Aurora R8, GeForce RTX 2080 Super, manufacturer?

Question

Hi All,

I've been looking around and this is the closest thread I could find that could help me with my gpu question. Anyways, I just got my Aurora R8 yesterday and I was also curious to see what kind of GeForce RTX that was sent to me. I was disappointed when I saw the inside because customer service via chat assured me that the GPU will be the Founders Edition but I got the MSI Aero instead based on what @r72019 description.

I even made sure and spoke to 3 different customer reps that I am getting the Founders Edition and even showed each one of them a picture by sending a link. I saved the chat transcripts and I really want to complain because I felt like I got hustled by not being honest. I felt like they were just really trying to sell the desktop. Even the tech reviewers on YouTube who reviewed the Aurora R8 have Founders Edition installed. So misleading and it is like false advertising.

The one that I got is a GeForce RTX 2080 Super and according to @DELL-Chris M this is it:

WXFDY MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Super, 8GB, DP 1.4/DP 1.4/DP 1.4/USB Type-C, 250w

I cannot speak to the Founders Edition discussion that you had with the Dell Canada Sales agents. I can see that you did not purchase WXFDY. You purchased =
84KCH Nvidia/MSI RTX 2080 Super DP 1.4/DP 1.4/DP 1.4/HDMI
DELL-Chris M

There is only one GeForce RTX 2080 Super listed and the ports listed does not coincide with what I have. I only have DP 1.4/DP 1.4/DP 1.4/HDMI. Can someone help me and confirm that I have the correct card? I checked GPU-Z and everything checks out. But I am also having the same problem like @Mike.eve and getting the same "We could not find your GPU in our database, which may not yet display rare or unreleased devices" message.

Thanks,

MC85!

r72019 · Accepted Answer

Founders, reference, MSI, etc.

Nvidia designs GPUs, and sells (licenses) the right to manufacturer that design to third parties like MSI, EVGA, etc. When the third party follows that exact design, that is called a reference card. Because it follows exactly the specs provided by Nvidia. Visually, at a high level, for RTX, a card with a blower shroud is not reference, because the reference card design calls for a double fan shroud, as opposed to a blower shroud, covering the PCB.

Nvidia also sells its own cards using the reference design. In this case, this is called a Founders Edition card, because Nvidia is the "founder" so to speak. Yours, being custom spec'ed for Dell by MSI, isn't a Founders card. The reason why Founders edition cards are popular, is because the GPU chips are often silicon lottery winners, so to speak. The cream of the production crop. So they command a price premium.

A card which deviates or improves upon the reference design, is neither a reference nor a founders card. So what you have here. Aside from a "nice to have" I doubt performance is going to be noticeably impacted, and honestly like @Anonymous said, the blower design is better for this SFF case anyway. You'd probably be thermally throttled sooner, if anything, on an reference design with the double fan open air shroud.

So yeah, I'd be upset about being given incorrect information, but I don't think your'e worse off for it. You should enjoy what you have and put it to you.

GTS81 · Answer

@MC8515 :

I read about the EXACT issue but with 2080 Ti on a thread in this community circa 2018. The folks in that discussions are hardcore gamers who know exactly what they want from their RTX and as expected, pitchforks and torches were out when they opened their machine to find the generic card inside.

Now I cannot find that thread anymore. So I might be liable if I quoted from that thread but I remember that folks were contacting Frank Azor, then still with Dell, and he said on Twitter that whoever paid for the FE card will get an FE card. If I can find that thread later today, I'll post it here.

Of course, now that Frank Azor is with AMD, you're pretty much out of luck.

That was one of the threads that guided me in my purchase decision for my R8; A cheapest baseline config with biggest discount. Cheap unknown RX560 shipped with the R8 gets booted once, tested, and then removed and sold on online auction site within 2 months. I even an MSI RX580 8GB Armor OC shipped to my home 2 days before the R8 arrived.

If you're like me and very picky about your graphics card (I'm totally in camp EVGA now), I suggest you look into that 30-day return policy unless you can get Dell to ship you that FE ASAP.

MC8515 · Answer

Yes, it’s a MSI version of the RTX 2080 and Dell Chat assured me that it was going to be the Founders Edition.

MC8515 · Answer

Thanks for confirming Chris M

MC8515 · Answer

Correct me if I’m wrong @GTS81 but it depends on what manufacturer your card is it does effect performance?

I also doubt if Dell would send me another card. I don’t mind this MSI Aero version I guess but I just dont like being lied to. The Founders Edition is one of the selling points that’s why I got the PC. It’s like a sells tactic that I despise misleading the customer what they’re going to get.

r72019 · Answer

I meant to conclude with 'and put it to use' (not you).  AI bot prevents me from fixing my earlier post though.

MC8515 · Answer

@DELL-Chris M @Anonymous @GTS81 @r72019

This is really a great community and thank you all for replying to my query. After reading each response I feel less aggravated. Thank you for explaining the difference between the FE and the Aero and thanks again for confirming what kind of gpu I have. I still feel bad that 3 different customer agents assured me that I will get the FE version but since this card is better thermally and I got confirmation about the ports, I can put my mind at ease. I guess I am not the only one who felt being misled since they gave out FE 2080 TI's before when people complained.

Thanks again guys.

Alienware Desktops

Aurora R8, GeForce RTX 2080 Super, manufacturer?

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