There is a danger of sounding repetitive with the MSI GTX 1080 Gaming X Plus since it is so similar to last year's Gaming X. However, the key points are worth reiterating for anyone seriously considering upgrading to a GTX 1080.
Memory aside, it's still the same cooling solution, PCB and overall design, pricing is pretty similar too. MSI has done a stellar job with this card in the way of thermal performance and noise output. Both are exceptionally good which means MSI doesn't have to worry about being outperformed by the competition. That said the competition is still as strong as it was last year and other graphics card vendors are selling 11 Gbps variants of the GTX 1080.
MSI's Gaming X Plus GTX 1080 offers a reasonable incremental performance boost over the standard Gaming X by using Micron's faster GDDR5X memory. Giving the similarity of pricing anyone in the market for a GTX 1080 should definitely opt for a faster 11 Gbps model unless pricing is particularly attractive on an older 10 Gbps model that retailers will now seek to clear stock of.
MSI's take on the 11 Gbps GTX 1080 warrants consideration for its attractive design and ultra quiet operation, the strong build quality, tidy backplate and RGB lighting further refine the overall package. In the coming weeks KitGuru will be assessing the ASUS ROG Strix 11 Gbps GTX 1080.
The MSI GTX 1080 Gaming X Plus 8GB is currently retailing between £500 and £550 at a variety of UK retailers. Until the 31st of May in the United Kingdom the MSI GTX 1080 Gaming X Plus is eligible for MSI's Spring Cashback deal, worth £43, when bought from a participating retailer, more information here. MSI offers a standard 3 year warranty with this product.
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Pros
- Faster memory gives nice performance boost
- Pricing close to 10 Gbps model
- Sleek aesthetics
- Good overclocking headroom
- Excellent cooling performance and low noise
- RGB lighting
Cons:
- Red accents mean colour scheme is not neutral
- RGB lighting not controllable within Afterburner
KitGuru says: MSI's Gaming X Plus is a marvellous implementation of the Nvidia GTX 1080 and a brilliant high-end graphics card. The faster 11Gbps GDDR5X delivers a tangible performance increase over last year's models.
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