Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC White 8G Review
NVIDIA graphics card review. Latest images, pricing and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 specs. Gaming GPU benchmarked against the biggest PC games like Fortnite, Minecraft and PUBG Should you buy this Gigabyte graphics card?
This NVIDIA graphics card features the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 processor. The processor, also known as the GPU, is the most important component in any graphics card. PCGameBenchmark rates processors by how many of the top 1,000 PC games the chip can run. This PC graphics card has a chip that can run 1000 of the top 1000 games — so we give it a 100% rating.
Games that this graphics card can run include Fortnite, Apex Legends, Minecraft, PUBG, GTA V, League of Legends, Overwatch and Rainbow Six Siege.
For a full list of the games that this card will run and the chance to compare it to similar cards check our graphics card comparison — we have tracked 15 cards with a similar GPU and 3 of them are cheaper than this setup — no need to wait for a sale or Black Friday 2023 to get the best price on a card like this.
You get 8 GB of VRAM on this Gigabyte graphics card and the weight of the full set up is 1.46 lb.
Check out best deals on cheap graphics cards and the latest deals on Amazon.
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC White 8G
PCGameBenchmark Rating: 98%
| Best Price: | $1299 |
|---|
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Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC White 8G Specs
GPU |
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 |
|---|---|
RAM (Memory) |
8 GB RAM |
Weight |
1.46 lb (662.24 g) |
Dimensions (L x W x H) |
28. 7 cm x 11.43 cm x 5.08 cm11.3 in x 4.5 in x 2 in |
Brand |
Gigabyte |
Model Number |
GV-N2080GAMINGOC WHITE-8GC |
| Best Price: | $1299 |
|---|
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Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC White 8G PC Gaming Performance
This graphics card will run 989 of the top PC games. Use PCGameBenchmark’s Rate My PC service to test your current set up and set how it compares.
Can It Run GTA 5?
This Gigabyte graphics card can run GTA 5. It beats the system requirement for graphics card speed.
Can It Run Fortnite?
This Gigabyte graphics card can run Fortnite. It beats the system requirement for graphics card speed.
Can It Run Apex Legends?
This Gigabyte graphics card can run Apex Legends. It beats the system requirement for graphics card speed.
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC White 8G Features
- Powered by GeForce RTX 2080
- Nvidia Turing architecture & Real time Ray Tracing
- Windforce 3x cooling system with alternate spinning fans
- 4 years warranty (online registration required)
- Intuitive controls with AORUS engine
- Core Clock OC Mode: 1830 MHz, gaming Mode: 1815 MHz
- 8GB 256-Bit GDDR6
- 1 x HDMI, 3 x DisplayPort, 1 x USB Type-C
- Pci Express 3.0 x16
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC White 8G DEALS — BEST prices
| Best Price: | $1299 |
|---|
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Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER Gaming OC Graphics Card Review
Product Info
Test Setup
We used the following test system for comparison between the different graphics cards.
Latest drivers that were available at the time of testing were used from AMD and NVIDIA on an updated version of Windows 10. All games that were tested were patched to the latest version for better performance optimization for NVIDIA and AMD GPUs.
GPU Test Bench 2019
| CPU | Intel Core i9-9900K @ 4.70 GHz |
|---|---|
| Motherboard | AORUS Z390 Master |
| Video Cards | Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER Gaming OC MSI GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER Gaming X Trio Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER Gaming OC MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Lightning Z MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Gaming X Trio Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Gaming OC Colorful iGame GeForce RTX 2080 TI Vulcan X OC ASUS ROG STRIX GeForce RTX 2080 TI OC NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Founders Edition ASUS ROG STRIX GeForce RTX 2080 OC AORUS GeForce RTX 2080 Xtreme MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming X Trio MSI GeForce RTX 2080 DUKE OC NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Founders Edition MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Gaming X Trio MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Lightning X ASUS ROG STRIX GeForce RTX 2070 OC MSI GeForce RTX 2060 Gaming Z NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition MSI GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Gaming X MSI GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Ventus XS MSI GeForce GTX 1660 Gaming X MSI GeForce GTX 1660 Ventus XS MSI GeForce GTX 1070 Ti Titanium MSI GeForce GTX 1070 Armor X OC MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti Lightning OC Gigabyte Radeon RX Vega 64 (Reference Air) XFX Radeon R9 Fury X Liquid Cooled ASUS ROG STRIX RX 580 OC |
| Memory | G. SKILL Trident Z RGB Series 32GB (4 X 8GB) CL16 3600 MHz |
| Storage | Samsung SSD 960 EVO M.2 (512 GB) |
| Power Supply | ASUS ROG THOR 1200W PSU |
| OS | Windows 10 64-bit |
- All games were tested on 2560×1440 (2K) and 3840×2160 (4K) resolutions.
