiet gaming experience.

Dual-BIOS itself is a feature I always like to see, the fact that the power limit can be raised to 400W, versus just 355W for the Founders Edition, will likely appeal to overclocking enthusiasts, and yes our sample did overclock fairly well – particularly the memory, which was operating at over 26Gbps.

I do have to point out, however, that such excellent performance is, in large part, thanks to the sheer size of the cooler. This looks to be a common theme among RTX 4080 cards, with most manufacturers seemingly re-using or only slightly modifying the existing RTX 4090 designs. While that means the GPU can run exceptionally cool, such cards like the Gaming OC are awfully large – unnecessarily so in my opinion, considering that most of the time, the RTX 4080 draws less than 300W.

There's also implications for the cost of such designs. At the time of writing I don't have a confirmed retail price for the Gaming OC, but you can bet there will be a decent price premium over Nvidia's £1269 baseline MSRP. We've already seen various RTX 4080 designs priced at over £1400, even £1500, at which point you do wonder who wouldn't just get an RTX 4090. Put simply, I feel RTX 4080 is already bad value at £1269, so increasing the price isn't going to help matters there.

Ultimately, if you do end up with the Gigabyte RTX 4080 Gaming OC, I have no doubts you will be happy with the card – objectively speaking, it's an excellent product. I just can't feel that excited about RTX 4080s in general due to the price, and I'd strongly advise any potential customers hold off until we see what the RX 7900 XTX can bring to the table next month.

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Pros

• Exceptionally cool-running.
• Dual-BIOS.
• Silent BIOS operated 2dBa quieter than the Founders Edition.
• Power limit can be increased to 400W.
• Overclocked reasonably well – particularly the GDDR6X memory.

Cons

• Incredibly large cooler is simply overkill for the RTX 4080.
• RTX 4080 offers poor value, and AIB cards are only going to be more expensive.
• Shroud feels a bit plasticky.

KitGuru says: Gigabyte sure knows how to build an effective cooler, but you can bet this will come at a price premium.

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