MSI Gaming X Trio GTX 1080 Ti Graphics Card Review

Final Thoughts

Price

Let’s not beat around the bush, this is a $900 graphics card, ouch. In the UK it is £820 and that’s enough to make anyone’s wallet uncomfortable. That being said, give or take £20, it’s the same price as any other flagship GTX 1080 Ti graphics card right now. They are not cheap, but if you want the fastest gaming graphics cards on the market, you can expect to pay a big premium for them.

Overview

I’ve seen a lot of amazing graphics cards come through the eTeknix office over the year, but I can’t remember the last time I wanted any particular one as much as I want this. It’s just so freaking sexy to look at, let alone how well it performs. We don’t normally put images on this page, but I can’t help it, just look at that glorious monster. Lashings of dark black, textured grey and red highlights, and some carbon fibre detailing… drool.

Beast Mode

A slim and light card this is not. It’s one of the biggest on the market, clocking in at 32 x 14 x 5 cm, and it has a hefty weight behind it too. There is a lot of heavy metal here \m/, and that’s a good thing. The card feels robust, and incredibly rigid despite its size. The inclusion of a full-length support bracket to lock it firmly in place is certainly welcome though, as it adds peace of mind to the installation.

Performance

The performance of this card is barely a frame or two from anything else, it’s easily one of the fastest graphics cards on the market today. If I showed you any of the top three cards running side by side, you wouldn’t be able to guess which was which while gaming. What does stand out about this card is how cool and quiet it runs. The triple fan design isn’t just for show and really does get the job done exceptionally well.

Should I Buy One?

I’m not so ignorant to suggest everyone should buy a $900 graphics card, I know that’s just not something a lot of people would even consider. However, if you have the budget for an insane graphics card, then I can’t find a single reason why this wouldn’t be a great choice for you. Between this, the EVGA and ASUS GTX 1080 Ti’s we’ve tested, they’re all amazing, but I think MSI have an edge in terms of aesthetics and build quality, if only by a small margin.

Pros

• One of the fastest gaming GPUs on the market
• Exceptional cooling performance
• Zero RPM fan mode
• Quiet even at full load
• Full-size backplate
• Anti-droop bracket included
• RGB lighting
• Stunning aesthetics
• Exceptional build quality

Cons

• None