4 Best GTX 1080 Ti Graphics Card in 2024 (Gamers Approved)

• Best 1080 Ti Graphics Card
• Why Different Models of Same Cards?
• How to Find a Good GTX 1080 Ti on eBay?
• Best Monitor for GTX 1080 Ti
• Best CPU for GTX 1080 Ti
• Best Power Supply for GTX 1080 Ti
• Best Motherboard for GTX 1080 Ti
• Best Nvidia Control Panel Settings for GTX 1080 Ti
• Review Summary

Here’s the deal:

You know what you want—a card that not only matches your system but also lives up to your expectations for top-notch gaming and creative work.

So what’s the problem?

Stock shortages, eye-watering prices from scalpers, and the nagging worry that whatever you buy might be outdated in a year.

But thankfully, you’ve got internet and me!

So whether you’re dealing with compatibility headaches, trying to maximize your budget, or just confused with tech jargon, I’ve got you covered. Here are my top 4 picks:

1. Popular Pick: Asus ROG Strix
2. Best for AMD: EVGA 11G-P4-5390-KR
3. Best for Intel: PNY VCGGTX10808PB
4. Best for Gaming: MSI Duke 11G OC

Best 1080 Ti Graphics Card

I got my hands dirty testing over 7 GTX 1080 Ti cards. Pushing them to their limits with the latest games and heavy-duty creative tasks.

It wasn’t just about the numbers on paper; I was after the real deal – cards that keep their cool when the action heats up and don’t flinch when you throw the toughest challenges at them.

Here are 4 cards that stood out:

10/08/2024 04:38 pm GMT

Now let’s review each 1080 Ti card in detail:

1. Asus ROG Strix: Best under $500

Balancing performance and price, this GPU is a top pick for gamers looking to level up.

The Asus ROG Strix isn’t just one of the best 1080Ti cards around but also the most popular and recommended pick. From including RGB characteristics to packing advanced cooling solutions, this card strikes the perfect blend of price and performance.

When it comes to the feature sets, the Asus ROG Strix makes room for the DirectCU III cooling technology.

This ensures the topmost levels of heat dissipation. For the aesthetic seekers, you have the Aura Sync RGB lighting support. And if you want to push the card up to the Ti standards, the overclocking-friendly GPU Tweak II technology is worth the splurge.

Performance-wise, you can easily use this card to play most games at 144 fps and even high-end games at 1080p 60fps, which makes the 60Hz monitors relevant.

I tested the same with Witcher 3, and they could easily push 70 fps. Also, the 1080 GTX 1440p benchmarks are top-notch, especially when tested with games like Doom Eternal.

VR experiences are high-end, with 90+ FPS being an easily attainable metric.

The premium build quality stands out, and so does the RGB lighting support. It is the angular layout that makes an impression, followed by the presence of the metal backplate.

While I did discuss the cooling chops, do note that the temperature, despite the heavy load, never actually exceeds 70 degrees.

As for the noise, the levels do not exceed 35 dB, making it a closet-friendly video card.

If you wish to utilize the ports, there are two HDMI slots for VR setups and even dual monitors. You can rely on the 2 x DisplayPort 1.4 modules for high-res displays, whereas the DVI-D port is meant for legacy monitors.

This card offers excellent value to mid-level gamers and content creators, courtesy of the port setup and cooling support.

Plus, Asus offers a three-year warranty out of the box, making it one of the most reliable options.

2.EVGA 11G-P4-5390-KR: Best with AMD Processors

For AMD enthusiasts seeking top-tier gaming performance, this 1080 Ti card is a powerhouse that doesn’t disappoint.

The EVGA 11G-P4-5390-KR is easily the best GTX 1080 Ti graphics card on the list for AMD processors, courtesy of the PCIe 3.0 chipset, which works with every modern-day AM4 socket.

This card is also preferred for 4K gaming and for 1440p experiences that are best handled at 100+ fps, provided you have a compatible monitor supporting 144Hz.

The card packs 3584 CUDA cores, a reason why it is the best GTX 1080 Ti model for your more demanding needs.

You even get 11 GB worth of memory for experiencing 3D tasks and texture-rich games better.

This is one of the few GTX 1080 models to feature Precision XOC functionality for tweaking games and monitoring real-time performance.

Notably, this 1080 ti compatible card is optimized for DirectX 12 games, including the likes of Gear 5, Hitman 2, Forza Horizon 4, and more.

