NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 shootout: All hail a new generation of cards (Updated!)

Custom GeForce RTX 2080s are now available to buy. Which one should you get? We run the numbers to give you our verdict.

RTX roundup: FIGHT!

RTX roundup: FIGHT!

Who has got the best GeForce RTX  2080?

NVIDIA's board partners are going up against something entirely different this year. Custom cards used to be a clear upgrade over the reference or Founders Edition models. For instance, they generally came with significantly higher overclocks, much better cooling and swankier looks.

Well, not anymore. The GeForce RTX 2080 Founders Edition is taking the fight to NVIDIA's partners. The Founders Edition card is a swoon-worthy piece of hardware with a modern design and downright stellar build quality. It just feels expensive and premium, and when paired with an upgraded cooling system and factory overclocks, it is a desirable alternative to the usual selection of custom cards. 

This means that NVIDIA's partners will need to do a lot more to set their cards apart from the Founders Edition model. For this shootout, we are comparing cards from ASUS, GALAX, Gigabyte, MSI, Palit, and Zotac to find out what they're bringing to the table. 

Note (1): We're aware that the general sentiment now is to get a GeForce GTX 1080 Ti for its better value, but eventually, it will be out of stock and the GeForce GTX 2080 will be the forward-looking card to get.

Note (2): The GALAX and Gigabyte cards weren't with us for testing when we first published this article in October. We've now updated our initial impressions and benchmark numbers to a full-fledged shootout after assessing all contenders. Find out who's our choice!

 

ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC

ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC

The ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC is one of the most feature-rich cards around.

The ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC is one heck of a card. Short of going down the liquid cooling route, ASUS has probably crammed nearly every conceivable feature on its flagship GeForce RTX 2080 model.

This is a fat triple-fan card with factory overclocks and bells and whistles like upgraded power delivery and lighting, which is probably what you’re looking at if the Founders Edition card isn’t quite doing it for you. In OC Mode, the card boasts a base clock of 1,545MHz and boost clock of a 1,890MHz, which makes it one of the higher clocked cards in this shootout.

ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC

The card comes with a fancy, stylized backplate.

That said, the ROG Strix card hews to a familiar design. The plastic cooling shroud is all aggressive lines and sharp angles, and it does look very similar to what ASUS did with its Pascal cards. The main difference is probably the thicker, more powerful cooler. Note that this GeForce RTX 2080 from ASUS is a 2.7-slot card, which means you’ll need to leave a three-slot allowance for it on your motherboard and chassis.

The card feels very reliable, and there’s even a hefty metal brace at the side to further reinforce the PCB and prevent bending. The thick heatsink array connects to a base plate that has been machined using what ASUS calls MaxContact Technology. That means that the contact area is really smooth, which increases the surface area in contact with the GPU and improves heat dissipation.  

ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC

The metal brace at the side helps prevent the card from flexing.

I also find the design more subdued than on some of the cards from other brands. The RGB LEDs are limited to slits along the cooling shroud and the ROG logo on the backplate and side. To my eyes, this strikes the right balance between the more laidback Founders Edition card and having a strobing disco ball in your rig.

Also, ASUS has installed new fans on the card. It now features so-called “axial-tech” fans which are IP5X dust resistant and sealed to protect the innards from particle ingress. These fans also have a smaller fan hub to allow for longer blades and a barrier ring that increases structural integrity and downward air pressure so air can be pulled over the thick heat sink more effectively.

As it turns out, ASUS must be doing something right, because the card runs really cool and quiet. There’s also a small BIOS switch on board that lets you toggle between Performance and Quiet modes. It ships in Performance mode by default, where the fans will always remain active, but engaging Quiet mode kicks the fans into a semi-passive mode so they’ll stop spinning if GPU temperatures fall below 55°C.

ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC

The onboard BIOS switch lets you switch between Performance and Quiet modes.

Speaking of manual controls, there’s also a button on the back of the card to let you quickly turn all the LED lights on or off. That’s not super useful if the card is going to be in your chassis most of the time, but I do appreciate it being there. On top of that, there’s a 4-pin header for connecting a third-party LED strip. If you use something from ASUS’ Aura ecosystem, you’ll be able to control all the lighting through the Aura software.

ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC

Hit this button to quickly toggle the LEDs on or off.

The card comes with two additional 4-pin fan headers as well. These FanConnect II headers, as ASUS calls them, will work with both PWM and DC spinners. Fans hooked up to these headers can be pegged to your GPU temperatures instead of just the CPU, which is probably more useful during intense gaming sessions.

ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC

You can see here the fan and RGB headers (red).

The display outputs are slightly changed from the Founders Edition model. Instead of three DisplayPort and one HDMI output, ASUS has gone with two of each type (the VirtualLink USB-C port remains unchanged). Finally, the power connectors have been beefed up to two 8-pin connectors instead of one 8-pin and one 6-pin, the better to supply the card with the power that it needs. Two helpful LED indicators will turn white once a successful connection has been established, which should help rule out loose connections when troubleshooting.

ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC

ASUS has chosen to go with two DisplayPort and two HDMI ports instead.

GALAX GeForce RTX 2080 OC

GALAX GeForce RTX 2080 OC

The card is wrapped in a clear acrylic shell.

The GALAX GeForce RTX 2080 OC is one of the more compact custom cards available. It’s just slightly larger than the Founders Edition model, measuring 283 x 139 x 41mm. This is a dual-slot design that should fit fine in most cases, even the more compact ones, which is more than can be said for many of the cards in this shootout.

Still, its more petite dimensions obviously raise the question of cooling. The other cards are so large because of their huge, beefy coolers, so you’re probably wondering if GALAX’s more compact cooler can keep up with the rest. Unfortunately, as you’ll see in the results section later, it actually performs worse than even the Founders Edition card, which is slightly disappointing.

GALAX GeForce RTX 2080 OC

This is a dual-slot card that's a lot more compact that some of its competitors.

The company has gone with a vapor chamber heatsink that spans nearly the entire PCB. This supposedly helps quickly spread heat generated by the GPU to the rest of the heatsink, while a dense fin array increases the surface area available for heat dissipation. The dual 90mm fans draw cold air directly over the heatsink, and hot air is later exhausted out the sides.

The card feels pretty well put together, but I can’t say I’m a fan of the predominantly plastic build. Furthermore, the card is encased in an acrylic shell of sorts that only highlights the plastic construction. It doesn’t feel bad, but I’d much have preferred a matte finish on the cooling shroud.

GALAX refers to this as its “Xrystlic” double-layered surface, and the acrylic layer sits on top of the card’s “What’s Your Game” slogan at the side. The words boast customizable RGB backlighting as well, which I find to be a little on the nose. I really don’t see why anyone would want to have these words screaming at them from the card’s side or backplate, and it honestly seems unnecessary.

GALAX GeForce RTX 2080 OC

I'm not sure I want these words on my card.

The fans have their own RGB illumination as well, and you can tweak the colors and effects to suit your own preferences.

The backplate helps add some extra rigidity to the card, and it’s also perforated by a multitude of triangles that give it a slightly bizarre look.

GALAX GeForce RTX 2080 OC

The backplate helps confer some extra rigidity to the card.

Round the back, you get the same selection of display outputs as the Founders Edition model, including three DisplayPort, one HDMI, and one USB-C output.

Here's a look at the display outputs.

Here's a look at the display outputs.

One final point to note is the card's power connectors. It has just one 6-pin and one 8-pin PCIe connector for power, so it isn't pushing the overclocking angle as hard as the other cards with two 8-pin connectors. 

Overall, this card offers quite a spartan feature set, at least when compared to the offerings from ASUS, Gigabyte, and MSI. That’s partly reflected in its S$1,259 price tag, the most affordable of the lot, and it’ll more likely appeal to those looking for a custom card that’s easier on the wallet.

Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 2080 Xtreme 8G

Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 2080 Xtreme 8G

This is one beefy card.

The Aorus GeForce RTX 2080 Xtreme 8G may be one of the most overengineered cards in this shootout. It sports a massive triple-fan cooler and more video outputs than you could possibly need, so it already makes for a pretty imposing sight at first glance.

