THE ULTIMATE GAMING PC

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

CPU

INTEL CORE i9-14900K