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The EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti SC2 GAMING is a factory-overclocked, two-slot GTX 1080 Ti whose best case over the Founders Edition is cooler, quieter operation—not a dramatic frame-rate jump. In PCWorld’s 2017 tests, it averaged 5.7% faster at stock and ran about 15°C cooler under load. Its 11GB of memory and strong-for-its-era 4K results made it a high-end card, but those old benchmarks do not establish how it performs in today’s games. As a legacy-market purchase, its value depends on the card’s condition and current price.
What the EVGA GTX 1080 Ti SC2 is
The SC2 is EVGA’s custom version of NVIDIA’s GTX 1080 Ti, launched in 2017. It combines a factory-overclocked GPU with EVGA’s iCX cooling and monitoring system. NVIDIA’s specifications list 3,584 CUDA cores and 11GB of GDDR5X memory running at 11Gbps; the card uses a 352-bit memory bus. The SC2’s rated clocks are 1556 MHz base and 1670 MHz boost, though actual boost behavior depends on workload, temperature, and power limits.
Its dual-fan cooler, four heatpipes, backplate thermal pads, and two-slot width make it more compact than many custom GTX 1080 Ti designs. The trade-off is that it retains a reference-class 250W TDP: the smaller cooler does not make it a low-power card.
How fast is it compared with the Founders Edition?
PCWorld’s 2017 review found the SC2 averaged 5.7% faster than NVIDIA’s Founders Edition at stock settings across its test suite. Individual 4K game results varied, rather than showing a uniform uplift:
#1 Best Overall
- Real Base Clock: 1556 MHz/Real Boost Clock: 1670 MHz; Memory Detail: 11264MB GDDR5X
- EVGA iCX Technology - 9 additional temp sensors to monitor Memory and VRM
- GPU/Memory/PWM Thermal Status Indicator RGB LEDs
- New vented heatsink fin design and pin fins for optimized airflow
- Safety fuse to protect components from damage due to improper installation or other component failures
| 2017 PCWorld test | SC2 result versus Founders Edition |
|---|---|
| The Division at 4K | About 6.5% better performance |
| Hitman and Rise of the Tomb Raider at 4K | About 3–4% better performance |
| Far Cry Primal at 4K | 5.36% better performance |
| Ashes of the Singularity at 4K | About 10% better performance |
| Ashes of the Singularity at 1440p | No additional frames in the CPU-bound test system |
These are relative results from PCWorld’s 2017 hardware, games, and test setup, not a prediction of frame rates in current releases. The 1440p Ashes result illustrates an important limit: when the processor is the bottleneck, a faster graphics card may not improve frame rate.
Does iCX make it cooler and quieter?
Cooling is the SC2’s clearest practical advantage over the Founders Edition. PCWorld measured it at about 15°C cooler under load and found it significantly quieter. The fans stop at idle, so they need not add fan noise when the card is lightly loaded.
Rank #2
- Real Base Clock: 1556 MHz/Real Boost Clock: 1670 MHz; Memory Detail: 11264MB GDDR5X
- EVGA iCX Technology - 9 additional temp sensors to monitor Memory and VRM
- GPU/Memory/PWM Thermal Status Indicator RGB LEDs
- New vented heatsink fin design and pin fins for optimized airflow
- Safety fuse to protect components from damage due to improper installation or other component failures
What iCX monitors
EVGA iCX uses nine additional sensors alongside the GPU sensor, for ten total. Separate temperature readings let the GPU fan respond to the GPU while the other fan can respond to memory and VRM temperatures. The card also has RGB temperature indicators, and EVGA Precision XOC provides monitoring. This is more targeted than relying on a single GPU temperature to represent every heat-producing component.
In PCWorld’s aggressive-fan-curve, quick-overclock test, temperatures were in the mid-to-high 50s Celsius. That result belongs to that review’s specific setup and fan settings; it is not a guaranteed temperature for every case or workload. The review also measured only slightly higher load power and about 10W less idle power than the Founders Edition.
