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The first Ampere card to arrive on the market is the RTX 3080. We already have the Founders Edition from Nvidia and a number of AIB models. The full lineup will be completed in the coming days and weeks, once AIB partners release their flagship card models. Luckily, we already know pretty much everything about every RTX 3080 model out there. Below you’ll find details regarding the lineup from every AIB partner along with the info about each and every RTX 3080 model.
Before we begin let’s talk a bit about the RTX 3080 GPU and first impressions we have after seeing reviews of AIB 3080s. Nvidia made RTX 3080 a proper 4K graphics card that sells at a very competitive price point. Even base RTX 3080 models along with Nvidia’s own RTX 3080 FE offer superb cooling along with excellent performance. That’s because even models selling at MSRP have powerful, three-fan cooling designs that are excellent at their job.
The only two cards that don’t use the three-fan design (at the moment) are the Founders Edition from Nvidia and the RTX 3080 Twin X2 OC from INNO3D. There’s the RTX 3080 Trinity HoLo from Zotac, but that card includes a two-fan design because it features a shorter, mini-ITX friendly PCB. Also, there are a couple of AIB models that come with a water block or an AIO cooling system.
These three-fan coolers are needed because the RTX 3080 seeps a lot of power. The lowest power limit is 320W but on most cards, you can go higher than that. Higher power limits are there in case you want to see any noticeable gains from overclocking. Now, the power limit can go up to 420W on certain RTX 3080 models. These include the EVGA RTX 3080 FTW3 and its variants along with the ASUS RTX 3080 Strix cards. There might be other RTX 3080 models that support power levels of 400W and higher but at the moment there isn’t any info about the power limit used on most custom RTX 3080 cards. As for the FE edition, the card can go up to 370W.
That said, it seems like the Ampere platform isn’t made for overclocking. Nvidia squeezed the maximum performance out of the chip so even when going 400W and higher, the gains are not worth the higher price or increased heat and wear induced on the card. Our advice is to go with a base model from known manufacturers because it doesn’t seem the RTX 3080 is able to gain up to 10 percent performance gains, like some former flagship cards. There are still unreleased (mostly) flagship models that should arrive in the coming days and weeks. But even those shouldn’t increase the OC ceiling for the RTX 3080 GPU. If you want to be sure, wait for official reviews of models such as the ASUS RTX 3080 Strix.
Comprehensive List of All RTX 3080 AIB Cards
Which PSU is enough for RTX 3080?
The reference power limit of the RTX 3080 card sits at 340W, with the lowest power limit allowed sitting at 320W. When it comes to the number of power connectors you need, the AIB cards use either two or three 8-pin connectors while the FE uses a special 12-pin connector. But don’t worry since Nvidia supplies a dual 8-pin to 12-pin adapter with each FE card.
When it comes to real-world power optimization be aware that many AIB models come with increased power limits. The highest we’ve seen is 420W on some EVGA models. Higher power limit allows higher clocks so expect noticeably higher power draw on models that feature increased power limits, especially when you overclock them.
That said, you don’t need a beastly PSU for the RTX 3080. If you get a base model and have a CPU that’s not the 10900K or the 3950X, you will be fine with a quality 650W power supply. Those who want to full-proof their rig for future CPU and GPU upgrades should aim for a 750W PSU. Finally, those who don’t know what to do with their surplus money could get an 850W PSU.
When it comes to the best CPU to pair with the RTX 3080, we’ve got you covered. Now, let’s talk about the cards.
ASUS
Asus has only four RTX 3080 models in its lineup but each model covers a specific part of the market. In other words, you have an excellent entry-level card followed by an OC version of the same card in the form of the RTX 3080 TUF. And then you also have two high-end Strix models with improved design and more powerful cooling. The RTX 3080 Strix series also includes a base and OC model.
ASUS RTX 3080 TUF
This is the best 3080 ASUS model for most people. It works great at stock clocks, features an excellent cooling system that keeps thermals at low 60 degrees Celsius temperatures. The card can also be slightly overclocked. Overall, a great entry model that sells at the RTX 3080 MSRP. If you don’t care about overclocking your card and want a reliable and well-built RTX 3080 selling at MSRP, this is the best choice at the moment. Also, both 3080 TUF cards look awesome.
