Design and Features
Like the original RTX 3080 Founders Edition, the MSI Gaming X Trio uses the same GA102 graphics processor, next-generation RTX system, and 10GB memory configuration. Like most third-party cards, this is MSI’s take on Nvidia’s set design, so I won’t repeat all of those details here. Instead, I’ll be focusing on what sets this card apart and why you might want to choose it over the ever-widening pool of competing RTX 3080s. For a detailed breakdown of the improvements this generation brings, head over to our Founder’s Edition review and discover just how much of a generational leap Ampere really is. The first thing I noticed about the Gaming X Trio is just how large it is. It features the same triple-fan design found on MSI’s previous Gaming X Trio cards, but enhances thermal performance with the new Tri Frozr 2 system. Tri Frozr 2 is a three-part cooling system that uses enhanced Torx 4.0 fans with a Zero RPM mode, high-contact core pipes to draw heat from the GPU, and a massive heatsink with Wave Curved 2.0 fin edges to disrupt air flow and provide better heat dissipation. The fans are particularly interesting as each pair of fan blades is connected at their outer edge to better direct airflow. It’s not a design I’ve seen anywhere else and is another example of how GPU manufacturers are pushing their thermal solutions this generation. A big and heavy cooler can lead to GPU sag, but MSI has you covered: the Gaming X Trio comes with a support bracket that attaches to the slot just under the card itself. It's an effective brace, but it took me an embarrassingly long time to figure out where to attach it without directions.
The exterior of the card also houses several other surprises. The backplate, which is a sleek and simple black, is graphene instead of aluminum or another alloy for enhanced heat dispersal. It requires three 8-pin power connectors instead of the expected two, which will force some gamers to connect a second GPU cable to their power supply – mightily inconvenient if you’ve used the power supply chamber to hide cable clutter like I did. The added power will be a welcome addition for overclockers, however, and holds the potential for higher overclocks. The most standout feature is the RGB lighting, which is the very definition of loud and proud. A large RGB strip is built onto the outer edge of the backplate and is visible even if the card is mounted vertically. The MSI logo is also backlit but pales in comparison to the brightness and vibrance of the strip. Both are color customizable in MSI’s Dragon Center app. Under the hood, things are largely the same. The card still features the same 10GB of GDDR6X video memory with 19 Gbps, the same more-than-doubled CUDA core count from Nvidia’s RTX 20-Series. Compared to the RTX 3080 Founders Edition, however, it does feature a slightly faster stock boost clock speed of 1815MHz. That said, in actual use, the card I tested reliably sped up to just over 2GHz, which provided a noticeable bump in performance.
Performance
To test the MSI RTX 3080 Gaming X Trio, I ran it through the same battery of tests as the Founders Edition, which included games and synthetics, noting the maximum temperature throughout. Here’s how it performed: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=msi-rtx-3080-gaming-x-trio-synthetic-benchmarks&captions=true"] [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=msi-rtx-3080-gaming-x-trio-gaming-benchmarks&captions=true"] As I’ve examined with previous cards, I was curious to see how the Gaming X Trio performed compared to its last generation counterpart, as well as the RTX 3080 Founders Edition itself. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=msi-rtx-3080-gaming-x-trio-ray-tracing-benchmarks&captions=true"] The results make it clear: this is one fast card. It easily outperforms the RTX 3080 Founders Edition without having to perform any manual overclocking. Nvidia’s one-click O.C. Boost overclocking wasn’t available at the time of this writing, but it’s likely that this lead could be extended further.Thermal Performance and Noise Level
That added performance comes at a cost. Out of the box, the Gaming X Trio was the warmest card I’ve tested so far, peaking at 75C, putting it on par with the peak of the Founders Edition I tested previously. In my testing, I noticed that fans never ramped above 50%, even at peak temps. This worked to keep the card quiet with noise levels in line with my case fans under load. Since there was no fan preset in the version of Dragon Center I tested (only performance presets), I turned to MSI Afterburner and turned on its “default” fan preset. This enables a reasonable curve that runs higher earlier on, but isn’t very aggressive or loud overall. This curve pushed the fan speed to ~65% under load and brought the peak temperature down to 69C, right in line with the Founders Edition while sounding very close in overall noise.Purchasing Guide
The MSI RTX 3080 Gaming X Trio has an MSRP of $749, $50 more than the RTX 3080 Founders Edition. It's available on Amazon and Newegg.from IGN Reviews https://ift.tt/3mFzkEm
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