You’ll need a three-slot allowance for this card, and it measures a good 59.9mm thick. A lot of that width is dedicated to the beefy cooler, which houses three 100mm fans in a stacked configuration. This means that the middle fan is slightly recessed and partially overlaps with the other two, a design that helps Gigabyte cut the length of the card down as well. It measures just 290mm, compared to the MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming X Trio’s 327mm.

Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 2080 Xtreme 8G

The middle fan is slightly recessed and overlaps with the other two.

This could be the difference between leaving a front drive bay in place or having to remove it, and I do appreciate Gigabyte’s more compact design.

Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 2080 Xtreme 8G

This is a super thick card that will require a 3-slot allowance.

However, the stacked fans also help improve cooling performance. The middle fan spins in the opposite direction from the other two, which reduces air turbulence because air will now flow in the same direction between each fan. According to Gigabyte, this helps increase static pressure and improve the efficiency of heat dissipation.

The fans are also double ball bearing spinners that should last longer than their sleeve bearing counterparts. In addition, they support semi-passive operation, and will spin down when the GPU isn’t working that hard. Gigabyte has set the temperature limit at 60°C, below which the fans will stop spinning. A small LED "Fan Stop" indicator will also light up to let you know when the fans are idle. 

Gigabyte has tweaked the design of its heatsink fin as well. The heatsink features angled fins of unequal height, which supposedly help channel air through the fans and increases the surface area available for heat dissipation.

Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 2080 Xtreme 8G

You can see here how the fins are of unequal height.

A total of seven copper composite heatpipes come into direct contact with the GPU, and they also help draw heat away from the VRAM modules via a large metal plate.

Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 2080 Xtreme 8G

The backplate helps reinforce the PCB.

The RGB lighting effects on the card are also pretty cool. They’re different from what most other cards go with, and instead of the fan blades appearing as a blob of color, the fans themselves are ringed with what is best described as dashes of light. You can customize the lights to suit your preferences using Gigabyte’s RGB Fusion software.

Finally, the card has two 8-pin PCIe power connectors to ensure sufficient power during overclocking.

Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 2080 Xtreme 8G

The card has two 8-pin power connectors for additional power.

If you're worried about the card sagging, Gigabyte has helpfully included a bunch of metal rods and brackets that come together to form a GPU support stand of sorts that will help take some of the burden off the PCIe slot. This is hardly the most discreet or elegant solution, but it works. 

Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 2080 Xtreme 8G

These parts come together to form a GPU support stand.

The card is factory overclocked out of the box, boasting a 1,890MHz boost clock, which is on par with the ASUS model. However, this is the only card I've seen so far to come with a memory overclock. That said, it's just a modest bump up to 1,768MHz, up from 1,750MHz. 

To cap things off, Gigabyte has included a total of seven display outputs, the most on any custom card I’ve seen. It has a total of three DisplayPort, three HDMI, and one USB-C VirtualLink connector. However, they work in very specific combinations. For example, you can use either three HDMI and one DisplayPort, or three DisplayPort and one HDMI output, both combinations of which allow the USB-C port to be used as well. Further proof of an over-engineered card.

Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 2080 Xtreme 8G

There is a whopping total of seven display outputs, but you can't use them all at the same time as it is limited by the GPU's native display output support.

MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming X Trio

MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming X Trio

This is one of the longest custom cards around, so you should make sure you've got space for it in your case.

MSI’s GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming X Trio is a card that wants to be noticed. Out of the box, the Gaming X Trio is already awash in the colors of the rainbow, so it’ll go really well with any multi-hued rig. Of course, you can also customize the colors and lighting effects in MSI’s Mystic Light software and sync it with other compatible RGB components.

But what’s interesting about the card is really it’s cooler design. As on its GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Gaming X Trio, MSI has gone with a similar asymmetrical fan layout, where the fan closest to the display outputs is smaller than the other two. The three Torx 3.0 double ball bearing fans come with special protrusions on their edges that help focus airflow and direct it downward for higher static pressure.

MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming X Trio

You can see here the nubs sticking out from the fan blades.

These fans are really quiet as well, so I don’t see noise becoming a problem. Unlike the fans on the ASUS card however, these default to a semi-passive mode of operation, and you’ll have to enter MSI’s Dragon Center and toggle it off if you want them to remain active always.