ASUS RTX 3080 TUF OC
This is the same model as the base TUF, but with a bit higher clock speed (1785MHz vs 1710MHz on the base TUF). Everything else, including the fantastic cooling system, five video outs, dual BIOS switch (you can choose between performance and silent modes), and top-notch build quality, is the same. Just don’t forget that despite ASUS offering five video ports on the RTX 3080 TUF cards the RTX 3080 can still project the image on only four monitors. Look at the second HDMI 2.1 port as a nice bonus for users who have an HDMI-only monitor and a TV.
ASUS RTX 3080 Strix
The Strix brand includes flagship products and nothing has changed here. The ASUS RTX 3080 Strix is a high-end card with a massive cooling system that should offer even better thermals than the already fantastic cooler found on the two RTX 3080 TUF GPUs. The card features a 1710MHz boost clock but it should offer a higher OC ceiling than the RTX 3080 TUF. The card’s built like a tank and is an all-around fantastic product. But the expected price is too high, especially when the MSRP RTX 3080 TUF offers excellent features with the only one lacking the higher power limit for better OC results.
ASUS RTX 3080 Strix OC
The ASUS flagship card comes with a 1905MHz boost clock, which is a massive improvement over the 1710MHz clock on the base cards. A higher power limit (sitting at about 400W) should allow even higher OC results, but for that, we’ll have to wait for official reviews. At the moment the ASUS RTX 3080 Strix OC looks like the ultimate RTX 3080 card. It features extreme factory OC, it’s built like a tank, and that cooler could replace an AC in a small room for sure.
EVGA
EVGA, being the exclusive NVidia partner, has nine RTX 3080 variants in total on offer. The thing is, all these variants follow the base design of one of the two core models – the RTX 3080 XC3 and the RTX 3080 FTW3. The XC3 is the base model and the FTW 3 offers premium features such as a much higher power limit (420W on FTW 3 cards vs. about 370W on XC3 variants), lots of RGB, and better design. Design-wise these cards definitely look unique. We don’t know about you but we aren’t huge fans. Too much RGB on FTW 3 models and that fan shroud does look interesting, to say the least.
EVGA RTX 3080 XC3 Black
This is the base RTX 3080 model that sells for less and that doesn’t include features such as the backplate or any factory OC. The card features a 1710MHz boost clock and it has a quality cooling system capable of keeping the card in the low 70s while the card’s being virtually silent. You can achieve thermals seen on the ASUS TUF cards, just create a custom fan curve and you’ll reach thermal performance in the range of about 62-64 degrees Celsius. Do note that the card will be audible in that case.
EVGA RTX 3080 XC3
This is the XC3 black but with a backplate. That means lower thermals and better heat dissipation and if the price difference isn’t too large (more than $20-30) you should get the model with the backplate. But even without one, the cooling system is powerful enough to provide great thermals even without a backplate. You get the same boost clock and the same power limit. In other words, this is the XC3 Black, but with a backplate.
EVGA RTX 3080 XC3 Ultra
This is the factory OC Ultra model. It comes with a boost clock of 1755MHz, which is 45MHz higher than base models. If you ask us, this isn’t worth the price difference, especially because the power limit stayed in the 370W neighborhood. In other words, if you want to overclock your RTX 3080 this card won’t cut it. As for the thermal performance, expect excellent results with almost zero noise.
EVGA RTX 3080 XC3 Hybrid and EVGA RTX 3080 XC3 Water
These two 3080 XC3 variants are all about improved cooling. The first one comes with an AIO block that should keep temperatures lower than the air-cooled versions. That means lower than 62-66 degrees Celsius, which is impressive.
The second variant is made for custom water-cooling loops since it comes with a water-cooling block and should be easy to install into any custom water-cooled system. Overall, this card should be a great choice for users who have a custom loop since all you have to do is to slot the card into the PC, hook it up to the loop and that’s it.
EVGA RTX 3080 FTW3
RTX 3080 FTW3 is a factory OCed card that comes with a 420W power limit. This allows it to reach higher clocks but since Ampere isn’t OC darling, we would just get a cheaper XC3 instead. Other than the higher power limit this card also comes with a 1755MHz boost clock and a crapload of RGB. If you’re a fan of pretty lights, this is one of the best choices on the market.
EVGA RTX 3080 FTW3 Ultra
Another factory overclocked card. This one boasts a boost clock of 1800MHz, which should provide about 2-4 percent performance increase over the base models. Not much, but it could be noticeable to some. Other than that, this card also includes a 420W power limit along with the excellent cooling system that’s virtually inaudible when set in silent mode.