Rank #3
- Real Base Clock: 1556 MHz/Real Boost Clock: 1670 MHz; Memory Detail: 11264MB GDDR5X. Redesigned cooling with L-shaped contact fins to improve contact surface area for better heat dissipation
- EVGA iCX Cooling - Delivering industry-leading cooling performance to your Graphics Card. Vulkan API
- Requirements-Minimum of a 600 Watt power supply. An available 6-pin PCI-E power connector and an available 8 pin PCI-E power connector.Total Power Draw- 250 Watts
- New vented heatsink fin design and pin fins for optimized airflow. An available 6-pin PCI-E power connector and an available 8 pin PCI-E power connector. Windows 10 32/64bit ,Windows 8 32/64bit, Windows 7 32/64bit
- DX12 OSD Support with EVGA Precision XOC. Stream extreme GeForce GTX PC gaming experiences to portable device like NVIDIA SHIELD with super-smooth, low-latency performance
What overclocking results did the review achieve?
Without raising the power limit, PCWorld applied a +80 MHz GPU offset and a +300 MHz memory offset. In-game GPU clocks ranged from approximately 1910 to 1987 MHz in the tested games. The quick overclock averaged 9.9% faster than a stock Founders Edition across that review’s test suite. Under the overclock and aggressive fan curve, the review recorded 314W of system draw, compared with 303W at stock.
These are one reviewer’s results, not a guaranteed setting or a direct measurement of the card’s standalone power consumption. Individual overclocking headroom varies with the GPU sample, cooling, case airflow, and settings; stability testing is necessary before relying on an overclock.
Rank #4
- Real Base Clock: 1569 MHz/Real Boost Clock: 1683 MHz; Memory Detail: 11264MB GDDR5X.Requirements:Windows 10 32/64bit, Windows 8 32/64bit, Windows 7 32/64bit
- EVGA iCX Technology - 9 additional temp sensors to monitor Memory and VRM
- GPU/Memory/PWM Thermal Status Indicator RGB LEDs. Resolution and refresh- maximum monitors supported: 4. Maximum refresh rate: 240Hz , maximum digital : 7680 x 4320
- New vented heatsink fin design and pin fins for optimized airflow
- Safety fuse to protect components from damage due to improper installation or other component failures
Power, connectors, and display outputs
The SC2 requires one 6-pin and one 8-pin PCIe power connector. Hothardware lists a 600W recommended power supply. Check that a PSU has the required native connectors and is in good condition; do not treat the recommendation as a measure of the graphics card alone, since the rest of the system also draws power.
| Specification | EVGA GTX 1080 Ti SC2 GAMING |
|---|---|
| GPU clocks | 1556 MHz base; 1670 MHz boost |
| Memory | 11GB GDDR5X, 352-bit bus |
| Power connectors | One 6-pin and one 8-pin |
| Recommended PSU | 600W (Hothardware) |
| Video outputs | One dual-link DVI-D, one HDMI 2.0b, three DisplayPort 1.4 |
| Maximum digital resolution | 7680 × 4320 (Hothardware) |
| Board width | Two slots |
| TDP | 250W |
Before buying, confirm the card’s length and clearance against the exact case and other installed components. Two-slot thickness alone does not guarantee that every case will fit it.
Best Value
- Real Base Clock: 1480 MHz/Real Boost Clock: 1582 MHz; Memory Detail: 11264MB GDDR5X
- The EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti is the latest addition to the ultimate gaming platform, this card is packed with extreme horsepower, next-gen 11 Gbps GDDR5X memory, and a massive 11 GB frame buffer
- What you see is what you get! - No additional software required to achieve listed clock speeds
- DX12 OSD Support with EVGA Precision XOC,3 Year Warranty & EVGA's 24/7 Technical Support
- Operating System Support:Windows 10 32/64bit,Windows 8 32/64bit,Windows 7 32/64bit
How did its price compare at launch?
NVIDIA launched the GTX 1080 Ti at $699 in 2017, while Hothardware listed the SC2 at $749 that year—a historical difference of about $50. Those launch-era figures do not establish a fair price today. The card is a legacy product, and current availability, seller condition, and warranty status depend on the individual listing.
Is the SC2 still a good 4K card?
The 2017 results show that the GTX 1080 Ti SC2 could deliver strong 4K performance for its generation, with the SC2 modestly ahead of the Founders Edition and substantially better cooled. They do not show whether it meets the performance, image-quality, or feature requirements of a particular modern game. For a present-day purchase, look for benchmarks of the exact games and settings you intend to use, and weigh the card’s age and used condition against the price. Its appeal is strongest when the two-slot fit and quieter, cooler operation matter and the asking price reflects a used, older GPU.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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