Introduction

The GeForce GTX 1080 is based on NVIDIA's "Pascal" architecture. This architecture sees the streaming multiprocessors (SMs), the indivisible subunits of an NVIDIA GPU, get even more dedicated components, which increases their performance. NVIDIA claims to have "meticulously" designed the GPU architecture to be as energy efficient as possible given the silicon fab node and is leveraging the 16 nm FinFET node at TSMC for "Pascal."

The GTX 1080 features more CUDA cores than its predecessor – 2560 vs. 2048. It features even more TMUs (160 vs. 128) and, at 8 GB, double the memory. Memory technology sees a major update with NVIDIA's adoption of the GDDR5X memory standard. The memory is clocked at a staggering 10 GHz effective, which gives the GPU 320 GB/s of memory bandwidth over a 256-bit wide memory interface.



Today, we are reviewing the Zotac GTX 1080 Mini, which is a compact custom-design GTX 1080 variant. It comes with a dual-fan, metal cooler and a small overclock out of the box. Zotac's GTX 1080 Mini is currently listed online for $515.

Packaging

You will receive:

• Graphics card
• Documentation + driver disc
• PCIe 6-pin to 8-pin adapter
• Zotac sticker

The Card

Zotac's card looks extremely compact considering the GTX 1080 powerhouse that it is. The main cooler is mostly made out of metal, which gives it that high quality look and feel. On the back, you will find a metal backplate. Dimensions of the card are 21.0 cm x 12.5 cm.


Installation requires two slots in your system.


Display connectivity options include a DVI and HDMI port, each, and three DisplayPorts.

Unlike previous-generation NVIDIA cards, the DVI port no longer includes the analog signal, so you'll have to use an active adapter. NVIDIA also updated DisplayPort to be 1.2 certified and 1.3/1.4 ready, which enables support for 4K @ 120 Hz and 5K @ 60 Hz, or 8K @ 60 Hz with two cables.

The GPU also comes with an HDMI sound device. It is HDMI 2.0b compatible, which supports HD audio and Blu-ray 3D movies. The GPU's video-encoding unit has been updated to support HEVC at 10-bit and 12-bit.


With Pascal, NVIDIA made some changes to how SLI works. In a nutshell, for 4K at 60 Hz and above, NVIDIA recommends new high-bandwidth SLI bridges it dubbed "SLI HB." These bridges occupy both SLI fingers. Traditional triple- and quad-SLI setups are gone as well. Only certain benchmarks can run more than the dual-SLI setup to which all games are limited.


When installed inside the case, there is no visible sagging.


Pictured above are the front and back, showing the disassembled board. High-res versions are also available (front, back).

A Closer Look

Zotac's thermal solution uses four heatpipes to keep the GPU cool. You can also see various thermal pads here, which provide cooling for the memory chips and VRM circuitry.


The backplate is made out of metal and protects the card during installation and handling.


Zotac is using a single 8-pin power connector. This input configuration is specified for up to 225 watts of power draw.


The uPI uP9511P is the same voltage controller as on the GTX 1080 and GTX 1070.


The GDDR5X memory chips are made by Micron and are marked with "D9TXS," which decodes to MT58K256M32JA-100. These are specified to run at 1250 MHz (10,000 MHz GDDR5X effective).


NVIDIA's GP104 graphics processor is the first consumer chip using the Pascal architecture. It is produced on a 16 nm process at TSMC, Taiwan, and has a transistor count of 7.1 billion and a die size of 314 mm².