ASUS ROG STRIX GTX 1080 Ti OC (O11G) 11GB Review

The ASUS ROG STRIX GTX 1080 Ti OC (O11G) is a gaming powerhouse in every sense of the term. The factory-overclocked, triple-fan-cooled graphics card powers through 1440P and 4K gaming with strong results and does so while offering a performance improvement and quieter, lower-temperature operation compared to the GTX 1080 Ti Founder's Edition.

Overclocking results for the card were superb, thanks in large to ASUS' application of a 10+2 phase power delivery system with strong ‘Super Alloy Power II‘ components and dual 8-pin PCIe connectors. We added 85MHz to the already highly-overclocked GP102 core which allowed GPU Boost 3.0 to keep the ROG STRIX graphics card operating at a stable 2050MHz core frequency throughout our 4K tests. Memory frequency was also pushed to 12,000MHz effective, which is a solid gain for the 11GB of GDDR5X VRAM.

ASUS' triple-fan, 2.5-slot cooler delivers superb thermal performance whilst also remaining quiet under heavy load. We struggled to push the GPU core temperature past 65°C using the default fan speed curve which saw the speed percentage sitting at 37%. The 0dB mode worked without issue and even when tasked with a FurMark stress test, the card was less audible than the pump unit on our Corsair AIO. ASUS' card was almost 20°C cooler than the Founder's Edition, while also being significantly quieter and faster. An honourable return for a £100 premium.

It is, however, worth noting that the open design of ASUS' cooler means that most of that 250W+ of thermal energy will be released inside one's chassis. While this is unlikely to cause trouble for single-card users, it will cause an increase in the temperatures of surrounding components, such as an M.2 SSD installed beneath the card as well as the CPU, depending on its cooling method. It also places an emphasis on the performance of chassis fans that are tasked with removing the heated air. These compromises are worthwhile given the superb performance capability of ASUS' cooler.

Unsurprisingly, power consumption for ASUS' factory-overclocked board was higher than that of the Founder's Edition card. We'd wager that gamers interested in buying this calibre of graphics card will not care about an additional twenty-or-so Watts going onto their power bill.

Size is both a strength and weakness for the ASUS ROG STRIX GTX 1080 Ti OC graphics card. On the positive side, the added heatsink volume permitted by the 2.5-slot design delivers impressive thermal performance. However, the sheer size of the card in all three dimensions will limit its applicability to some enthusiast Mini-ITX gamers and SLI challenges are also likely to be experienced. It's hard to argue that the added cooler dimensions aren't worth it, based on the thermal and overclocking performance. It's also easy to see that they will cause issues for some potential buyers.

Features such as AURA-compatible RGB LED lighting and a pair of software-controllable 4-pin fan headers sweeten the deal on what is a superb graphics card, even at the lofty asking price of £800. ASUS' ROG STRIX GTX 1080 Ti OC (O11G) graphics card is highly recommended and worthy of its asking price. I will be sad to return my sample.

The ASUS ROG STRIX GTX 1080 Ti OC (O11G) 11GB graphics card is available to purchase from Overclockers UK for £809.99 (at the time of writing).

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Pros:

• Highly-overclocked out-of-the-box.
• Superb overclocking potential displayed on our sample – 2050MHz and 12GHz GDDR5X.
• Strong cooling performance.
• Excellent acoustic results.
• AURA-compatible RGB lighting and 4-pin header.
• Software-controllable 4-pin fan headers are smart.
• Two HDMI ports are good for VR gamers.

Cons:

• Plastic shroud is flimsy in places.
• 2.5-slot design will cause issues for some users.
• Backplate is primarily aesthetic and does not provide conductive cooling.

KitGuru says: A superb graphics card with a well-designed cooler and strong overclocking potential. Worthy of its £800 asking price.

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