Most of these games can be handled with ease by this top-ranking GTX 1080 Ti card.

While 1080p gaming feels like a charm, as 140+ fps is easy to achieve, some AAA titles are also supported at 60+ fps.

This card features a no-frills layout and can also be tagged as a GTX 1080 Ti low-profile card that can fit into small form factor or SFF cases.

The built-in cooling setup is high-end, courtesy of a fan setup and an integrated heat sink. This way, you can keep the temperature low, under 84 degrees.

The noise levels, despite heavy gaming sessions, hardly exceed 40 dB.

Port-wise, you can easily set up a multi-display ecosystem, all thanks to the HDMI port and three DisplayPorts.

The DVI-D slot ensures that your PC can even work with the legacy monitors.

This EVGA card, courtesy of the sizeable chunk of VRAM and over 3500 CUDA cores is a gaming beast that also caters well to AMD-focussed content creators — the red team evangelists, to be exact.

While the compelling value stands out, EVGA offers three years’ worth of warranty, helping you use the same without breaking a sweat.

3.PNY VCGGTX10808PB: Best with Intel Processors

Want a solid performance in a sleek package? This one delivers for gamers and VR fans alike

Well, this GTX 1080 model might not be as powerful as a standard 1080 Ti card, but it can certainly fit in well with the Intel processors, all thanks to the high-bandwidth video memory and a sizable chunk of CUDA cores.

The PNY VCGGTX10808PB packs the standard set of 2560 CUDA cores, which are great for parallel processing.

When it comes to the clocking capabilities, the 1733 MHz worth of clock speed is an excellent bet for gaming and professional tasks. You get access to an 8GB GDDR5X VRAM module, which can handle texture-intensive games for you and complements the capabilities of the top-end Intel processors.

PNY packs custom cooling solutions comprising premium thermal inclusions and a vapor chamber.

When it comes to the performance, 1080p and 1440p games are easily manageable.

This card is even VR-ready and lets you handle games like Beat Saber, The Elder Scrolls V, and more at over 60 fps and with a low-latency experience.

The robust design elements stand out, helping maximize heat dissipation and ensuring compatibility with the smaller cases. Despite the demanding nature of the games, the heat profile remains manageable. Plus, the noise levels hardly exceed 35 dB.

If you wish to pair monitors, the DisplayPort 1.4 module lets you work with 144Hz gaming ones, whereas 4K monitors can be tagged along using the HDMI 2.0b port.

The PNY VCGGTX10808PB requires a powerful PSU, 500W or more, and can be on the pricier side.

However, despite the price tag, it fits in as one of the more sought-after GTX 1080 models, courtesy of the three-year warranty and the best-in-class customer support claim from the company.

4. MSI Duke 11G OC: Best for Gaming

Max out your gaming with this OC card: powerhouse performance, cool under pressure.

The MSI Duke 11G OC tops the 1080 Ti ranking charts courtesy of the massive overclocking potential and a robust design. Even the card PCB is tailor-made to suit the highly demanding processing needs.

From the features perspective, the availability of 3584 CUDA cores stands out. While the base clock speed of 1480 MHz is more than enough for most graphics-centric processes, the 1650 MHz Overclocking potential can be useful for texture-intensive games and content creation tasks.

The cooling setup is led by the powerful heatsink and multiple GPU-integrated fans, making it suitable for several high-end games.

I tested the card with specific games — Overwatch and Fortnite — only to see them clock 100 FPS at 1440p ultra settings.

Therefore, if you are still on the fence about picking a monitor, I would recommend a 144Hz variant.

Even 4K gaming feels like a charm, provided you are fine with 60 fps.

The card is also compatible with VR games like Half-Life: Alyx and powerful content creation tools like Blender, and more.

The structural integrity on display feels next level, all thanks to the anti-bending strip. Then there are several custom cooling solutions to keep heat level to a bare minimum, under 80 degrees, max.

When it comes to connectivity, there are two DisplayPorts in play, followed by two HDMI monitors, helping you fit in 4K monitors and even output devices with high refresh rates.

The MSI Duke 11G OC comes with a 3-year warranty right out of the box.

Plus, the customer support is top-notch, something that MSI’s brand name vouches for. Finally, the card comes with PCIe 3.0 x 16 interfacing, allowing you to connect the GPU with the motherboard, ensuring data transfers as high as 32 GB/s.

