The GTX 1080 Ti is one of the most powerful GPUs on the market, and one of the most popular too, despite the recent release of the RTX 2080, RTX 2070 and RTX 2060 cards. It’s also our top Nvidia pick for the best GPUs of 2020. There’s actually a very good reason for this, but we’re going to save that discussion for later in the article.
For now, we’re going to briefly go over our picks for Top-rated & Best GTX 1080 TI Cards, after which we’ll dive into the nitty-gritty of how the 1080 TI’s will perform, how they compare to the RTX 2080, and which one will be best for your needs.
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti – FE Founder’s Edition
Refined GPU – being the new generation using NVidia’s Pascal technology, you can expect it will be refined. From just its spec sheet, you can be sure that performance will not be an issue. Some might think this is just an enhanced GPU, but it is not. The manufacturer built something new right from scratch.
More performance – the manufacturer had to include up to 12 billion transistors and 3852 CUDA cores. It might not mean much to some who do not understand the jargon, but just know that is massive. You should find that such a GPU would be perfect for any gaming purpose or intent.
Zotac GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Mini
If you’re looking to build a compact and discrete PC for your living room that will blow traditional games consoles like the Xbox One and PS4 out of the water, there really is no other choice if you want to harness the power of the 1080 Ti. The Zotac GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Mini is around two inches shorter than many of the other 1080 Ti cards on this list, yet it doesn’t compromise on performance. This means it’s easier to fit the Zotac GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Mini into small form factor PC cases.
However, there have been some compromises made to create such a small GPU. Specifically, because of the small size, Zotac hasn’t employed as advanced cooling solutions as on other GPUs, so the Zotac GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Mini runs hotter than other cards. Because of this, the fans will kick in more often, and as they’re smaller they produce more noise. Still, if size and power are all that matter, the Zotac GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Mini is an excellent choice.
ASUS ROG-Strix GeForce HD Gaming
New Experience – the model comes as a new line of GPUs that are meant to give you a better experience when it comes to gaming. Well, since they are powered by NVidia Pascal, there is no doubt the speeds should be great. This is evident thanks to the clock speed of 1708MHz and the memory of 11Gb.
Wing blade design – cooling of the GPU is important and that is why this comes with a patented wing-blade design. This design of the wing blade is crucial to ensure there is maximum airflow to the GPU. More air always means better cooling at all times.
The wing also has a more static pressure over the heat sink. You will not have to worry about the noise as it is 3x quieter than most comparable cards.