Corsair entered the graphics card market in a collaboration with MSI last fall with the Hydro GFX 980 Ti. This week at Computex, the company revealed that it is continuing its venture into the graphics card business with a water-cooled GTX 1080.
The two companies released identical models under their own brand names; MSI launched the SeaHawk, and Corsair launched the Hydro GFX (which we took a close look at in March).
Before publishing our review, we had a chance to speak with Harry Butler, Senior Manager of Public Relations for Corsair, at the company’s CES booth. Corsair had the Hydro GFX 980 Ti on display, and we asked if it had plans to venture further into the graphics card market. Butler told us at the time, that Corsair would not be releasing any more graphics cards. The reason? GPU allocation.
To be an Nvidia partner, we've been told, you have to offer the company’s entire GPU product stack, which includes the lowest-tier chips that Nvidia offers. According to Butler, Corsair is only interested in dabbling in the high end market, so it partnered with MSI for access to the top-tier GPUs. Corsair provides MSI with water cooling components in exchange for the right to rebrand some of MSI’s cards.
We took this explanation in January as a declaration that the Hydro GFX 980 Ti would be the only Corsair graphics card that would be released. After publishing our evaluation of the card, Butler reached out and clarified the situation somewhat. “Don’t count follow-ups out just yet,” he said. “While there are no plans for any more 9-series cards, we’re always considering upcoming technologies,” an obvious hint to this week’s announcement.
However,during Computex, Corsair had the follow-up Hydro GFX card on display. It packs Nvidia’s latest and greatest GPU and is again a collaborative effort in partnership with MSI. The card boasts a Corsair Hydro Series H55 closed loop cooler, which features an SP120 White LED fan. We don’t know much about the specifications yet, but if the previous generation is any indication, it should come with a significant factory overclock.
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