KitGuru KitGuru.net – Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards
Our GPU test system has been built with the intention of benchmarking a variety of graphics cards from mid-range to high-end. Each GPU is tested in a number of 3D applications and games at 1080p, 1440p and 2160p (“4K”) resolutions using Very High or Ultra detail presets.
Test System Components
- Case: Corsair 400Q (two stock case fans replaced with Noctua 120mm rear exhaust and 140mm front intake, speeds UEFI-limited)
- Processor: Intel Core i7-6700K (Stock Intel Turbo behaviour).
- Memory: 16GB (2x8GB) G.Skill Trident Z XMP (3200MHz 16-18-18-38 @ 1.35V).
- Graphics Card: Variable.
- System Drive: Samsung 850 EVO 512GB SSD
- CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i v2 (pump at 12 volts, fan speed UEFI-limited to reduce noise).
- Power Supply: Seasonic Platinum 760W.
- Operating System: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit.
General Test System Notes
- AMD Graphics cards were benchmarked with the AMD (Crimson ReLive Edition) 17.4.2 drivers (17.10.1711 Beta 5) except the RX 570 and RX 580 GPUs which were benchmarked with a special press release driver (17.10.1030 Beta 8).
- Nvidia Graphics cards were benchmarked with the Nvidia (GeForce Game Ready) 381.65 driver.
- To tune the test system appropriately for acoustic measurements the case was stripped of its original fans and fitted with ultra quiet Noctua fans.
- The CPU cooler, the Corsair H100i v2, was set to a fixed low fan speed to further reduce the base noise level while the pump was left to operate at full speed since it produces no significant noise output.
- The CPU was left to default Intel Turbo behaviour, disabling ASUS enhancements such as all-core Turbo to minimise heat output inside the case and non-GPU related power consumption. The CPU voltage was also negatively offset (read: reduced) by a measure of -0.15 to further reduce non-GPU related heat and power consumption and keep CPU temperatures down to accommodate for the ultra silent CPU and System fan profiles.
- Each 3D benchmark or game is run 3 times at each resolution with an average result of the three runs taken as the final result for the graphs. Where benchmark screenshots are shown note these may not match the graphed figure since the graph represents the average of three while the screenshot is a single of those three values.
Comparison Graphics Cards List
- AMD RX 480 8GB (1266MHz core, 8000MHz memory)
- ASUS GTX 1080 ROG Strix OC 11Gbps (1696MHz core, 1835MHz boost, 11008MHz memory)
- ASUS RX 570 STRIX Gaming OC 4GB (1300MHz core, 7000MHz memory)
- Gigabyte Aorus GTX 1080 Ti Xtreme Edition 11GB (1607MHz core, 1721MHz boost, 11232MHz memory)
- Gigabyte GTX 1080 G1 Gaming 8GB (1695MHz core, 1835MHz boost, 10010MHz memory)
- Gigabyte GTX 980 Ti Xtreme Gaming Windforce 6GB (1216MHz core, 1317MHz boost, 7200MHz memory)
- MSI GTX 1080 Gaming X Plus 8GB (1683MHz core, 1823MHz boost, 11008MHz memory)
- MSI GTX 1080 Ti Gaming X 11GB (1544MHz core, 1658MHz boost, 11008MHz memory)
- MSI GTX 1080 Ti Lightning Z (1582MHz core, 1695MHz boost, 11124MHz memory)
- MSI R9 390 8GB Gaming (1040MHz core, 6000MHz memory)
- Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB Founders Edition (1506MHz core, 1708MHz boost, 8008MHz memory)
- Nvidia GTX 1080 Ti Founders Edition 11GB (1480MHz core, 1582MHz boost, 11008MHz memory)
- Palit GTX 1080 Ti Super JetStream (1557MHz core, 1671MHz boost, 11008MHz memory)
- PNY GTX 1070 XLR8 Gaming OC 8GB (1607MHz core, 1797MHz boost, 8008MHz memory)
- Sapphire R9 Fury X 4GB (1050MHz core, 1000MHz memory [HBM])
- Sapphire RX 470 Nitro+ OC 4GB (1260MHz core, 7000MHz memory)
- Sapphire RX 580 Nitro+ Limited Edition 8GB (1450MHz core, 8000MHz memory)
- Zotac GTX 970 4GB (1076MHz core, 1216MHz boost, 7010MHz memory)
Software and Games List
- 3DMark
- Ashes of the Singularity
- Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
