MSI GeForce RTX 5080 SUPRIM SOC review – It doesn’t get much better than this

1 - Einführung, übersicht und technische Daten 2 - Testsystem und Equipment 3 - Teardown: Platine und Kühler 4 - Materialanalyse und Wärmeleitmaterialien 5 - Gaming Performance 6 - Leistungsaufnahme, Lastspitzen, Netzteilempfehlung 7 - Temperaturen, Taktraten und Thermografie 8 - Lüfterkurven und Betriebsgeräusch 9 - Zusammenfassung und Fazit

I will now also analyze the thermal materials of the MSI GeForce RTX 5080 SUPRIM SOC and it is no secret that they are identical to those used on the already tested RTX 5090 SUPRIM. I had already measured all of this with my TIMA5. However, this procedure is probably unique in its precision and depth of detail, as the TIMA5 enables a precise analysis of the thermal properties and thus allows a differentiated evaluation of the thermal pads used and the other thermal interface materials. These measurements go beyond conventional tests and provide detailed insights into the efficiency of heat transfer, which is of central importance for a card of this performance class. The results will not only evaluate the performance of the materials themselves, but will also show their influence on the overall cooling of the card and possible optimization potential. This is precisely why I am including this again at this point. After all, nothing has changed.

Honeywell PTM 7950 phase transition pad

The Honeywell PTM 7950 is an advanced thermal pad based on phase transition materials. It remains solid at room temperature and becomes liquid at operating temperatures, optimally filling the gaps between the GPU and the cooling device. This enables improved heat transfer by minimizing thermal resistance. The material is often used in high-end graphics cards such as the MSI RTX 5080 SUPRIM SOC to ensure constant cooling performance and efficient dissipation of the heat generated by the GPU.

Since I only found remnants on the GPU, I’m using my own measurement of an unused pad from my archive here, as I’ll be putting it back on during assembly. With over 6.3 W/mK, this durable pad is a better solution than almost all available pastes.

The thermal pads on the memory modules

The thermal pad used, with a thermal conductivity of 9.12 W/mK, stands out for its exceptional performance and consistency. It differs from conventional pads due to its dry, almost rolled texture, which is reminiscent of a compacted thermal putty. This material offers some decisive advantages that not only influence the thermal efficiency, but also the mechanical load on the card. The dry and at the same time flexible consistency of the pad enables optimum adaptation to the uneven surfaces of the components and the cooler. This adaptability achieves a maximum contact surface, which significantly improves heat transfer. At the same time, the material structure reduces the pressure exerted on sensitive components such as VRAM modules or voltage converters. This significantly reduces the risk of mechanical damage or stress cracks.

The fact that the pad is good and suitable can also be seen from the almost linear curve, where the thermal resistance also behaves perfectly with increasing pressure and lower layer thickness. Another advantage of the material is its stability. In contrast to conventional, softer pads, which often tend to “bleed” or “oil out” – i.e. the release of liquid components under pressure or heat – this pad remains dimensionally stable and retains its thermal properties even under long-term stress. This not only increases the service life of the pad itself, but also the stability of the entire thermal solution. The material analysis shows that, similar to thermal conductive pastes, aluminum and zinc oxide as well as a silicone-based matrix are used.

The remaining thermal pads (VRM, coils, other active components)

The other thermal pads used, with a thermal conductivity of only 3.3 W/mK, belong to the lower middle class and only meet basic heat transfer requirements. The silicone-free matrix used in these thermal pads is based on special polymers that represent an alternative to conventional silicone-based materials. Such polymers offer several advantages, but also specific challenges when used as a heat conducting material.

Compared to silicone, silicone-free polymers are characterized by greater stability under thermal and mechanical stress. They are less likely to bleed or dry out under pressure or heat, resulting in a longer pad life and more consistent thermal performance. This is particularly important in applications such as graphics cards, where consistent heat transfer and material stability over an extended period of time are critical. Despite these advantages, silicone-free pads are often softer and less dimensionally stable, which reduces their mechanical resilience. They can deform under pressure and thus impair their thermal performance, especially if the pads are applied thinly or unevenly. This deformation is illustrated in the pads described here by the sharp drop in the performance data curve under pressure.

Silicone-free polymers are therefore an interesting solution for thermal pads, as they offer chemical stability and long-term reliability. However, their use requires careful adaptation to the specific requirements, especially when it comes to pressure distribution and mechanical resilience. Optimizations in the material composition could minimize these weaknesses and bring out the advantages even better.

Analysis of vapor chamber and aluminum carrier frame

The large vapor chamber of the MSI GeForce RTX 5080 SUPRIM SOC is, like that of the VANGUARD, made of pure electrolysis copper and is a central element of the cooling concept and has a nickel coating. This design offers several technical advantages that improve both the efficiency of heat dissipation and the longevity of the components. The nickel coating of the vapor chamber offers additional advantages. Nickel is not only corrosion resistant, but also protects the chamber’s sensitive copper surfaces from oxidation. I use the same graphics today because it saves redundant data.

Now we come to the skeleton of the cooler. Aluminum-magnesium alloys are an excellent choice for such frames in high-performance applications like graphics cards, as they offer a good balance of strength, weight and thermal stability. These properties make them particularly suitable for applications that require both mechanical stability and good thermal resilience. A major advantage of aluminum-magnesium alloys is their high strength combined with low weight. The low weight of the alloy reduces the overall mass of the frame, which is particularly important in compact electronic devices in order to minimize mechanical stress on circuit boards and plug connections. At the same time, the high strength ensures that the frame remains dimensionally stable even under high loads, such as those caused by heavy heat sinks or uneven pressure distribution.

In terms of thermal load, aluminum-magnesium alloys offer good thermal conductivity, which is lower than that of pure aluminum but sufficient for most applications. This thermal conductivity makes it possible to effectively dissipate heat from critical components such as voltage transformers. Due to the thermal stability of the alloy, the shape remains constant even during temperature changes, which is an advantage for components with a narrow tolerance range. Another advantage is the high corrosion resistance of aluminum-magnesium alloys, especially if they are additionally nickel-plated, as is the case here. This protects the support frame from oxidation and mechanical wear, even under demanding environmental conditions such as high humidity or dust exposure.

That concludes this section and we can now play another round. Turn the page please!