The three fans also operate independently of each other, where the two larger fans work as a single unit. If GPU temperatures fall below 56°C, the fans won’t spin up at all. If they exceed that threshold, the two larger fans will start spinning. Finally, the third, smaller fan will only swing into action if temperatures exceed 60°C.

In addition, the thick aluminum fin stack features wavy, curved fins that MSI says allows air to pass through more smoothly, which helps reduce noise levels. This design supposedly helps guide air onto the heatpipes, while also increasing the surface area available for heat dissipation.

MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming X Trio

The thick aluminum fin stack helps keep the card cool.

The seven copper heatpipes make contact with a nickel-plated copper base plate that channels heat away from the GPU and transfers it to the heatpipes and the aluminum heatsink. In addition, MSI says it used a premium thermal compound to further optimize heat transfer.

On the reverse side of the PCB, a diecast metal sheet serves as a passive heatsink for the memory modules. It also provides additional structural reinforcement to prevent flexing and is connected to the I/O bracket at the rear.

MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming X Trio

The backplate sports a nice brushed metal finish.

Structural integrity is truly important when it comes to a card of this size and weight. The GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming X Trio measures a good 327mm long and requires a 3-slot allowance. In addition to making sure you’ve got space in your case, you’ll want a certain reassurance that the GPU won’t sag over time. To help with that, MSI has included a GPU brace in the box that attaches to an empty expansion card slot and supports the card along its entire length. I'm not a fan of the design of the brace though, and I wish it had a more subtle look. 

MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming X Trio

The metal brace attaches to empty expansion slots and helps support the card.

The selection of display outputs on the card is the same as on the Founders Edition model, comprising three DisplayPort, one HDMI, and one USB-C connector. However, MSI upgraded the power connectors to two 8-pin plugs, just like what ASUS did on its ROG Strix card.

MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming X Trio

Here's a look at the display outputs.

One final point to mention is MSI’s thoughtful approach to the NVLink connector. You can actually remove a portion of the cooling shroud (it’s held in place by screws) in order to make room for the NVLink bridge. I like this design, as it gives the cooler a more seamless look for the vast majority of gamers who don’t have a second card, while still supporting those who do want to go down the SLI route.

MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming X Trio

You'll need to remove a section of the shroud to use an NVLink bridge.

Palit GeForce RTX 2080 Super JetStream

Palit GeForce RTX 2080 Super JetStream

The silver-and-black theme should go reasonably well with most builds.

The Palit GeForce RTX 2080 Super JetStream stands out because of how thick it is. At 59.6mm thick, it is taller than the other cards, thanks to the hefty cooler Palit has slapped on it. This is a 2.7-slot card, so you’ll need a 3-slot allowance for it. It measures just 292mm though, so it also happens to be one of the shorter cards in this shootout.

To my eyes, the silver-and-black cooling shroud looks a lot better than the bright blue that Palit splashed onto its GameRock cards from the last generation, and it should fit in much better with a wider range of builds.

Palit GeForce RTX 2080 Super JetStream

Palit has slapped a super thick cooler on this card.

The Super JetStream card also doesn’t feature that many fancy LEDs. They’re mostly limited to the face of the cooling shroud, and the backplate and sides of the card don’t feature any LEDs at all. Still, you can use Palit’s ThunderMaster utility to control the lighting effects, including syncing them to your GPU temperature.

Palit GeForce RTX 2080 Super JetStream

The backplate is emblazoned with the JetStream logo.

Nevertheless, while there’s nothing terribly wrong with the build quality per se, it does feel like a step down from the all-metal Founders Edition card.

The card ships with a 1,515MHz base clock and 1,860MHz boost clock out of the box, which is pretty standard and in line with most of the competition. However, an onboard BIOS switch actually lets you switch between OC and Standard speeds. This should also prove useful when you need to recover from failed overclocks or some corruption of the card’s BIOS.

Palit GeForce RTX 2080 Super JetStream

The dual BIOS switch should save you from things like BIOS corruption.

Palit says it also tweaked the JetStream design, adding a large copper base that makes contact directly with the GPU. The card features a total of five copper heatpipes, which help transfer heat from the copper base plate to the main heatsink. The metal backplate on the rear helps support the card, but it is also equipped with thermal pads that help convey heat away from the VRM and memory components on the flip side of the card.