EVGA RTX 3080 FTW3 Hybrid and EVGA RTX 3080 FTW3 Water
As is the case with the XC3 lineup, the Hybrid and Water versions of the FTW3 card feature unique cooling systems. The first one includes an AIO that should keep temperatures extremely low and the second one is a card with a prebuilt water-cooling block for easy installation in systems that feature custom water cooling loops.
Gainward
Gainward features only two RTX 3080 models in its lineup. They both feature the same three-fan cooling system that should be as good as those found on other cards.
Gainward RTX 3080 Phoenix
This is the base model. It features a 1710Mhz boost clock, a thick, 2.7 slot cooler, a bit of RGB, and the default selection of ports. It looks nice and if the price is right this could be a nice choice for everyone looking for a base RTX 3080 model.
Gainward RTX 3080 Phoenix GS
A factory OCed version of the Phoenix card. This one comes with the same design, the same cooler, and the same video ports. The only difference is the 1740Mhz boost clock, and that’s pretty much it. We don’t know the power limit at the moment so we cannot tell for certain if this version is better for overclocking.
Galax/KFA2
Galax (or KFA2, depending on the region) also includes only two RTX 3080 models. The first one (SG) is the base version with the EX and its variants offering factory overclock, higher power limit, and a custom PCB design.
Galax RTX 3080 SG
This card features an interesting design. It comes with see-through fans and RGB LEDs installed behind them. This creates very cool RGB effects that spread across all three fans. The card comes with an optional fourth fan, which users can install on the back, on top of the backplate opening. This looks like a gimmick but could work. Anyway, the card runs at a 1710MHz boost clock and it shouldn’t be OC friendly since it uses a reference PCB which means it also has a reference power limit of about 340W.
Galax RTX 3080 EX/EX Pink/EX White
The EX version of the card is the premium model from Galax. It comes with an improved cooling system and without that fidgety backplate fan. The boost clock is set at 1755MHz and the card uses a custom PCB which should also mean a higher power limit. Since the power limit is unknown at the moment, we can only speculate.
This model comes in three colors, with the EX pink and EX white only offering different colors of the cooler shroud and nothing else. You don’t get more video ports, you don’t get higher clocks, and you don’t get a higher power limit.
Gigabyte
Gigabyte, like ASUS, offers four cards in its RTX 3080 lineup, each covering different part of the market. You have the MSRP RTX 3080 Eagle OC, which is the base model. Then you have the Gaming OC, featuring slightly higher clocks. Finally, the AORUS Master and AORUS Xtreme are premium models that should come with higher clocks and higher power limits, allowing serious overclocking.
Gigabyte RTX 3080 Eagle OC
This is the base RTX 3080 model from Gigabyte, selling at MSRP. It runs at 1755Mhz, which is a slightly boosted clock compared to the reference boost clock frequency of 1710Mhz. The higher clock doesn’t mean higher temperatures since the triple-fan design of the cooling system keeps thermals around the 66 degrees Celsius mark. The cooler is a bit louder than on other base models but still pretty quiet with its noise ceiling set at 40dBa.
Despite being factory OCed, the RTX 3080 Eagle OC comes with a 340W power limit. This is the reference power limit so don’t expect to push the card much further past its factory OC frequency. The card also includes a bit of RGB on the cooler shroud and the base of each fan. Finally, even though the card comes with three DisplayPort 1.4a and two HMDI 2.1 ports, it can only project the image on four monitors at the same time.
Gigabyte RTX 3080 Gaming OC
This is a mid-range RTX 3080 card with a higher factory overclock. This allows the card to reach the boost clock of 1800Mhz, which should offer a noticeable performance increase of about five percent in most games. The cooling system is almost the same as on the Eagle OC model, meaning excellent thermals and low noise. Again, while the card comes with five video ports you can only count to four when it comes to multi-monitor setups. Finally, the power limit sits at 370W. A bit higher but hardly enough to go far beyond the factory OC.
Gigabyte RTX 3080 Aorus Master
While the full design and feature list of this card are still unknown at this point we do know some info about it. First of all, expect an excellent cooling system that’s more advanced than on the two cheaper models. Further, there should be lots of RGB LEDs along with a tiny display on the side, showing stuff like the operating temperature.
Next, factory OC should go beyond 1800MHz for the boost clock, along with the higher power limit. Despite this, we don’t expect high overclock potential, since Gigabyte will probably push the card to its limits with the factory OC. Finally, you get six video ports in total (3xDisplayPort and 3xHDMI 2.1) but can only use four-monitor setups.
