When it comes to PC gaming, the graphics card is one of the most important pieces of hardware a player needs to consider. The Nvidia series is a very recognizable and influential brand of graphics cards that proliferate the market today. The releases of their newest and best cards always prove to be highly anticipated events.

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The latest entry, the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, seeks to push 4K gaming to its very limits. However, graphics cards of this caliber are never small purchases, so it's important for prospective buyers to know what they're getting into first. For players serious about gaming, this card is invariably going to be tough to beat. The GeForce RTX 3080 Ti launches on June 3, 2021. Here's what gamers should know before they buy.

This is frequently the million-dollar question when it comes to selecting a graphics card. Considering it's Nvidia's newest flagship graphics card, the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti won't be cheap. At the time of release, the price stands at $1,199.

Of course, this is only the price of the graphics card alone. Other costs need to be factored in when purchasing and/or building a new PC, such as CPU type, RAM, etc. Buyers need to be prepared to spend a few thousand dollars when choosing this particular card, making it a substantial investment. Nevertheless, the quality of Nvidia's cards is (usually) commensurate with the cost.

As mentioned previously, there is justification for the high price. This graphics card is a beast, no doubt about it. With features like ray tracing and 4K becoming ever more prevalent, the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti tries to cover all the bases. Here's a concise rundown of all the most important features:

• VRAM - 12 GB of GDDR6X
• GPU Boost Clock - 1,665 MHz
• 10,240 CUDA Cores
• G-Sync, Nvidia Reflex, and Nvidia Broadcast Fully Supported
• 3rd Generation Tensor Cores For DLSS Performance Boosts

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Rendering speed plays a large role in a graphics card's performance. The GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is described as being 2x faster than the GTX 1080 Ti and 1.5x faster than the beefier GeForce RTX 2080 Ti. With more CUDA Cores and G6X memory, this card also outperforms the RTX 2070 Super. A more comprehensive breakdown can be found here.

It's also worth mentioning that, for those who prefer multiplayer, Nvidia Reflex and Nvidia Broadcast are highly useful features for latency and communication, respectively.

Top-tier Nvidia graphics cards are all about pushing games to their very limits. Utilizing Deep Learning Super Sampling, or DLSS, many select titles are able to run at higher resolutions. Better frame rates and ray tracing are also possible when coupled with high-end monitors. Nvidia is always adding more games to its RTX-enhanced library. Over 130 games are already available to make use of these features. Some of the titles set to be released in the near future include:

• Red Dead Redemption 2
• Rainbow Six Siege
• Icarus
• Dying: 1983
• The Ascent
• The Persistence
• LEGO Builder's Journey

Most recently, Nvidia has released footage of DOOM Eternal being played with a GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. The impressive Vulkan ray tracing capabilities can be seen at work, giving this game as well as other titles unparalleled levels of graphical fidelity.

Graphics cards often incorporate various other bells and whistles that are included as part of the package. For example, Nvidia cards come with the GeForce Experience application. This tool allows players to customize the graphics settings for all their Nvidia-supported games. In addition, these are also some worthwhile specs a potential buyer may want to keep in mind:

• Interface - PCI Express 4.0
• Power Consumption - 350 Watts
• Slot Size - 2

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That last bulleted point is particularly important, especially for people planning to build their own PC or replace an old graphics card. Most average graphics cards take up a single "slot" to connect to the PC's motherboard. However, Titan graphics cards are rather large. The GeForce RTX 3080 Ti inhabits two slots instead of one. This fact needs to be taken into consideration, as not every pre-built PC has room to handle such an upgrade.

This may actually be harder than it sounds. Most gamers are probably aware of the semiconductor shortage that's been irking the video game world for over a year. It's why finding a PS5 and an Xbox Series X is still quite a hassle. The same holds true for PC graphics cards. There's simply not enough of them to go around to satisfy everyone.

Since demand for top-of-the-line graphics cards like the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is still high, the Founders Edition of the card will likely sell rather quickly. Even third-party vendors may still have trouble keeping it in stock, at least at first. The graphics card can be purchased either by itself or as part of a pre-built rig. Check out these retailers to keep current with the card's availability:

• Best Buy
• Amazon
• Newegg
• B&H
• And, of course, Nvidia

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