- Image Quality and graphics configurations have been provided in the screenshots below.
- The “reference” cards are the stock configs while the “overclock” cards are factory overclocked configs provided to us by various AIB partners.
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER GAMING OC Overclocking
Since the card is clocked at overclocked specifications, we are kind of left with limited headroom to overclock. I pushed the core to +145 MHz beyond its overclock profile and +1075 MHz on the video memory.
I had the power and temp target slider maxed out in EVGA Precision X1 so that meant that the GPU was under no restrictions or blocks when it came to overclocking.
The clocks were stable after testing for an hour under stress load.
Contents
9.1
Wccftech Rating
Gigabyte has one of the more solid custom graphics card offerings with a sleek triple-fan cooler, fully custom PCB design and more performance than their existing RTX 2080 Gaming OC for a lower price point. For $739.99 US, the RTX 2080 SUPER Gaming OC delivers Supercharged performance and a recommendation from us.
Pros
- Utilizes Fastest GDDR6 Memory In Production
- Decent performance uplift from the same price
- Great performance at 1440p and 4K resolution
- Great upgrade from GTX 1080 and GTX 1070
- Factory Overclocked Out of Box
- Windforce heatsink cooling performance is great
- Refreshing new Gigabyte Gaming design
- Active FanTechnology Included on Triple Fan with Alternate Spinning mode
- Great overclocking potential (GPU/VRAM), full tuning options
- Backplate includes heat pads for increased heat dissipation
- Gigabyte RGB Fusion Technology Support WIth LEDs on the side
- Support for real-time ray tracing and DLSS features in next-generation gaming titles
- Good driver support for GeForce products, compatibility with DX11, DX12, Vulkan, OpenGL titles
- Lot’s of display connectivity, great for VR and multi-display PCs.
Cons
- High Price ($739.99 US)
- High Power Consumption when overclocked
- No Memory overclock out of the box
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0021
- 35W below TDP?
215W vs 250W
- GPU frequency 135MHz higher?
1650MHz vs 1515MHz - 187MHz faster memory speed?
1937MHz vs 1750MHz - 1500MHz higher effective clock speed?
15500MHz vs 14000MHz - 48GB/s more memory bandwidth?
496GB/s vs 448GB/s
Which comparisons are the most popular?
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC
vs
MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming X Trio
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Super Gaming OC
vs
Asus ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Gaming OC
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC
vs
EVGA GeForce RTX 2080
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Super Gaming OC
vs
MSI GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Gaming X Trio
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC
vs
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 WindForce OC
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Super Gaming OC Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 WindForce OC
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC
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Giga8byte GeForce RTX 200003
vs
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC
vs
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Super Gaming OC
vs
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Gigabyte GeForce Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Super Gaming OC
vs
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Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC
vs
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Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Super Gaming OC
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Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC
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EVGA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti XC3 Ultra Gaming
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Super Gaming OC
vs
EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 XC2 Ultra
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC
1 reviews of users
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Super Gaming OC
10.