The fans on the Super JetStream runs really quiet as well, and I see few people having complaints in this area. Palit says its fans are powered by a 6-pole motor, and even though the dual-fan design may appear a little underwhelming compared to the triple-fan offerings from its rivals, the good news is that thermal performance so far seems to be more or less up to snuff.

On the rear, the display outputs remain unchanged from the Founders Edition model, and you’ll find three DisplayPort, one HDMI, and one USB-C connector. Palit’s signature honeycomb bracket makes a reappearance here as well, and its perforated design supposedly helps improve airflow and allows heat to exit the card more effectively from the rear.

Palit GeForce RTX 2080 Super JetStream

The honeycomb mesh helps facilitate airflow out the back of the card.

And like the other custom cards, Palit has also opted for two 8-pin PCIe connectors to supply more power to the GPU.

Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 2080 AMP

Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 2080 AMP

Zotac's design is a little on the boring side.

Note: Zotac also has higher-end cards with the AMP Extreme Core and AMP Extreme, but they were not available locally at the time of writing. As a result, we weren't able to include either of them in this shootout. 

Zotac’s GeForce RTX 2080 card looks like it’s trying to fly under the radar. It lacks any distinctive design flourishes, and its plain black plastic shroud probably is best described as inoffensive.

The card doesn’t exactly light up either when you plug it in. The only LEDs are found in the Zotac Gaming logo on the card’s side. You can customize this using the Spectra utility, but it sure isn’t a lot to play with. To be fair, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially if you hate RGB LEDs, but it does make the card look a little lacking compared to the competition.

Furthermore, the card isn't clocked as high as its rivals, featuring a modest 1,515MHz base clock and 1,830MHz boost clock.

Having said that, I find myself compelled to comment on the card’s packaging. I don’t usually do this, but I think Zotac’s approach deserves special mention. The box holding the card sits in a striped plastic sleeve. The box itself is printed with an illustration of the card, and when you slide it out, the picture combines with the striped pattern to create the illusion of fans in motion, a nice effect that I wasn't expecting.

Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 2080 AMP

Zotac gives you some fancy packaging.

Like many other custom Turing cards out there, the AMP is super tall and large. It measures 308mm long and 57mm thick, so you’ll need a 3-slot allowance for it, just like every card in this shootout. Zotac says it made the aluminum fin stack array larger and thicker, pairing it with five 8mm copper heatpipes to draw heat away from the GPU.

Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 2080 AMP

Only the Zotac Gaming logo at the side lights up when the card is powered on.

In addition, a diecast metal jacket has been added to reinforce the PCB. This metal sheet spans the entire board and prevents it from flexing, but it also doubles as a method of passive cooling and an extra avenue for heat dissipation. Thermal pads interface with the VRM and memory modules, which should increase the cooling effectiveness somewhat.

Zotac is also using something it calls Active Fan Control, which allows the fans to work independently of each other. Two individual fan controllers let users adjust the rotations of individual fans, so you can increase airflow to certain portions of the PCB if needed. In theory, this means less noise because the other fans don’t have to work harder than they need to. Everything is also done automatically, so there’s less hassle on your end.

The fans blades feature small ridges as well, and these supposedly help generate multiple currents and direct airflow toward the heatsink.

Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 2080 AMP

You can see here the ridges sticking up from the fan blades.

One odd design feature is the fact that the cooler extends beyond the PCB and metal backplate. I don’t really like the look of this as it makes the card look like disparate parts have been hastily cobbled together. If you want a larger cooler, I feel like you should design a custom PCB that’s longer and matches it for length.

Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 2080 AMP

The cooler extends beyond the PCB.

That aside, Zotac has gone with three DisplayPort and one HDMI connector, the same as the Founders Edition model. It’s also kept the power connectors the same, so you get one 8-pin and one 6-pin connector instead of the dual 8-pin that the other cards have implemented.

Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 2080 AMP

The selection of display outputs is unchanged from the Founders Edition model.

