In the event you learn our overview of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Founders Version (opens in new tab), our conclusion was that it is a superb graphics card marred by an extreme value. The FE’s $1,200 / £1,269 / AU$2,219 value is solely past the vary of mainstream avid gamers, and that is earlier than contemplating the premium tier companion playing cards that value much more. Consoles look interesting to many.
However now that the Radeon RX 7900 XT (opens in new tab) and RX 7900 XTX (opens in new tab) have launched, hopefully these costs are set to development downwards. Most likely not by quite a bit, however not less than they’re on track. Thank god miners aren’t competing this time round.
The Zotac GeForce RTX 4080 Amp Excessive Airo is a protracted identify for an enormous (and curvy!) card. It goals to beat out the Founders Version in each side, purporting to be quicker, quieter, cooler, and extra characteristic wealthy than the FE. At $1,399 / £1,319 / AU$2,349 it is a step up in value—although unusually that is most obvious within the USA—costing $199 greater than the launch value of the FE. Within the UK and Australia, the pricing of the Zotac is extra honest at £50 or AU$130 greater than the FE.
The Zotac Airo, like all different RTX 4080s, is constructed across the 4nm AD103 GPU, which has 9,728 out of a attainable 10,240 cores accessible. That leaves room for Nvidia to launch an RTX 4080 Ti sooner or later. The AD103 will get an enormous enhance in L2 cache dimension, at 64MB vs the 5MB of the RTX 3080 (opens in new tab). Add to that a lot improved ray tracing help, the spectacular DLSS 3, and a greater than cheap 320W TDP, and spec smart the RTX 4080 seems very robust.
RTX 4080 AMP Excessive Airo specs
GPU: Nvidia AD103-300-A1
Shader Models: 9,728
Increase clock velocity: 2,565MHz
Reminiscence capability: 16GB GDDR6X
Reminiscence velocity: 22.4Gbps
Outputs: 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, 1x HDMI 2.1
Energy connectors: 1x 16-pin
Value: $1,399| £1,319 | AU$2,349
Different key specs embody 16GB of twenty-two.4Gbps GDDR6X reminiscence over a 256-bit bus. That is a step again from the RTX 3080, however then take a look at the die dimension of the 4080, at 379 mm² vs the massive 628 mm² of the 3080 and the opposite GA102 playing cards. For certain Nvidia is making good cash off of the RTX 4080! And in terms of efficiency per watt, the RTX 4080 is in a league of its personal.
The Zotac Amp Excessive Airo is for now, Zotac’s high 4080 card, sitting above the Trinity. It comes with a lift clock of two,565MHz. Formally, that does not look like a lot of an overclock over the FE’s 2,505MHz. Some high tier playing cards ship with 2,600MHz+ overclocks, however rated enhance clocks imply little and also you should not fear about that. In my testing the Zotac was in a position to attain above 2,800MHz below default operation.
Many producers have repurposed their 450W+ rated RTX 3090 Ti (opens in new tab) or RTX 4090 (opens in new tab) coolers to be used with the RTX 4080, and it exhibits after taking one take a look at it. It is a large 3.5 slot card. The fan shroud options an unusually curved design too. It incorporates consideration grabbing RGB lighting alongside the size of the cardboard, which could be managed by way of Zotac’s Spectra RGB app.
It is received a full cowl steel backplate with one other branded RGB factor and, personally, I feel it is a fantastic wanting card.
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Like all RTX 4080s, the cardboard comes with a 12+4 pin 12VHPWR connector. On this case it has a 3x 8-pin adapter, delivering as much as 450W. That is greater than sufficient juice to energy the 320W Airo. With 320W, you would not suppose Zotac wanted an excessive PCB, however in an indication that it is constructed for the next TDP, the cardboard encompasses a 24-phase VRM with an extra three for the reminiscence. Notably, the reminiscence is rated for 24Gbps, greater than the cardboard’s 22.4Gbps. So you must have some OC headroom on faucet.
