The MSI GeForce RTX 5080 16G VANGUARD SOC Launch Edition was one of MSI's launch-day flagship RTX 5080 boards, positioned between the GAMING TRIO OC and SUPRIM SOC in MSI's stack, aimed at enthusiasts wanting near-top-tier factory clocks and a distinctive, angular Launch-Edition shroud design. It runs NVIDIA's Blackwell RTX 5080 with 16GB GDDR7 on a 256-bit bus, boosting to 2730MHz in Gaming/Silent mode (2745MHz via MSI Center's Extreme Performance profile). Its triple-fan VANGUARD cooler spans a large 357mm-long, 66mm-thick shroud to manage the 360W TDP. Supports DirectX 12 Ultimate and OpenGL 4.6 up to 7680x4320. Draws power through a single 16-pin connector; MSI recommends an 850W PSU.