0 /10
1 reviews of users
Functions
Reviews NO
9000 /
1 votes
Games
No reviews yet
10.0 /10
1 votes
Performance
9000 no reviews yet0003
10.0 /10
1 Votes
Sundant for work
Reviews not yet
10.0 /10
1 Votes
9000 /10
1 votes
Performance
GPU clock speed
1515MHz
1650MHz
The graphics processing unit (GPU) has a higher clock speed.
turbo GPU
1815MHz
1815MHz
When the GPU is running below its limits, it can jump to a higher clock speed to increase performance.
pixel rate
116.2 GPixel/s
116.2 GPixel/s
The number of pixels that can be displayed on the screen every second.
FLOPS
10.
69 TFLOPS
11.15 TFLOPS
FLOPS is a measure of GPU processing power.
texture size
334 GTexels/s
348.5 GTexels/s
The number of textured pixels that can be displayed on the screen every second.
GPU memory speed
1750MHz
1937MHz
Memory speed is one aspect that determines memory bandwidth.
Shading patterns
Shading units (or stream processors) are small processors in a graphics card that are responsible for processing various aspects of an image.
texture units (TMUs)
TMUs take texture units and map them to the geometric layout of the 3D scene. More TMUs generally means texture information is processed faster.
ROPs
ROPs are responsible for some of the final steps of the rendering process, such as writing the final pixel data to memory and for performing other tasks such as anti-aliasing to improve the appearance of graphics.
Memory
effective memory speed
14000MHz
15500MHz
The effective memory clock is calculated from the size and data transfer rate of the memory. A higher clock speed can give better performance in games and other applications.
maximum memory bandwidth
448GB/s
496GB/s
This is the maximum rate at which data can be read from or stored in memory.
VRAM (video RAM) is the dedicated memory of the graphics card. More VRAM usually allows you to run games at higher settings, especially for things like texture resolution.
memory bus width
256bit
256bit
A wider memory bus means it can carry more data per cycle. This is an important factor in memory performance, and therefore the overall performance of the graphics card.
GDDR version
Later versions of GDDR memory offer improvements such as higher data transfer rates, which improve performance.
Supports memory troubleshooting code
✖Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC
✖Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Super Gaming OC
Memory troubleshooting code can detect and fix data corruption. It is used when necessary to avoid distortion, such as in scientific computing or when starting a server.
Features
DirectX version
DirectX is used in games with a new version that supports better graphics.
OpenGL version
The newer the OpenGL version, the better graphics quality in games.
version of OpenCL
Some applications use OpenCL to use the power of the graphics processing unit (GPU) for non-graphical computing. Newer versions are more functional and better quality.
Supports multi-monitor technology
✔Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC
✔Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Super Gaming OC
The video card has the ability to connect multiple screens.
This allows you to set up multiple monitors at the same time to create a more immersive gaming experience, such as a wider field of view.
GPU temperature at boot
Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC)
Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Super Gaming OC)
Lower boot temperature — this means that the card generates less heat and the cooling system works better.
supports ray tracing
✖Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC
✖Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Super Gaming OC
Ray tracing is an advanced light rendering technique that provides more realistic lighting, shadows and reflections in games.
Supports 3D
✔Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC
✔Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Super Gaming OC
Allows you to view in 3D (if you have a 3D screen and glasses).
supports DLSS
✔Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC
✔Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Super Gaming OC
DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) is an AI based scaling technology.
This allows the graphics card to render games at lower resolutions and upscale them to higher resolutions with near-native visual quality and improved performance. DLSS is only available in some games.
PassMark result (G3D)
Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC)
Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Super Gaming OC)
This test measures the graphics performance of a graphics card. Source: Pass Mark.
Ports
has HDMI output
✔Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC
✔Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Super Gaming OC
Devices with HDMI or mini HDMI ports can stream HD video and audio to the connected display.
HDMI connectors
More HDMI connectors allow you to connect multiple devices at the same time, such as game consoles and TVs.
HDMI version
HDMI 2.
0
HDMI 2.0
Newer HDMI versions support higher bandwidth, resulting in higher resolutions and frame rates.
DisplayPort outputs
Allows connection to a display using DisplayPort.
