EVGA and Samsung have announced that they have teamed up to produce a high-end gaming card under the moniker GTX 1080TNT according to a press release.

The card is based on the NVIDIA GTX 1080 but with a bevy of notable improvements that affect performance and power consumption. For example, it makes use of Samsung's battery technology in a power-balancing feature that protects the card from any surges or unexpected outages. The batteries also enable the card to act as an UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) that will allow customers to keep on gaming even if the power goes out.

As a throwback to the analog days of yesteryear, a special "overclocking timing unit" is integrated into the card. The strikingly deep blue unit allows power users to allocate up to an additional 60 MhZ in clock speed for true high-end gaming performance. An EVGA representative stated that the aesthetic of the switch was inspired by the transformational abstract nature of linear delineation and is only coincidentally visually similar to a common cooking timer.

TechRaptor was given a pair of GTX 1080TNT cards by EVGA for testing and benchmarking purposes. A trained EOD team delivered the cards to newly-hired TechRaptor Hardware Editor Ted Nero. While we have in-house facilities that are equipped to test hardware, we received a visit from a joint FBI/BATFE task force that insisted the testing take place in a more controlled environment and away from populated areas under their supervision. They mentioned past incidents regarding benchmark versions of the card including the ███ ████ ███████ disaster which took place at ██████, ██ and resulted in ██████████ along with ███████ ██████ "charred beyond recognition" ███ █ ██████ finger ██████. Ted decided that it would be wise to heed their advice and hastily complied.

Benchmarks showed that the GTX 1080TNT performed admirably in the early morning hours on-site at the FBI's Hazardous Devices School. Our software indicated a 3% improvement in framerate on average. The card's power consumption was stable overall, although the temperature ranged from 90-95 Celsius during our initial testing. The on-site demolitions expert supervising the tests stated that I had absolutely nothing to worry about from within the hardened concrete bunker 500 feet (152 meters) away from Ted and the testing rig. Unfortunately, as the day progressed, the ambient temperature rose to over 80 degrees Farenheit (26.6 Celsius), which caused a critical failure in the cooling unit of the card.

Ted Nero is survived by his wife and two children.

Although we were eager to continue testing, the federal government has confiscated our surviving benchmark model. Although our only other card is now out of our hands, it's on the market as of November 5th if you'd like to pick one up for yourself. The EVGA/Samsung GeForce GTX1080TNT can be purchased for $599.99 at specialty retailers provided that you have a Federal Explosives License and a robust life insurance policy.

What do you think of the GTX 1080 TNT? Does it sound like this particular card by EVGA and Samsung would be great for gaming? Do you feel that the lawsuits from surviving families of hardware testers are warranted? Let us know in the comments below!