Test Setup

The detailed specifications of our new graphics card testbed system is as follows:-

  • Intel Core i7-8086K (4.0GHz, 12MB L3 cache)
  • ASUS ROG Strix Maximus X Hero (Intel Z370)
  • 4 x 8GB G.Skill Ripjaws V DDR4-3000 (Auto timings: CAS 15-15-15-35)
  • Samsung 860 EVO 500GB SSD
  • Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
  • ASUS PB287Q, 4K monitor

The full line-up of graphics cards and their driver versions are listed below:

  • ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 2080 OC (ForceWare 411.70)
  • GALAX GeForce RTX 2080 OC (ForceWare 411.70)
  • Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 2080 Xtreme 8G (ForceWare 411.70)
  • MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming X Trio (ForceWare 411.70)
  • Palit GeForce RTX 2080 Super JetStream (ForceWare 411.70)
  • Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 2080 AMP (ForceWare 411.70)

[hwzcompare]

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[caption=Test cards compared]

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Note: Zotac also has higher-end cards with the AMP Extreme Core and AMP Extreme, but they were not available locally at the time of writing. As a result, we weren't able to include either of them in this shootout.

 

Benchmarks

Next up, here's a list of all the benchmarks used. We've already run through a wider range of tests in our review of the GeForce RTX 2080 Founders Edition, so we'll just be going through a more limited selection here:

  • 3DMark
  • Shadow of the Tomb Raider

We used the Fire Strike Extreme benchmark and stress test in 3DMark for our temperature and power consumption tests respectively.

3DMark

The synthetic 3DMark benchmark tests graphics and computational performance at different resolutions, starting at 1080p and going all the way up to 4K. A series of two graphics test, one physics test, and then a combined test stresses your hardware in turn to assess its performance. Compared to the Founders Edition, these custom cards are a hair faster.

Unsurprisingly, the cards were pretty much neck-and-neck with each other throughout. The one laggard would be the GALAX card, probably owing to its lower boost clock speeds. That said, it's not as if it is behind by a super large margin, and it mostly trailed by just a couple of percentage points. 

 

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

NVIDIA has mentioned Shadow of the Tomb Raider a lot lately, largely because it will be one of the first games to support its RTX technology through a post-release patch. At the time of writing however, the patch hasn't dropped yet, so the results still deal with conventional performance metrics. Once more, the custom cards here are just a hair faster than the Founders Edition.

However, they once again performed very similarly to each other, and it was difficult to tease out a clear winner.

 

Temperature and power consumption

I ran 40 loops of 3DMark's Fire Strike Extreme stress test and took the peak temperature readings during the run. For power consumption, I measured the total system power draw during the Fire Strike Extreme benchmark.

Most of the custom cards tested here ran much cooler than the Founders Edition, which posted a peak temperature of  72°C. However, both the GALAX and Gigabyte cards ran slightly hotter, a disappointing outcome. The Gigabyte card's lackluster cooling performance was especially surprising, given the size of its cooler. 

 

Overclocking

I used the NVIDIA Scanner tool built into EVGA's Precision X1 software to overclock the cards. NVIDIA Scanner is an API that developers can bake into their overclocking software. In a nutshell, it leverages NVIDIA's knowledge of how its GPUs perform to help you achieve the highest possible overclock, with the goal of eliminating the tedious, trial-and-error nature of conventional overclocking. 

After you hit the Scan button, the software will work its way through your card's voltage-frequency curve, running arithmetic tests to see whether the card is stable or not. If it crashes, Scanner will automatically ramp up the voltage and try again. The entire process takes about 20 minutes, after which you'll get a custom voltage-frequency curve and overclocking profile that you can apply. 

Here's a table summarizing the clock speeds each card was able to achieve with NVIDIA Scanner (memory clocks remain unchanged):

ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 2080 OC
GALAX GeForce RTX 2080 OC
Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 2080 Xtreme 8G
MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming X Trio
Palit GeForce RTX 2080 Super JetStream
Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 2080 AMP
Base clock
1,572MHz
1,583MHz
1,562MHz
1,561MHz
1,568MHz
1,544MHz
Boost clock
1,917MHz
1,853MHz
1,937MHz
1,906MHz
1,913MHz
1,859MHz

Overall, the Gigabyte card was able to achieve the highest boost clock speeds, which translated into the best performance in 3DMark - even if it's just by a small degree.