DVI outputs
Allows connection to a display using DVI.
mini DisplayPort outputs
Allows connection to a display using mini DisplayPort.
Other
Has USB Type-C
✔Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Gaming OC
✔Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Super Gaming OC
USB Type-C has reversible connector orientation and cable routing.
USB sockets
With more USB sockets, you can connect more devices.
Price comparison
Which graphics cards are better?
what can Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 do in a laptop?
Table of Contents
- Introduction
-
Why is it interesting?
- Games are new books and series
- NVIDIA makes AAA games more accessible than ever
- What about laptops?
-
Key facts and tests
- What is a 16GB RTX 3080 Laptop GPU?
- New designation
- 1440p gaming
-
Dynamic Boost 2.
0 - Whispermode 2.0
- DLSS 2.0
- Nvidia Studio
- How ahead is the RTX 3080 Laptop GPU compared to the RTX 2080 Super Max-Q?
- Conclusion
Introduction
I’ve got two pretty damn good laptops on test right now. The first is Dell Alienware with a 4K OLED screen and a GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q card. A tight alloy of stunning design and impressive performance. The second laptop is the MSI GS66 Stealth. Everything is subjective, but visually it is simpler, but it has a 240Hz screen with a resolution of 1440p and a new stunning RTX 3080 Laptop GPU card, which is based on the technologies of the third generation of Max-Q design. Each laptop deserves a separate review, materials will be released soon. In the meantime, since there is such an opportunity, let’s see what the new RTX 3080 card can do (a lot of things!), How far behind the RTX 2080 is (lags behind, but not as critical as it might seem), is it worth it to run headlong after laptops with cards Series 30 to Series 20 owners (maybe wait, but everyone else should upgrade) and whether a gaming laptop can replace a gaming desktop or console (100% can!).
Why is this interesting?
Games are new books and series
In recent years, the games industry has received more and more attention. There are many reasons. For example, the spread of mobile gaming leads to the fact that after smartphones, users begin to want better products and they pay attention to computers and consoles. Plus, esports competitions have come out of the underground to the big screens. The incomes of cybersportsmen are still far from the salaries of football players or MMA stars, but they already allow them to lead a proper lifestyle.
Well, the pandemic has put almost everyone behind keyboards and gamepads. Still, in addition to books and TV shows, active entertainment is also needed, and games with their huge open worlds and incredible graphics have become, to some extent, a substitute for travel.
In addition, the stories told in good games are often not only not inferior to TV shows and literature, but even surpass them. Since, unlike the book, in the game it is the player who has to make a difficult choice — to save his brother or the inhabitants of the city, take revenge or spare, show pettiness or generosity, decide what is more important, his interests or social needs.
And each decision will affect the plot as a whole, the development of events and the fate of other characters.
NVIDIA makes AAA gaming more accessible than ever
Nvidia’s 30th series of video cards has been a big event. If we talk about the desktop versions, presented in September 2020, discarding all the talk about technological innovation, then two things impressed me the most: performance and price.
The chart above has become widely popular. First, evaluate the performance gap between RTX 2080 Super and RTX 3080. For comparison, look at the difference between 1080 Ti and 2080 or 980 Ti and 1080 Ti. Secondly, the price. Nvidia offered to buy a graphics card that was more powerful than the 2080 Ti and 2080 Super at an extremely attractive price.
What about laptops?
However, these were all desktop versions. Comparisons of the sizes of new maps with consoles quickly appeared on the Internet. Accordingly, the question immediately arose as to how these technologies would be transferred to laptops, especially given the fact that Nvidia was promoting the idea of \u200b\u200bthin gaming laptops (18 mm thick) made possible by Max-Q graphics card design.
Let’s be honest, despite all the efforts of manufacturers, many people still have an opinion that games need a gaming desktop computer, and if we are talking about a laptop, then it should be a five-kilogram box as thick as a palm.
With RTX 30-series cards, skeptics will find it increasingly difficult to deny the obvious fact that the new gaming PC is not a coffin on wheels, but a thin and light machine that allows you to enjoy playing at Ultra settings in 1440p and 4K resolution.
