Introduction
The ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER 16GB GDDR6X video card is ASUS’s most affordable GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER GPU-based video card offered, but it is far from ordinary or basic. In today’s review, we’ll take a look at the ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER in 4K gaming performance, with and without Ray Tracing, as well as DLSS upscaling, and throw in some DLSS 3 Frame Generation performance as well. We will also overclock the snot out of it, and push it as far as possible with ASUS GPU Tweak III, and Voltage, to find out if it has the legs to stand up to AMD’s flagship, the Radeon RX 7900 XTX.
Let’s briefly remind ourselves what the GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER actually is, before we dive into the ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER. The GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER refresh was released in January 2024. The GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is NVIDIA’s AD103 die fully realized, with full SM’s increasing specifications over the GeForce RTX 4080.
The GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER has 80 SMs, 10,240 CUDA Cores, 80 RT Cores, 320 Tensor Cores, 112 ROPs, 320 TMUs, and a Boost Clock of 2550MHz. It also has 16GB of GDDR6X on a 256-bit bus at 23Gbps providing 736GB/s of bandwidth with a TGP of 320W. The MSRP for the Founders Edition reference design is $999.
Under ASUS’s GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER lineup, ASUS offers video cards in its TUF Gaming series, ProArt series, ROG Strix series, and Noctua series. Each series offers something unique, with unique designs, factory overclocks, color schemes, and features.
The model we are reviewing is the lowest-priced TUF Gaming series model (TUF-RTX4080S-16G-GAMING), which does not have a factory overclock but instead runs at the NVIDIA reference boost speeds. However, ASUS does make an “OC Edition” of the TUF Gaming RTX 4080 SUPER that does have a factory overclock, but the two models are identical in design and features.
The ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER (TUF-RTX4080S-16G-GAMING) we are reviewing today has an MSRP of $999, which is the same as NVIDIA’s FE model or reference MSRP pricing.
ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER
The ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER comes clocked out of the box with a default mode clock speed of 2550MHz boost, which is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER reference clock speed. This ASUS TUF Gaming model does support an “OC Mode” that is selectable in ASUS GPU Tweak III software which will boost this frequency up to 2580MHz with a button click, and it also raises the power target slightly to allow higher sustained clock speeds. Of course, you can just manually overclock the video card as well, and with GPU Tweak III you can overclock the core frequency, and memory frequency and even raise the GPU Voltage.
One noteworthy feature is the fact that on the ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER ASUS has provided 2x HDMI 2.1a outputs as well as 3x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs. Typically, you find just a single HDMI and several DisplayPort, but ASUS has stuck on another HDMI so that you have 5 total video outputs.
The ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER comes in an interesting box, similar to the TUF branding, the box itself is very TOUGH. It’s made of very thick cardboard and is the most sturdy box I’ve come across, which should protect the video card well during shipping. Also, the corners are angled off, so it gives it an interesting profile and catches the eye. Otherwise, the box gives a very detailed overview of the features and components of the video card on the back.
In the box, you will find a collection card, a speedsetup manual, the power cable adapter, a TUF velcro hook and loop, a TUF graphics card holder, a thank you card, and a gaming certificate. It’s quite a comprehensive package, and the GPU card holder will keep the video card from sagging.
The ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER measures 348.2 x 150 x 72.6 mm or 13.7″ long, 5.9″ in width and 2.85″ in height, and it is considered a 3.65-slot video card. At these dimensions it is longer than the GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER Founders Edition by 1.5″, .4″ wider and .45″ more in height, so this is an overall larger video card than the Founders Edition. ASUS recommends an 850W PSU, and it can utilize a 1×16-pin power connector, or the included adapter to connect 3x 8-pin power connectors.
The ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is loaded with specific ASUS features, starting with its Military-grade Capacitors rated for 20K hours at 105C. It also uses a compact PCB with trace layouts optimized to reduce power losses and let heat escape through the backplate vent.
The ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER uses bigger axial-tech fans on dual-ball bearings to propel 23% more air through the card. The two side fans spin counterclockwise while the center fan spins clockwise in an effort to reduce turbulence and maximize air dispersion through the heatsinks. The fans also stop spinning below 50c. Large heatsinks are at play to soak up the heat and then the fans whisk the heat away.
A high-quality diecast shroud and metal exoskeleton and aluminum backplate is used to prevent PCB flex and give the video card a tough rigidity. The video card is built on ASUS’s Auto-Extreme technology using automated manufacturing for a reliable product.
The ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER also has a dual-BIOS function, and there is a switch on the video card. The default operation is Performance, but you can switch to a Quiet Mode that has less aggressive fan profiles. You can also select a Silent Mode in the GPU Tweak III software.
In terms of RGB, the ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER supports ASUS AURA SYNC ARGB and it is controllable in software.