With an overclocked core and based on NVIDIA's Pascal architecture, the Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1080 G1 Gaming Graphics Card provides major improvements in performance, memory bandwidth, and power efficiency over its predecessor, the high-performance Maxwell architecture. It also introduces innovative graphics features and technologies that redefine the computer as the platform for playing AAA games and taking full advantage of virtual reality via NVIDIA VRWorks.

The front panel of the card features a variety of outputs. There are three DisplayPort 1.4 outputs in addition to an HDMI 2.0b output and a DVI-D Dual-Link output. The GTX 1080 is not just about high-resolution gaming. Computationally intensive programs can utilize the GPU's 2560 cores to accelerate tasks using CUDA or other APIs.

This card features Gigabyte's WINDFORCE 3X cooling system. The cooling system uses three large fans with swept blades to whisk away hot air and lower the GPU's internal temperature. The card also has customizable RGB lighting, which supports up to 16.8 million colors. There are numerous lighting options so you can pick the right scheme for your gaming rig through the XTREME Engine utility.

VRWorks

VRWorks Graphics includes a simultaneous multi-projection capability that renders natively to the unique dimensions of VR displays instead of traditional 2D monitors. It also renders geometry for the left and right eyes simultaneously in a single pass. VRWorks Audio uses the NVIDIA OptiX ray-tracing engine to trace the path of sounds across an environment in real-time, fully reflecting the size, shape, and material of the virtual world. NVIDIA PhysX for VR detects when a hand controller interacts with a virtual object, and enables the game engine to provide a physically accurate visual and haptic response. It also models the physical behavior of the virtual world around the user so that all interactions -- whether an explosion or a hand splashing through water -- behave as if in the real world.

NVIDIA Ansel

With Ansel, gamers can compose the gameplay shots they want, pointing the camera in any direction and from any vantage point within a gaming world. They can capture screenshots at up to 32 times the screen resolution, and then zoom in where they choose without losing fidelity. With photo-filters, they can add effects in real-time before taking the shot. And they can capture 360-degree stereo photospheres for viewing in a VR headset or Google Cardboard.

SLI Ready

With a compatible motherboard and a connecting bracket, two or more NVIDIA GPUs of the same model can combine processing power using NVIDIA's Scalable Link Interface (SLI). How the cards work together can be customized to suit your preferences. Alternate frame rendering has each alternating card prepare the next frame, essentially multiplying the capabilities of a single card's maximum capable frame rate output. Each card in the configuration can also be used to improve anti-aliasing by being able to process an image in parallel with the other cards before filtering out jagged edges. NVIDIA's SLI HB bridge doubles the available transfer bandwidth compared to the NVIDIA Maxwell architecture. Delivering smooth gameplay, it's an effective way to enjoy surround gaming and it's only compatible with the GeForce GTX 1080 graphics cards. Note: The benefits of SLI will vary based on component configuration.

CUDA

With CUDA, NVIDIA allows applications to hand off CPU-intensive tasks to the GPU. Your GPU is no longer just used for rendering graphics, but it can provide teraflops of floating point performance and accelerate application tasks, from real-time video rendering to fluid dynamics simulation. CUDA is used in many applications and games.

G-SYNC Ready

When used with a monitor that has G-SYNC hardware installed, the monitor's refresh rate will sync and lock with the graphics card's output frame rate. Establishing this sync removes tearing and stuttering which can result from conventional fixed screen refresh rates, especially important for gaming in stereoscopic 3D. An additional benefit of G-SYNC is reduced lag so gamers will benefit from the improved command response time as well.

NVIDIA GPU Boost 3.0

Boosts the card's clock speed in real-time based on the target temperature. If the card is running below the set target temperature, GPU Boost 3.0 will increase the clock speed to improve performance. The target temperature can be reset depending on your preference so you can have the card run more quietly for everyday tasks and older games, and run at full tilt during intense high-resolution gaming sequences.