PC upgrade phase II is complete! RTX 3080!

After spending two months hunting for an RTX 3080, I finally found it!

Although it wasn’t exactly the brand or model that I am looking for, the Asus TUF RTX 3080 is still a slick looking GPU for any build. Reviews praised the GPU on its industrial looks, premium materials used (such as using a metal shroud instead of a plastic one) and being able to operate at cooler than average temperatures compared to other models or brand’s while under load, all without producing too much noise from the fans trying to cool the GPU.

I bought it slightly above MSRP, but that is to be expected, especially as the demand is still super high two months after launch. Whether it is a logistical issue or a manufacturing issue, we consumers may never know as to the real reason why these new GPUs remain scarce after launching two months ago. It amazes me that NVIDIA, as a tech company would botch their launch by making the GPUs virtually non-existent after their official launch, to the frustration of gamers all around the world. As if the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 wasn’t enough to make a bad year even worse, caused by a shortage of graphics card for consumers.

However, I digress. I finally got my RTX 3080 on hand and immediately installed it to my rig when I got home.

It was glorious!

The Asus Tuf RTX 3080 fits nicely in my Meshify-C case. In fact, it is almost the same length as my EVGA GTX 1080ti FTW3. It has some RGB elements built into the graphics card, but it is by no means excessive, which is nice departure from my previous model, the EVGA one. I am really digging the more subtle looks the Asus Tuf RTX 3080 is giving out. My entire build now looks more ‘mature’ so to speak, without all the RGB vomit coming out at every nook and cranny of my rig. While it looked cool a few years ago, but there is such a thing as having too much RGB in your build.

My rig is now Cyberpunk 2077 ready, and I am psyched! In less than three weeks, the game will launch and I will be able to play the game at ultra settings, with RTX on to the max. This is going to be a feast for the eyes. Meanwhile, I am going to enjoy the RTX 3080 playing AC:Valhalla.

Right now, its in with the new and out with the old. Putting the old and new graphics card side by side, I am a little surprised that the 1080ti is almost the same length as the new TUF RTX 3080. I am just so grateful that I am able to fit the GPU into my Meshify C case without having to remove the front case fans. However, the TUF RTX 3080 is heavier and thicker than the EVGA 1080ti. In fact, once I installed into my system, the GPU had a far greater presence inside the case than the EVGA. It just screams for attention when you peer into the gaming rig through the tempered glass panel. You can’t help but notice the sheer size and density of the new graphics card. It just dominates the space it occupies. This thing is a beast!