Different key options embody an RGB header for controlling an exterior strip and twin BIOS with efficiency and quiet modes. A fast take a look at did not reveal any distinction, and given the overspec cooler, leaving it on the efficiency setting is really helpful. Unusually, it is managed by a button moderately than a change, with the change utilized after a reboot.
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The cooler is extra of a standard design, eschewing using a vapor chamber in favor of a standard nine-heatpipe baseplate. As anticipated with such a behemoth of a cooler, the warmth generated by the AD103 GPU presents completely no drawback. A peak temperature of simply 62°C is superb, whereas full system energy consumption can also be good, coming in beneath the earlier era excessive finish playing cards.
The Zotac makes use of somewhat below 20W extra energy than the Founders Version, however if you consider all of the RGB and an additional fan, that is advantageous.
However the uncooked wattage quantity does not inform the true story. Because the RTX 4080 dramatically outperforms the likes of the RTX 3080 Ti with much less energy; it is the efficiency per watt that actually stands out. Nicely accomplished Nvidia!
Artificial gaming efficiency
1440p Gaming Efficiency
4K Gaming Efficiency
Check rig
CPU: Intel Core i9 12900K
Motherboard: Asus ROG Maximus Z690 Apex
RAM: 2x 16GB G.Talent Trident-Z DDR5-6000 C36
Storage: 2TB Seagate FireCuda 530
Cooling: Cooler Grasp PL360 Flux 360mm AIO
PSU: Corsair AX1000
The RTX 4080 delivers superb efficiency, and the Zotac Amp Excessive Airo is somewhat higher than the FE, although not dramatically so given the loosely outlined method Nvidia playing cards enhance themselves.
Many of the video games that struggled to interrupt 60Hz at 4K can now accomplish that, even with ray tracing results enabled, and that is earlier than enabling DLSS. Even in probably the most demanding titles, 1440p at excessive refresh charges on the highest settings is feasible.
Regardless of its gigantic dimension, nonetheless, the Zotac card is not what you’d name silent, although it is no leaf blower both. Beneath heavy gaming masses the cardboard is audible, however under no circumstances annoying in tone or quantity.
There’s the specter of the Radeon RX 7900 XTX (opens in new tab) too. In the event you take a look at our launch day overview, you’ll be able to see it is a first rate sufficient competitor, although it will possibly’t match the RTX 4080 in ray traced video games. If that is unimportant to you, the XTX is effectively value a glance. The XT is neither right here nor there and is not a menace to the RTX 4080 aside from its lower cost.
Zotac’s RTX 4080 Amp Excessive Airo is a real high-end contender. I imagine it is a very handsome card, notably in case you’re a fan of RGB lighting. Its curved shroud may not enchantment to all, however to me it is a good change from in any other case boxy designs.
My pattern clocked itself to the very best degree I’ve seen from the three RTX 4080s I’ve examined to this point. It stays cool always—as anticipated given its gargantuan cooler. It is solely subject, in case you can name it that, is a noticeable fan degree, which is basically pointless if you’re coping with peak temperatures within the low 60s. It is undoubtedly not noisy although.
At $1,399| £1,319 | AU$2,349, the cardboard goes up towards premium tier rivals such because the MSI Suprim and Gigabyte Aorus. In my expertise to date, the MSI has its nostril in entrance by a whisker, however in the long run all of it comes down to cost.
The Zotac RTX 4080 Amp Excessive Airo is a quick card, very effectively constructed, it seems nice and it’ll ship wonderful efficiency on high of the standard Nvidia characteristic set. Nevertheless it wants some further worth on high too, although the identical could be stated of all RTX 4080s and all high-end playing cards in reality. Whether or not it is an RTX 4080, RTX 4090 or RX 7900 XT/X, the costs are powerful to swallow proper now. Let’s hope 2023 brings some higher information on that entrance.