Key facts and benchmarks
What is a 16GB RTX 3080 Laptop GPU?
MSI GS 66 Stealth acted as an experimental sample.
Key Specs:
- CPU: 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10870H
- Video Card: GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU 16GB GDDR6 + Intel UHD Graphics
- Display: 15.6″ IPS LCD, 240Hz, G-Sync
- Memory: 16 GB DDR4
- Storage: SSD 1 TB
- Battery: 99 Wh
- Dimensions: 358 x 248 x 19.8, weight 2 kg
When the new generation consoles were introduced, there was a lot of talk about how fast games loaded.
It seemed phenomenally cool. But laptops are not far behind! It takes 44 seconds to start Cyberpunk 2077 starting with a click on the desktop icon, then you need to click «Continue game», and now you can control the hero. Loading Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla from the main menu (click «Continue») takes 6-7 seconds. And this is very good!
Speaking about the video card, it should be noted that this laptop has a 16 GB version. This amount of memory will be more appreciated by those involved in graphics rendering. The rest can save and take 8 GB. During the test, not a single game required more than 6 GB of memory.
By the way, one of the nicest features of the new laptops (however, it became available in the RTX 20 Super series) is Advanced Optimus. I guess all gamers know what G-Sync is. For the rest I will explain. It often happens that the screen does not have time to update the picture behind the video card, a slight desynchronization occurs, and so-called gaps occur. Often this happens in games in which the video card produces a high number of frames per second.
Nvidia figured out how to synchronize the screen frequency with the graphics card, and called the technology G-Sync. The thing is cool, but there was one minus. To keep things running smoothly, Nvidia banned integrated graphics. Thus, the laptop has always used discrete graphics, due to which the battery life was significantly reduced.
Advanced Optimus made it possible to correct this unpleasant moment. Now a laptop with a G-Sync screen is able to switch between graphics cards. For example, with a discrete graphics card, a laptop can work for 3-3.5 hours. Switching to Optimus mode already gives about 6 hours of work, which is a completely different story.
New designation
The main postulates were stated in a recent presentation, when Nvidia said on the fly that even laptops with the GeForce RTX 3060 are 1.3 times faster than the scarce PlayStation 5. The GeForce RTX 3080 goes even further and takes the bar to 100 fps on Ultra settings at 1440p.
But let’s go in order.
The new graphics cards for notebooks are based on the third generation of Max-Q technology. By the way, good news. Now Max-Q graphics cards can work with both Intel and AMD processors. The main visual difference is that Nvidia hid the Max-Q name. If you look at the list of devices, you can see the Laptop GPU. Max-Q is now positioned as a set of technologies.
For example, Max-Q 3rd generation includes:
1440p gaming
Gaming laptops have been coming out with Full HD screens for a long time. To some extent, this was justified. Here and relatively small screens, and in general, performance for 4K gaming was not always enough. The 20-series RTX graphics cards have moved the ball rolling, with more non-Full HD options starting to appear on the market. However, all these were optional and rather rare solutions, such as Dell Alienware with a 4K OLED screen, whose main options included a screen with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 dots.
GeForce RTX 30 Series are 2560 x 1440 games by default. At this resolution, a typical 15.6-inch display turns into a retina display when the eye cannot distinguish a single pixel. A simple rule applies here: the more pixels, the sharper the image. To be honest, it’s a lot of fun to go from Full HD to 1440p.
Full HD is a thing of the past. It is replaced by Quad HD. And, perhaps, this is a change that even those who are not interested in games will notice. It is likely that ultraportable laptops will come out with Full HD screens for some time, but you can not argue with the market and consumers. The proliferation of 1440p laptops will make everyone want that resolution.
Dynamic Boost 2.0
Dynamic Boost 2.0 is one of the main technologies in new graphics cards. In short, it deals with the distribution of energy between the CPU and GPU. Traditionally, the distribution of capacities has been statistical and predetermined. However, often, especially in games (depending on different gaming scenes), the load is distributed unevenly between the processor and the video card.
