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In its pursuit of all out performance, MSI has come up with another Lightning Z card – this time, an RTX 2080 Ti.
This card is an absolute monster – in a number of ways. Starting with its physical characteristics, it is the biggest card I have ever tested, with the card measuring 328 x 143 x 63mm – making it a proper triple-slot graphics card. On top of that, it weighs almost 2KG, so the decision to include a dual-slot GPU support bracket was definitely a smart move from MSI.
The cooler/shroud isn't without its fair share of features, too, and I do like the included OLED panel that lets you monitor things like GPU clock speed and temperatures in real time. MSI's RGB implementation is also effective, and who can't be impressed with the real carbon backplate that has been fitted to the Lightning Z.
On top of its physical appearance, MSI has also beefed up the RTX 2080 TI's power delivery, going for a 16 phase solution for the GPU VCore, and another 3 phases for the memory. This does require 3x 8-pin PCIe power connectors, so total power consumption is higher than even Vega 64, but the benefit is this RTX 2080 Ti ran at over 1900MHz out of the box – almost 200MHz faster than Nvidia's Founders Edition.
Unsurprisingly, that means it was the fastest card in every 1440p and 4K benchmark we ran, performing on average 5.4% faster than the RTX 2080 Ti Founders card at 4K resolution. If you want the fastest graphics card we have ever tested – this is it.
There is even some decent headroom for manual overclocking, too, as we could add an extra 95MHz to the already factory-overclocked GPU, while the Samsung GDDR6 memory overclocked very well with an extra 950MHz added to that. This brought our average clock speed up to exactly 2GHz – and anyone overclocking with liquid coolers, or even LN2, would definitely benefit further from the ‘LN2' BIOS that is accessible on the card, with its unlocked power limit.
The only potential downside I see for the Lightning Z – aside from the price, but we'll get to that below – is the acoustics. It is certainly not loud – not at all – but we have tested quieter aftermarket RTX 2080 Tis, like the ASUS ROG Strix model. That being said, it is easy to see this card is more about balls to the wall performance than it is noise levels – and anyone really serious is likely to water cool this beast anyway, so I am not too concerned about the noise levels produced.
As for the price, well, there's no denying this is a very expensive graphics card – we can currently find it on sale for £1499, despite the MSRP being £1439. MSI has told us more stock is due into the channel over the next few weeks, though, which should help matters. But in any case, this card is clearly not going to appeal to anyone looking to make a value-based buying decision. Like I said, this is very much a high-end card for the enthusiast – and cash-rich – gamers and hardcore overclockers out there.
If we take that perspective, however, it is safe to say the MSI RTX 2080 Ti Lightning Z is a mightily impressive graphics card. For sure, it is aimed at a very niche and elite market segment – but for those who want the absolute best of the best, a card packed with features, then you have to take a step back and appreciate what MSI has done here. It's certainly not for the faint of heart, but it is a hardcore overclocker's dream.
Product availability is currently low, but you can find the Lightning Z for £1499.99 from OCUK HERE
Pros
- Fastest graphics card we've ever tested – by a decent margin.
- OLED screen provides real time GPU information.
- Decent overclocker despite the already factory overclocked core.
- Beefy power delivery.
- LN2 BIOS option, with unlocked power limit, for the hardcore overclockers out there.
- Real carbon backplate.
Cons
- It's not loud, but the ASUS Strix RTX 2080 Ti is quieter.
- Not exactly cheap.
KitGuru says: It's not exactly going to have widespread appeal at this price, but for the proper hardcore enthusiasts and overclockers out there, the MSI RTX 2080 Ti Lightning Z is an absolute monster of a graphics card – in pretty much every way. Its for a very wealthy, discerning audience with a lot of spare cash in hand – if you want the best and can afford it then look no further.
