MSI GeForce RTX 5080 SUPRIM SOC review – It doesn’t get much better than this

1 - Einführung, übersicht und technische Daten 2 - Testsystem und Equipment 3 - Teardown: Platine und Kühler 4 - Materialanalyse und Wärmeleitmaterialien 5 - Gaming Performance 6 - Leistungsaufnahme, Lastspitzen, Netzteilempfehlung 7 - Temperaturen, Taktraten und Thermografie 8 - Lüfterkurven und Betriebsgeräusch 9 - Zusammenfassung und Fazit

The MSI GeForce RTX 5080 SUPRIM SOC is, alongside the previously reviewed MSI RTX 5080 VANGUARD SOC, another high-end graphics card from MSI based on NVIDIA’s Blackwell architecture. Both models aim to offer first-class performance for demanding 4K gaming, but differ in certain specifications and features, with the SUPRIM representing the manufacturer’s absolute top-of-the-range model. At 1619 euros RRP, the SUPRIM is still 50 euros higher than the RRP of 1469 euros for the VANGUARD.

The MSI GeForce RTX 5080 SUPRIM SOC comes with special accessories that make it easier to install and use the graphics card. These include the usual 12V2X6 triple adapter (with yellow marking as a control aid) and the supplied support stand, which can be attached in the housing to stabilize the graphics card and prevent it from sagging. However, it is important to check compatibility with your own case before installation as the stand may not fit all cases. In addition, MSI offers software tools such as the “MSI Center” and “Afterburner”, which allow the graphics card to be monitored, adjusted and optimized in real time. These programs are not physically included in the scope of delivery, but can be downloaded from the MSI website and expand the functionality of the graphics card if required.

The MSI RTX 5080 SUPRIM SOC 16GB

Let’s now turn to the details of this card after its introduction. The card is based on the new Blackwell architecture, the GB203-400-A1 GPU is manufactured in a 4nm manufacturing technology and comprises 45.6 billion transistors on a chip area of 378 mm². With 10,752 CUDA cores, a base clock of 2.30 GHz and a boost clock of 2.745 GHz, i.e. 15 MHz more than the RTX 5080 VANGUARD, the card offers high computing power for current applications. It is equipped with 16 GB GDDR7 memory, which operates at 30 Gbps and achieves a memory bandwidth of 960 GB/s via a 256-bit interface. It has 84 fourth-generation ray tracing cores and 336 fifth-generation tensor cores, which significantly improve performance in the area of AI-supported calculations and real-time ray tracing. The L2 cache has been increased to 64 MB to minimize data transfer bottlenecks.

Weighing a whopping 2630 grams (compared to 1947 grams for the VANGUARD), 36 cm long and 14 cm high, this card is a giant, especially as the 6.7 cm installation depth plus 0.5 cm for the backplate is very thick. This is another reason why you have to make sure that you can still close the side panel due to the height of the card.

Front

Back

Bottom

Top

Slot Panel

End

Box Closed

Intro

Front Bottom

ISO Front

ISO Back

ISO Flat Back

ISO Flat Front

Front Bottom

Accessory

The MSI RTX 5080 SUPRIM SOC is a powerful graphics card based on NVIDIA’s Blackwell architecture. It still offers a high number of CUDA cores and GDDR7 memory, which impresses with its high capacity and fast transfer rates. The graphics card’s cooling system is based on an integrated vapor chamber that efficiently dissipates heat from the GPU and VRAM. The heat is dissipated through rectangular core pipes, which offer an optimized contact surface for an even distribution of waste heat. More on this in the teardown.

According to MSI, cooling is supported by precision-manufactured fins equipped with Wave Curved technology to optimize airflow and minimize turbulence. The RTX 5080 SUPRIM’s fan system includes seven fan blades with a specially textured surface to ensure high airflow with reduced noise levels. A Zero-Frozr function deactivates the fans when idling or under low load to further reduce the noise level. Of course, I still have real measurements of the heat conducting materials used.

Additional safety functions such as a built-in fuse and HCI chokes provide increased protection against electrical damage. More on this in the obligatory teardown, which I didn’t want to miss out on here. The card also offers a dual BIOS, which does not allow the GeForce RTX 5080 SUPRIM SOC to switch between a performance-oriented mode and a low-noise mode, but only allows the fans to operate more or less aggressively. Since the card remains very cool even without the fan turbo, I took most of the measurements in silent mode. The clock difference was not or hardly measurable, the boost steps were always the same.

Unfortunately, you have to overclock and increase the power limit yourself if you think you need to. After all, the cards even offer 400 watts instead of the 390 watts of the Founders Edition and you can also experiment with the current MSI Afterburner. However, the endeavor is somewhat superfluous, because at least my card already manages the 2.9 GHz mark even without an energetic boost. Not much more than 3.1 GHz is possible anyway and it usually only gets louder and warmer.

The MSI RTX 5080 SUPRIM SOC is equipped with a selection of modern display outputs that ensure high compatibility with the latest monitors and displays. Specifically, the graphics card has three DisplayPort 2.1b ports and one HDMI 2.1b port. This configuration enables the simultaneous operation of up to four displays. The DisplayPort 2.1b connections support resolutions of up to 8K at 165 Hz or 4K at 480 Hz, while the HDMI 2.1b connection enables resolutions of up to 8K at 60 Hz or 4K at 120 Hz. These versatile connection options ensure a flexible and powerful connection to various display setups.

The technical details and production of the MSI RTX 5080 SUPRIM SOC focus on high computing power, efficient cooling and a stable construction. The rest is in line with the launch article and the review of the RTX 5080 VANGUARD SOC, so I’ll save the redundancy for now.