The first version of Dynamic Boost could take power from the processor and redirect power to the graphics card.
The updated version of Dynamic Boost 2.0 is much better. First, artificial intelligence helps distribute energy even more accurately. Secondly, now not only the CPU can share energy with the video card, but vice versa.
To check how power is distributed between the processor and graphics, you can download the FrameRate application, which monitors indicators (in the upper left corner in the picture above). The easiest way to notice the difference is when you change the graphics settings. The higher the graphics settings, the more energy the video card takes and the processor receives less, and vice versa. And in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Cyberpunk 2077, the energy distribution is not very noticeable, but in Metro: Exodus at low CPU / GPU graphics settings — 45 W / 69.6 W, on the settings «RTX + DLSS On» CPU / GPU — 19.6 W / 92.9 W.
Unfortunately, the user himself cannot measure the performance gain from Dynamic Boost 2.
0, since the technology is enabled by default. But according to Nvidia’s own measurements, the performance gain is between 10% and 16%, depending on the game. Thus, thanks to the technology, the player just gets about 10 extra fps.
Whispermode 2.0
Whispermode 2.0 is a technology designed to make gaming laptops silent in terms of marketing slogans. And if in a simple way, then this is an attempt to find a balance between frame rate and fan noise. Whispermode 2.0 is only for laptops with 30-series cards, as there is not only software, but also hardware mechanisms.
GeForce Experience has three options — Balanced, Quiet, and Quietest. Also there you need to set the frame rate to which the system should strive (from 30 to 60 fps).
I don’t have a professional sound level meter, so I had to use an app on my smartphone. In normal mode in the game Cyberpunk 2077, a smartphone lying next to the ventilation holes showed a noise level of 58 dB, and in the most silent Whispermode 2.
0 mode with 30 fps, it was already 49 dB.
RTX 20-series cards also have Whispermode (but not 2.0), and it is available when experimental features mode is activated. Dell Alienware laptop with RTX 2080 Super got 59dB in normal mode and 48-54 dB in Whispermode. In my opinion, the main difference is that in Whispermode 2.0, the laptop runs stably with a noise level of 49 dB. And in the previous generation, it works quietly at first, then accelerates to 53-54 dB (apparently, it cools), then returns to quiet mode again. Subjectively, because of this, Whispermode 2.0 is perceived much cooler, because after a short period of time you forget about the noise of the fans. The previous generation regularly reminds of itself.
Different series of video cards, but the thickness of both laptops is the same.
DLSS 2.0
Frankly, this is probably my favorite technology from Nvidia. DLSS, or Deep Learning Super Sampling, is a technology when a trained artificial intelligence completes the picture.
DLSS has come a long way. The first version of the technology did not take off, because in order to train AI for each task (game), it was necessary to create a separate training ground. And this is not an easy and expensive thing, so the developers simply sabotaged DLSS 1.0. Things are different in DLSS 2.0. Now for each game there is no need to train AI separately, and it is much easier for developers to introduce technology into the game.
For example, DLSS 2.0 in Cyberpunk 2077 works wonders, allowing you to get up to 80 fps. By the way, the DLSS settings have now changed. Previously, the option had two positions, «on» and «off». Now the user has several options available — auto mode, emphasis on picture quality, balanced mode, performance and ultra performance.
By the way, DLSS 2.0 allows you to play Cyberpunk 2077 at medium-high settings and 40 fps on battery. You can play for a long time, the battery will last for 1 hour and 15 minutes, but in itself it is very good.
In Cyberpunk 2077 at 2560 by 1440 pixels, the RTX 3080 laptop card is capable of about 30 fps on Ultra settings with maximum ray tracing. If we add DLSS 2.0 to this option, then the performance will be 54-56 fps. If you put ray tracing in the middle position, you can get 80 fps.
Probably the choice of DLSS 2.0 mode depends on the specific game, since in Cyberpunk 2077 I could not see a significant difference in textures in different modes. More precisely, if you open it at original resolution and look closely at the pine needles, you will notice that the original image seems to be slightly sharper than the 80 fps image.
