Based on NVIDIA's Pascal architecture and designed to handle the graphical demands of 4K gaming, the MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Ti AERO 11G OC 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. The GTX 1080 Ti is not just about high-resolution gaming. Computationally intensive programs can utilize the GPU's 3584 cores to accelerate tasks using CUDA or other APIs.
For cooling, MSI implemented a blower-style cooler. This cooling configuration is good for SLI or other configurations where space between computer components can be a concern. There is also a LED illuminated MSI logo, which can be controlled in NVIDIA GeForce Experience.
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'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 1070, 1080, 1080 Ti, and TITAN X graphics cards.
Note: The benefits of SLI will vary based on component configuration.