And the winner is...

It's never easy picking a winner from a selection of super fast custom cards. More often than not, there are no significant differences in performance, and it comes down to things like design, cooling prowess, and price. Individual vendors may also choose to throw in additional features to add value to their cards, and these go a long way toward helping the cards stand out from the crowd. 

Furthermore, while price is important, I'd argue that it matters less at this price point. After all, I think it's reasonable to assume that most people looking at the GeForce RTX 2080 have pretty much put budget considerations behind them and are more concerned about performance. 

 

ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 2080 OC

It was a close call, but the ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 2080 OC edged ahead of the competition with a winning combination of performance and features all around. At S$1,619, it's the most expensive card here, but it tries to justify that with a ton of additional features, such as dual onboard BIOS, a button to toggle the LEDs on and off, and extra fan headers. It also overclocks well, boasts an attractively understated design and among the most aggressive factory overclocks on a custom card. Finally, it's among the best when it comes to build quality, and it pairs that with an easy-to-use software interface. On every level, this is the card the stands out and thus our winner.

 

MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming X Trio

At S$1,439, the MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming X Trio sits in the middle of the pack, but it's clear that it's fully capable of competing with pricier alternatives from ASUS and Gigabyte. It may not be the absolute fastest or coolest card here, but the differences are so small that we'd really be splitting hairs here. Having said that, it's the small differences that matter in such a competitive playing field. Ultimately, it's still a great performer and displays evidence of a thoughtful design (that NVLink cover is really pretty neat). For all that we've said, we gladly bestow it the best value award if you want to get the best bang for your buck.

 

GALAX GeForce RTX 2080 OC

The GALAX GeForce RTX 2080 OC is the most affordable card in this shootout at S$1,259. That said, it doesn't offer much over the Founders Edition model, and even does worse than it in some areas. Yes, you get RGB LEDs, but the card's design isn't exactly the most tasteful. You also lose the premium metal body on the Founders Edition model, and somehow get worse cooling performance. 

 

Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 2080 Xtreme 8G

The Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 2080 Xtreme 8G was another strong contender, posting aggressive factory overclocks and possibly the best overclocking performance, albeit by a hair. It also boasts a unique LED lighting setup that looks quite different from what the competition is offering. To cap things off, it also has a total of seven display outputs, something none of the other cards offer. Unfortunately, it was ultimately felled by its lackluster cooling performance. It wasn't terrible, but if I'm paying S$1,569 for a card, I expect it to run a lot cooler than the Founders Edition model and be more efficient in its power optimization. Nevertheless, we'll give it our most overclockable product award.

 

Palit GeForce RTX 2080 Super JetStream

The Palit GeForce RTX 2080 Super JetStream is one of those cards that simply works. It doesn't impress in any particular way, but it's also difficult to find serious fault with it. It's relatively affordable at S$1,299, and maybe its build quality isn't the best or it doesn't look that great, but there's no doubt that it performs as it should. It's cool and fast, and also comes with dual onboard BIOS to help you recover from failed overclocks.

 

Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 2080 AMP

The Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 2080 AMP is one of the plainest cards in this shootout. There are barely any LEDs on it, which may or may not be a bad thing, depending on who you ask. That said, while overclocking performance wasn't quite as good as the other cards, it's difficult to complain about how it runs out of the box. It speeds along nicely, and runs as cool as the ASUS card, which is pretty impressive. What's more, it's quiet and has the lowest peak power consumption among all the cards. That said, Zotac has higher-end offerings in the form of the GeForce RTX 2080 AMP Extreme Core or AMP Extreme, but those cards were not available for review at the time of writing. 

Performance
Features
Value
Overall
Price (S$)
ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 2080 OC
9.0
8.5
7.0
8.5
$1,619
GALAX GeForce RTX 2080 OC
7.0
7.5
7.5
7.5
$1,259
Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 2080 Xtreme 8G
8.5
8.5
7.5
8.5
$1,569
MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming X Trio
8.0
8.5
8.0
8.5
$1,439
Palit GeForce RTX 2080 Super JetStream
8.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
$1,299
Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 2080 AMP
8.5
7.5
7.5
8.0
$1,299
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