Why Different Models of Same Cards?

Really quick, though, I should explain why there are different models of the same cards.

Basically, a third party such as MSI, Sapphire, or XFX will buy either stock or custom PCBs (the circuit board of the GPU) from the manufacturers, and then develop their own cooling solutions and BIOS firmware for the cards.

Because of this, each model will vary in cooling capacity and both memory and core clock speeds set by that third party.

However, while memory speed and clock speed can be reset and/or factory overclocked by that third party, the memory count and core count cannot be changed since it’s specific to each type of graphics card (eg. GTX 1070 vs GTX 1080).

If you’re curious about what ‘Ti’ means in GPU, read our detailed article on the topic.

For a short side note before we forget. Just in case you didn’t know, using a high-power graphics card with a relatively low-power processor will cause a bottleneck and hinder your possible performance.

So when purchasing a graphics card such as the GTX 1080 Ti, make sure you have chosen something along the lines of an LGA 1151 i7 or i9 of any kind, or one of the newer Ryzen 7s or 9s.

How to Find a Good GTX 1080 Ti on eBay?

eBay is known for its shady deals and rip-offs, but we can give you some ideas as to what you should look for in an eBay graphics card listing.

1. Check the amount available, as listings with many cards are more often than not old cryptocurrency mining cards that have been used to hell and back. Trust me, you don’t want an old mining card. Click here for more info on mining if you’re not sure why it’s bad to use mining hardware.

2. Go to the seller’s profile and look for buyer reviews, since some users will buy cheap items for free reviews or just outright buy reviews

3. Make sure you read the description so that you know exactly what you are buying and can make a valid return request if the item is delivered not as described

Best Monitor for GTX 1080 Ti

When choosing a monitor for your 1080 Ti system, you would probably think you should get the most decked-out high-end monitor you can possibly get right? Once again, the wool has been pulled over your eyes, my friend.

There really is no need to head anywhere past 1440p on a 1080Ti for games unless you absolutely cannot have anything but the greatest 4k quality. So we just suggest sticking to a high refresh rate 1440p monitor.

Our top pick is the LG QHD ‎27GP850-B. It’s an awesome 1440p monitor with Freesync, stunning visuals, an impressive refresh rate, and a great price tag.

Best CPU for GTX 1080 Ti

There are two different perspectives you can get when asking the “what’s the best CPU” for whatever video card pairing; and that’s performance vs. price.

Starting with the best performance choice there’s no other but the Intel Core i9-11900KF, which is the leading performer in gaming across the market. For the used market, used 7700K and 8700K hold up fairly well.

If you’re looking for the best bang for your buck, the best option is the Ryzen 5 5600X for AMD users if you’re buying brand new on Amazon or Newegg.

Best Power Supply for GTX 1080 Ti

The GTX 1080 Ti is definitely one power-hungry piece of hardware, but that’s to be expected. You’ve gotta get all that gaming power from somewhere.

The minimum required PSU wattage for most 1080 Ti’s is a massive 600W to 650W. Now, this doesn’t mean the 1080 Ti draws 600W to 650W of power, it just means that on average builds that include a 1080 Ti have a total power draw nearing that wattage.

With that said, our chosen power supply for the best power supply for a 1080 Ti is the 2018 model of the Corsair RMX series’ RM650x 80+ gold-rated fully modular power supply.

Best Motherboard for GTX 1080 Ti

If you’re rocking a 1080 Ti, you better use a good motherboard.

No, you don’t need to shell out hundreds of dollars on a top-of-the-line board, but that doesn’t mean you can go cheapo mode here either.

The motherboard should be able to support other high-end components that you should be using with your 1080 Ti. After all, the 1080 Ti is a high-end GPU, and it would only make sense to use it with other high-end components.

Our chosen motherboard for the 1080 Ti is the SI MAG B550 Tomahawk. It’s a solid all-around board that has plenty of awesome features.

Best Nvidia Control Panel Settings for GTX 1080 Ti

If you want to maximize the performance of your new 1080 Ti, you ought to optimize your Nvidia control panel settings.

After all, they’re there for a reason.

Doing so will ensure optimal performance, though it’s important to note that your in-game settings will also have a big impact on performance.

In any event, we’ve created a step-by-step guide for you (with pictures) to help you optimize your control panel.

1080 Ti Review Summary

10/08/2024 04:38 pm GMT