Gigabyte RTX 3080 Aorus Xtreme
The flagship RTX 3080 model from Gigabyte should bring extreme factory OC results but also a very high-power limit that should allow owners to push the card even further. The cooling system is top-notch and this is another RTX 3080 card with RGB galore, together with the thermal display at the side. Just watch about clearance because both the Master and Xtreme cards feature 3.5 slot cooling designs. Again, the card comes with six video ports but can you can only run four-monitor setups.
INNO3D
INNO3D features three RTX 3080 models. The first one is the only model along with the RTX 3080 Founders Edition that comes with a two-fan cooler design. The other two are premium models featuring lots of RGB and serious cooling solutions.
INNO3D RTX 3080 Twin X2 OC
This is the base model from INNO3D that features a boost clock of 1725MHz, only 15Mhz faster than the reference clock. The card features a two-fan design that will certainly offer lower thermal performance compared to three-fan designs. Nevertheless, we expect solid thermals that should match (or be slightly higher) the FE card from Nvidia. In other words, expect mid to high 70s degrees Celsius.
INNO3D RTX 3080 iChill X3
The iChill X3 features improved, 3-fan cooler design along with 1770Mhz factory overclock. You also get a ton of RGB LEDs sitting at the side of the card. With a design like this expect thermal results in line with other three-fan cards. In other words, anywhere in the range of 60-69 degrees Celsius. When it comes to the power limit, it’s set at 340W so don’t expect great OC results.
INNO3D RTX 3080 iChill X3
The iChill X3 features improved, 3-fan cooler design along with 1770Mhz factory overclock. You also get a ton of RGB LEDs sitting at the side of the card. With a design like this expect thermal results in line with other three-fan cards. In other words, anywhere in the range of 60-69 degrees Celsius. When it comes to the power limit, it’s set at 340W so don’t expect great OC results.
INNO3D RTX 3080 iChill X4
Finally, the flagship INNO3D model features a four-fan cooler design with a (rather gimmicky) fourth fan placed at the side of the card. We don’t know if it plays any role in cooling the card but at least you can say your card has four fans instead of three.
The card also features a huge RGB array placed at the side and a boost clock of 1770MHz. We know nothing about the power limit, but we don’t expect it to be as high as on some ASUS and EVGA cards. In other words, you will probably be able to push this card to about 1800MHz but not much higher.
MSI
MSI offers four RTX 3080 models in total but like ASUS, these are basically two models with regular and OC variants. It’s worth noting that the base models (Ventus 3X and Ventus 3X OC) come with a power limit set at just 320W, which is a lower power limit than on other base models from big name brands. Premium variants (Gaming Trio and Gaming X Trio) offer a slightly higher power limit of 350W, which is still much lower than on premium ASUS and EVGA models. In other words, if you’re looking for a card with lots of OC headroom, avoid MSI models.
MSI RTX 3080 Ventus 3X/RTX 3080 Ventus 3X OC
The two models differ only in boost clock frequency. They both come with a power limit of just 320W but at least the cooling system is pretty good, with three-fan design. The card features a bit of RGB and it comes with a boost clock of 1710MHz, the same as on the reference design. Overall, if you find this card at lower than MSRP price, it could be a good deal. But at MSRP you get the ASUS TUF and Gigabyte Eagle OC, which are both better choices than the Ventus 3X. The OC version is not a great deal since it sells for a higher than MSRP price and, other than the 1740MHz factory OC, offers nothing in return for the price premium.
MSI RTX 3080 Gaming Tro/Gaming X Trio
Again, we have two variants of basically the same design. The non-X model comes with a slight 1755MHz overclock while the X model runs at 1815MHz. Impressive factory OC given that both cards have their power limit set at only 350W. The cards come with lots of RGB effects, with multiple LED arrays placed around the cooler shroud.
The cooler used is solid, keeping the card quiet while maintaining thermals around the RTX 3080 FE temperatures. In other words, around 75 degrees Celsius. Great compared to the FE, but not really impressive when compared with other AIB 3080 models. When it comes to OC headroom you can reach 2000MHz on the X version but that translates in just a 2.7 percent performance gain. Again, the Ampere architecture isn’t OC friendly and it shows.
Nvidia – RTX 3080 Founders Edition
Nvidia’s lineup consists of the RTX 3080 Founders Edition. The card sells at MSRP and offers a stock boost clock and unique cooler design that’s very quiet while keeping the card around the mid-70s degrees Celsius. Despite slightly higher thermals, the cooling setup is of high quality and the card’s overall build quality is excellent. You also get a bit of RGB placed at the side of the card and on the cooler shroud. If you want a high-quality RTX 3080 card at MSRP and don’t care about overclocking it the FE is a pretty good choice.