Nvidia Studio
Historically, graphics professionals have bought Quadro series graphics cards. However, today it is obvious that working with graphics is not only the lot of professionals. Everywhere you look, there are bloggers and content creators who prefer to buy more mainstream laptops with GTX and RTX graphics cards.
As a response to the situation, Nvidia came up with a separate driver for those who work with graphics. It can be selected in the GeForce Experience app.
The company’s internal analytics showed that the driver has become popular. And if earlier it was updated every few months, now a new version is released every month and is often tied to the update of one or another professional software.
The RTX 3080 has tried to meet the needs of graphics workers. Especially for them, there is a version of the video card with 16 GB of RAM instead of the standard 8 GB.
In general, the new video cards have the second generation of RT cores and more memory. All this gives a significant performance boost. For example, the Octanebench rendering benchmark shows a performance boost of about 1.5x over the RTX 2080 Super. The V-Ray benchmark shows a 2x growth.
Below are screenshots of Octanebench. The RTX 2080 Super has 236 points, the RTX 3080 Laptop GPU has 341 points.
And here is the Blender benchmark.
The RTX 3080 Laptop GPU win is significant. The card passes tests much faster.
How far ahead is the RTX 3080 Laptop GPU compared to the RTX 2080 Super Max-Q?
Perhaps I will immediately reassure all owners of laptops with RTX 2080 Super Max-Q. You have an excellent video card that will delight you for many more years.
RTX 3080 Laptop GPU is definitely better. And if you measure it as a percentage, then the difference will seem more than significant. Here and below we are talking about 1440p resolution (the new standard after all) and the Ultra settings.
Unfortunately, the photo does not convey the full depth of the black color of the Dell Alienware OLED screen. However, the MSI GS66 screen is also gorgeous. Powerful anti-reflective coating and no glare.
For example, in Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, the increase is almost 40%, that is, 41 fps for 2080 Super Max-Q versus 57 fps.
In Cyberpunk 2077, the percentage difference is 25-40% depending on how you play with the settings.
Still, DLSS 2.0 is a thing! But still, I couldn’t get more than 60 fps on the RTX 2080 Super, while the RTX 3080 Laptop GPU knocks out 80 fps perfectly. Another point is that the OLED screen in Alienware will give 100 points ahead.
And, of course, I couldn’t help running the benchmark for the ages of The Witcher 3. I am glad that both video cards allow you to play at maximum settings. The RTX 2080 Super Max-Q delivers a solid 60 fps, while the 3080 Laptop GPU hits a «full» 76 fps. Not enough here, of course, DLSS and ray tracing.
The difference is significant in numbers, but apart from competitive games (Fortnite or Call of Duty), will you notice the difference between 60 and 80 fps or will you just play and enjoy the game without paying attention?
In Microsoft Flight Simulator on «Ultra» settings, the frame rate jumps in the range of 45-60 fps. As far as I understand, here you also need to take into account that the game is constantly downloading data from the Internet.
Finally, some synthetic tests. Nvidia has shared this table showing how the RTX 3080 Laptop GPU is dominating. You will probably see this table frequently on the Internet.
Note that this is a comparison with an RTX 2080 Max-Q card. I had a Dell Alienware with an RTX 2080 Super Max-Q in my hands, which performed much better.
Screenshots of RTX 3080 Laptop GPU.
I couldn’t help noticing that the new GPUs got a little hotter. GPUs of the 20th series usually showed temperatures in the region of 65-70 degrees in the test. RTX 3080 Laptop GPU shows 76 degrees. Although judging by one laptop, of course, it is impossible.
Pay attention to the DLSS test. In the «DLSS disabled» mode 27.8 frames per second, in the «DLSS enabled» mode — 67.9 fps.
RTX 2080 Super Max-Q screenshots.
Conclusion
The conclusions are quite simple. Firstly, a new era of gaming begins, when the default resolution becomes 1440p.