BALLS TO THE WALL
Strap in, as our RTX 4080 Super build has finally landed, says Zak Storey
It can be argued that Nvidia’s 40 series Super cards have been incredibly disruptive since their launch. We’ve focused these last two issues on the 70 and 70 Ti Super, and the value that they represent, pairing them with suitable processors, and apt systems built around ensuring they provide the best possible value out of the lot.
Interestingly, the RTX 4080 Super, although initially launching as a big value option with a $200 RRP drop, has become expensive, and because of that, we decided to push the limit and see exactly what we can achieve if we threw everything into a build with it in. We picked up the Asus ROG Strix Gaming OC variant, with its massive triple-fan white cooler, and set to work building a spec list that would pair well with the GPU.
This build features one of the latest and greatest Core i9s from Intel, 4TB of PCIe 5.0 storage, a 1200W PSU, a stunning Z790 motherboard from NZXT, and perhaps more interestingly, a full-tower, 90-degree shifted chassis, allowing us to take advantage of thermal convection with a chimney style design. This build is incredibly exciting, and a bit of a first for this journalist in terms of working with a chassis like this. So with that out of the way, let’s dive in and find out exactly what makes this build tick.
HARDWARE HAVOC
Intel’s Core i9-14900K might be one of the hottest chips around (seriously, we’ve not actually seen this thing not run at 100C under full load), but it’s one of the fastest. With eight performance cores, 16 threads, 16 efficient cores, and 36MB of smartcache, this insane little number will quite happily crank itself up to 6 GHz, depending on workloads, and rip-roar through any task you throw at it.
It unequivocally dominates the gaming scene right now, and although it isn’t exactly the best value option out there, if you’re after the ultimate performance on a mainstream platform, then the 14900K is the chip to beat. $540, www.intel.com
It might be on the ‘cheaper’ end of the Z790 spectrum, but this motherboard hits the right notes. With support for Intel 14th and 13th gen chips, it also packs some epic connectivity. You’ve got support for PCIe 5.0 graphics cards, along with two PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSDs, DDR5 support up to 7200 MHz, and some tasty rear I/O, including seven USB ports, a USB C, HDMI, 2.5G Ethernet, 5.1 Audio Out plus Optical audio, WiFi 6E, and a clear CMOS button. On top of that, it has a 16+1+2 power phase setup in a sleek, motherboard design, complete with full board brushed aluminum armor. You can also get the N7 in black or white to match your build. $297, www.nzxt.com
Our memory pick for this build actually came as an a
