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- The ASUS RTX 5080 Noctua Edition can be overclocked easily, achieving remarkable boost clocks.
- With a quad-slot GPU, you need to be wary of your chassis compatibility. Also, your GPU might overlap on an extra PCIe slot (or two).
- The new design doesn’t stand out and looks like a regular ASUS GPU, but brown. The original collaborations gave us better designs.
Over the years, we’ve seen many GPU collaborations between different brands. Some are decent, while others are not so much. For example, Noctua’s GPU collaborations with ASUS have been a delightful treat. The ASUS RTX 3070 Noctua Edition improved thermals, leveraged Noctua’s outstanding fan technology, and provided something exciting. This time around, Noctua and ASUS showcased the latest RTX 5080 Noctua Edition, and while I love Noctua GPU collaborations, a quad slot graphics card isn’t it.
You read that right. If you didn’t already know, Noctua and ASUS teased this hefty quad-slot GPU during Computex 2025. It’s not that we haven’t seen quad-slot GPUs before, but they’re never fun to deal with.
It’s Cold And Quiet
It’s no surprise that the ASUS RTX 5080 Noctua Edition GPU is presumed to have remarkable air cooling and doesn’t produce as much noise, either. Cooling-wise, it’s similar to the ASUS RTX 4080 Noctua Edition, except the GPU has an extra cooling fan this time. So, instead of two, we see three fans and a massive heatsink for lower temperatures.
They likely chose this heatsink and fan alignment because the RTX 5080 has a whopping 360W TGP. Considering that the RTX 4080 is lagging at 320W TGP, an extra fan makes sense if ASUS and Noctua are trying to keep up the “coolest GPU” title. However, that also means a thicker, heavier GPU.
Overclocking Is A Breeze
Yes, I understand, not everyone goes for manual overclock, seeing as many AIB GPUs are already factory overclocked. But what about GPUs that still have headroom for more? The ASUS RTX 5080 Noctua Edition is slightly factory overclocked, with a boost clock of 2,730MHz compared to the original 2,617MHz. A meager 4% overclock sounds too underwhelming for such a massive graphics card, right? That’s why some manual overclocking might be the solution.
Consequently, you can at least increase the boost clocks by up to 500MHz, adding a 40% overclock! Now, that’s amazing. You have to do a lot of manual tweaking to achieve those numbers, but it’s possible. If you’re new to the entire concept, it’s better to aim for around a 250MHz increment and live with that.
Quad Slot Means Issues
There aren’t many GPUs that are truly quad-slot, but those that are similar all share some problems. There are a total of two major issues:
Case Compatibility
If you’re using an ATX chassis and want to buy this graphics card, you may want to look into a new E-ATX case. The issue is the length and whether the width matches an ATX case. We don’t know the official size of the GPU, but looking at the images, it will likely be over 360mm in length and 80mm in width. The Corsair 4000D Airflow that I use might barely fit this mammoth, but I can say goodbye to decent cooling at that point.
The GPU May Overlap Other PCIe Slots
Chuckle, as you read this, but it is a real problem for those who want to make the most of the extra x8 and x4 PCIe slots. Again, the official dimensions of the GPU haven’t been released, so this is mere speculation, but if the GPU’s width goes beyond 80mm (which is likely the case), you may have to say goodbye to those extra PCIe slots. Also, let’s not forget that you’ll need a GPU sag bracket to avoid breaking this thing.
The New Design Overshadows The Noctua Fans
One thing I loved about previous ASUS and Noctua GPU collaborations was how the Noctua fans stood out and provided a beautiful beige color design. Add that with a beige or brownish chassis, and you have a beautiful PC build. However, this time, the entire GPU shroud is brown, which blends with the Noctua fans and might even overshadow them.
The previous models looked like you strapped the high-end Noctua fans to the heatsink itself, but this time, it’s not like that. The new GPU looks like any other ASUS graphics card—just brown. Such collaborations should also consider the design, even though that’s only a gimmick at the end of the day.
The GPU Is Great But Has Its Problems
In conclusion, I love Noctua GPU collaborations, but a quad slot doesn’t cut it for me. Some of these issues could have been dealt with during the developmental phase, but it seems like both companies let them be. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a quintuple slot next generation at this rate.
Even so, if you’re looking for a beige mammoth that can handle any overclocks you throw at it, you should keep your eyes peeled for the ASUS RTX 5080 Noctua Edition. The cooling and performance are undeniably outstanding, and I have always loved this collaboration for that reason. If the issues had been addressed, the GPU would have been very solid. Oh well…
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[Comparisons Expert]
Abdemanaf is a skilled creative writer who has been honing his craft since 2011. While initially working in different fields, he found a passion for technology and has been exploring the tech world since early 2015. Over the years, he has developed an in-depth knowledge of the latest tech trends and product offerings by various companies.
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