NVIDIA’s new 30-series graphics cards are here. More powerful than anything we’ve
seen before, but also more affordable than most people expected.
There are three new GPU models to know as part of this new graphics card generation,
all on track to release in September or October of this year. These new cards are the 3070,
3080, and 3090, and all represent a significant step forward in terms of graphics power. In
fact, the price-to-performance ratio of these new cards represents the most significant
generational leap in the modern era.
The 3080 is the new flagship of the 30 series, and the first to hit the market, arriving
in mid-September. NVIDIA is advertising this card, in simple terms, as offering “twice
the performance of a 2080”. With 10 GB of RAM, 30 Shader TFLOPS, and 238 Tensor-TFLOPS
the 3080 is better at everything you want a GPU to do – including real-time ray tracing.
In fact, when it comes to RTX features, the new Ampere cards offer just about double the
performance in key areas as what we saw with the previous Turing generation. More shader,
RT, and Tensor cores translate into better performance at the frontiers of game graphics
– more realistic lighting and shadows, more true-to-life reflections, and more game visuals
to take your breath away, from Minecraft to Control – and yes, now even coming to Fortnite.
The new cards also bring other advancements, including DLSS 2.0, which uses AI technology
to upscale images to higher resolutions without significant dips in frame rates. And the new
top-of-the-line card, the 3090, will be capable of using DLSS 2.0 to power 8K, 60 FPS gaming
– a mark that’s never been a
realistic possibility for consumers before. The 3090 will be pricey – but it also
offers the potential for visual fidelity that was previously only attainable in our dreams.
As with previous GPU generations, each individual graphics card manufacturer puts their own
design and spin on the new cards.
This is MSI’s RTX 3080 Gaming X Trio 10G, which features 8704 cores and 10GB of GDDR6X
memory, like all the 3080s we’ll look at in this video, and a boost clock of 1815 MHz.
“Boost Clock” is a term that refers to a sort of built-in “max speed” that a
card can achieve when it’s under extremely heavy load to increase performance. The importance
of this short-term max speed is debatable, but it’s a useful number to consider in
context in order to evaluate different GPUs.
Since these new cards are so powerful, cooling is critical. The MSI Gaming X Trio 10G employs
MSI’s “TRI FROZR 2 thermal system” to keep temperatures under control. This cooling
system starts with three TORX fans, each of which is really a pair of fan blades with
a linked outer ring design that helps direct airflow into the card more effectively. Core
cooling pipes are designed to spread heat over the full-length of the heatsink, with
specially built deflectors providing additional surface area – while also keeping the whole
card as quiet as possible.
Right away, you can see the size of this new card – and it’s a beast, like all the
3080s. MSI’s Gaming X Trio 10G comes with a GPU support bracket included in the box,
to provide extra support for the weight of the card. This isn’t the first card to come
with such an add-on, but the beefy 30 Series GPUs are likely to spark more interest in
GPU supports than we’ve ever seen before. This MSI card weighs in at over 1500 grams,
or about three and a half pounds – that's about 25% heavier than a 1080Ti. If you’ve
watched our motherboard videos you may have noticed how often we call out features like
“steel reinforced PCIe slots” - and with these new bigger-than-ever cards, you’re
going to be happy to have that extra strength.
The most prominent RGB lighting on the MSI card stretches along the outer edge, providing
a nice horizontal contrast to any RGB RAM modules you might have. There are also subtle
lighting stripes on either side of the center fan, though in most typical PC builds you
won’t see these lights directly when the card is actually installed.
The ASUS ROG Strix RTX 3080 O10G gaming card features a boost clock of 1710 MHz in Gaming
Mode, and 1740 in OC Mode. With this level of power comes increased power needs, and
as you can see this card requires three eight-pin PCIe cables running from your power supply.
NVIDIA recommends having at least a 750 watt PSU in your system for these new cards. With
the way most enthusiasts build gaming PCs these days, you hopefully have the needed
power headroom with your existing PSU to account for this upgrade – but you might want to
do a quick check of the cables that came in your PSU box, to make sure you have what you
need.
Once again, cooling is the star of the show with this card, and the ASUS “Axial-tech”
fans have been newly redesigned and optimized for the larger heatsink of the 3080. The fans
themselves sport more blades than before, with 13 on the center and 11 on the others.
The additional blades of that center fan help provide increased static pressure to direct
air directly onto that important GPU heat spreader.
As a big bonus, ASUS cooling engineering allows the fans to get the job done at lower and
quieter speeds. It also means you’ll be able to see GPU temperatures under 55 degrees
Celsius more often – and when things are cooler than that, the fans can shut off completely.
You don’t have to accept a lot more noise with your increased GPU power, after all.
Part of the way these new cards stay cool is with increased vertical height, providing
more area for heat to move and dissipate. The ROG STRIX 3080 O10G has a large 2.9 slot
vertical design to help achieve this advanced cooling. Make sure to check the dimensions
of your existing build before trying to upgrade – since this card is probably going to be
both longer and taller than the GPU you currently have in your system.
Beyond the engineering changes, this new ROG STRIX 3080 card features a new faceplate,
including metal accents that match the latest designs found in ASUS ROG motherboards. With
a mixture of textures and materials, and of course RGB lighting, this is a card that can
make a statement both in terms of what it does and in how it looks.
No matter which specific version of NVIDIA 30 Series card you go with, you can be confident
that you’re getting a GPU that will take your gaming visuals to the next level. Whether
it’s increased frame-rates you’re after or the chance to experience real-time ray
tracing flair, NVIDIA’s 30 Series GPU represent a truly astounding leap forward – at a price
that’s lower than you might expect.
Check out the links in the description below to shop for these specific cards, or to head
over to the NVIDIA store on Newegg, where you can check out all of the 30 series GPUs
currently available.