Palit
Palit is here with two RTX 3080 models. Or, better to say, two variants of the same model. They both have pretty much the same specs aside from the higher boost clock and higher power limit on the OC version of the card.
Palit RTX 3080 GamingPro/GamingPro OC
Okay, both cards use the same 3-fan cooler system that takes almost three slots, but that’s normal to see on an RTX 3080 card. After all, the chip is extremely power-hungry and demands high-end cooling systems. If you don’t have three slots free on your board, your only bet is to get the FE version of the card, the only one with the 2-slot cooling solution. But that one has clearance issues with the biggest air coolers due to its unique design so there’s that.
Anyway, the regular GamingPro variant runs at 1710MHz with the OC version pushing clocks to 1740Mhz. Not much but at least the OC version of the card has an increased power limit of 350W. The regular one runs at only 320W, which is completely fine for an entry-level card but way too low for users who want to overclock their RTX 3080.
The cooler is huge and it shouldn’t have any issues cooling the RTX 3080. We don’t like the pretty aggressive RGB lighting but if you’re into it, these two cards should be excellent choices. Overall, with low power limits and very humble factory OC, GamingPro OC isn’t the best choice for overclockers. But if the regular version of the card sells at or below the MSRP, it will be a great choice for people who just want to get a quality RTX 3080 card, hook it up, and don’t think about it.
PNY
PNY also offers just two RTX 3080 models and by the looks of it, it’s the same model with the same specs, same power limit, and same cooling system. The only difference we’ve noticed is a different part number.
PNY XLR8 M/XLR8
These two variants are the same model. They both run at 1710MHz boost clock and come with the pretty low 320W power limit. That means any serious overclock is out of the question. The cards boast a massive 2.7 slot cooling system that includes three fans and lots of RGB arrays all over the cooler shroud. The RGB effects also include a large Nvidia RTX logo displaying at the side of the card. If you find one of these cards below MSRP, it could be a pretty nice pick.
Zotac
Last but not least we have Zotac’s RTX 3080 offering. The company has three RTX 3080 models, each with lots of RGB LEDs and quality coolers. The AMP Extreme should come with very high factory OC clocks and increased power limit but that info is unknown at the moment.
Zotac RTX 3080 Trinity
The base RTX 3080 model from Zotac runs at reference 1710MHz boost clock and comes with a 320W power limit. These are all reference numbers so don’t expect high overclock results with this card. The three-fan cooler keeps the card pretty cool at around 72 degrees Celsius while being virtually inaudible. You can manually set the fan curve and in that case, the fan will keep the card below 60 degrees Celsius while keeping noise at pretty low levels.
In other words, this is another excellent base model in line with the ASUS TUF and Gigabyte Eagle OC. As for the RGB, you get one array on the backplate along with another large LED array at the side of the card. Overall, for a model selling at MSRP, the Zotac RTX 3080 Trinity is a great card.
Zotac RTX 3080 Trinity HoLo
Zotac is known for its lineup of excellent ITX-friendly cards and the company continues the tradition with the RTX 3080 Trinity HoLo. This card features a shorter PCB than standard along with a two-fan cooler design. In other words, users looking for an RTX 3080 model that can fit inside their ITX case should check out this card because, at the moment, the Zotac RTX 3080 Trinity HoLo is the only mini-ITX RTX 3080 card we know about.
The dual-fan cooler will definitely perform worse than the three-fan monsters seen on most other RTX 3080 models. But, it should be enough for the card to work at full speed and full 1710MHz boost clock. As for the RGB, you have LEDs covering the whole card. There’s one array all over the cooler shroud. Then, you have RGB LEDs at the base of each fan. Finally, there’s a large RGB array at the side. If Zotac plans to sell this card at or near the MSRP, this will be a huge hit among the SFF crowd.
Zotac RTX 3080 AMP Extreme
The flagship RTX 3080 model from Zotac, which should offer high factory OC along with an increased power limit. Since the base model comes with a power limit of 320W and since the HoLo model is a Mini-ITX version, it seems that only the AMP Extreme will be suitable for serious overclocking, at least when looking at Zotac’s RTX 3080 lineup.
RGB LEDs cover the better part of the cooler shroud. They also cover almost the whole front side of the card. The best thing about it is that it doesn’t look overly aggressive, making it suitable even for those who aren’t huge RGB fans. Overall, this looks like another excellent flagship model, with the price that will probably match the quality.
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