- Furmark
- GPU-Z
- Grand Theft Auto V
- Metro Last Light Redux
- MSI Afterburner
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
- Steam
- SteamVR Performance Test
- Unigine Heaven
Prices are at a high at the moment but its worth shopping around. I got the little brother to this card in may when I got fed up waiting for Vega. Just to show how much the prices have risen……
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/44f321f75d0009751cb1c2d071f32a02ebac53b39582308105c1e1278a5a70cf.jpg
I paid £503 for the GTX1080 and MSI had a £43 cashback offer on so all in it was £460. (plus I got £230 for my R9 290X, the upgrade to the GTX 1080 cost me £230, happy days) The exact same GTX1080 from the exact same store today is up for £595, excluding the MSI discount that card is £92 MORE expensive.
Seems like I’m the only one who just wants a classy case without tempered glass or RGB. Who cares what the card looks like?
Not me, I spent ages researching coolers and went for the MSI based on user feedback. The MSI Twinfrozr is pretty much the quietest air-cooler you can get. I know mine is only the GTX1080 but if I cared about RGB they do another model that is specifically called the MSI GTX1080 RGB, I’m guessing that model shoots rainbows out of its ass lol.
same here. I want the best perf for the cash and not waste money on needless stuff like RGB controllers. I like a nice looking card (to buy) but I don’t look at it after its in so who cares? and yeah my case DOES have a perspex side window but I couldn’t care less that it does…. it just happens to.
all card prices seem to be jacked up right now inc 1080ti vs what we’d expect with so much competition (AIB competing with each other) which of course comes from the lesser cards prices being higher too, goes without saying.
It’s a bad time to being a GPU right now (esp on the high end), wait for vega (not for perf but to hopefully drive prices down a little maybe.. MAYBE) or wait for Volta. Only buy 1080ti if you get a killer deal, ebay deal or are desperate for that perf asap.
I have this card, and it is by far and away the best card I’ve ever had. It runs very quiet, and stays cool even after marathon gaming sessions. I mean it really runs cool. Great job on the fans and cooling MSI! I’m using it on a Dell 4k monitor and it is able to maintain 60 or above FPS in all but one or two games (and its very close in them, mid 50’s). I know it’s a very expensive card, but if you have the means, I recommend this card over any other 1080Ti.
Yes MSI is staying with the red and black theme which isn’t everyones cup of tea I know. But when you hold this card, you can tell it is extremely well made and solid. Great job MSI, and thanks for the review.
Good point, and I’m fine with the looks. Plus the way my case sets (a Corsair Air 540 with a glass panel), I can’t see it at all. Just a warm reddish glow coming from under my desk (mobo has red LEDs). Looks so cool!
Idk about you, but this is one exception I’d make.
http://fanlessfan.com
I love geforce gtx 1080, its best around. To compare price ( everybody complain) sneak here https://bestgtx.com/best-geforce-gtx-1080/
Styling is unquestionably sharp although the red and black colour scheme is beginning to feel a little tiresome. Gamers who haven’t settled on a final colour scheme for their build may well end up building their system around a graphics card like this. It’s an eye-catching centrepiece for any build although MSI fans looking for something a little more exclusive and flexible may do well to consider the Lightning Z instead.
I paid £650
Weirdly enough my 1080ti gaming x card, overclocked to plus 100 on the core and plus 610 on the memory is only getting 5834 in unigine heaven (At default it scores 5660) is there something wrong with my card? https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/729719ab51d59921d8a2a9b67616f7e5f505b0e4ca301fd5c9072ef64d8f1651.png