Nvidia has unveiled a PC graphics card for 2016 based on its new Pascal architecture. That essentially means that it is a massive step up from what has come before - even the mighty Titan X.

The Pascal GPU architecture has greater memory bandwidth and power efficiency than any of its predecessors, meaning that the card can potentially turn a PC into the best gaming device ever.

Here then are some of the stats and details to give you an idea of why we think it could change the landscape of PC gaming.

What is the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 and what can it do?

If you are the sort of gamer that wants the very best and is willing to swap out kit in your PC to get it, the GeForce GTX 1080 is the best graphics card Nvidia has made to date.

The GPU comes with 2560 Nvidia CUDA cores and runs at 1607MHz (base clock), 1733MHz (boost).

There is 8GB of GDDR5X RAM on board and, most impressively, is capable of resolutions up to 7680 x 4320 (running at 60Hz). That's 8K at 60fps... wow.

It is also compatible with HDCP 2.2 and has a HDMI 2.0 output, so can play protected 4K content (such as 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray) to a compatible TV or monitor.

Remarkably, thanks to the enhanced power management, it only requires a recommended system power of 500W. PC rig builders are more used to cards requiring 600W power supplies and above.

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 release date

A "Founders Edition" of the card will be available from 27 May. It will be available from a number of different graphics card manufacturers: Asus, Colorful, EVGA, Gainward, Galaxy, Gigabyte, Innovision 3D, MSI, Nvidia, Palit, PNY and Zotac.

There will also be custom boards from many manufacturers too. Release dates for those are yet to come.

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 price

The Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition graphics card comes with a recommended retail price of $699 (£483). The custom boards will start are around $599 (£394).

The UK prices shown above are based on current exchange rates. The actual UK retail prices are yet to be revealed.

A lesser spec'ed GeForce GTX 1070 will be available from June starting at $379 (£262).

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 vs GTX Titan X

Most comparisons made at the launch of the GTX 1080 were against the company's previous king of the hill, the GTX Titan X (which we currently use in our rig).

The Titan X is still an incredible graphics card and slices through 4K game outputs like sweet, sweet butter. However, the GTX 1080 beats it in several respects.

Not only is it capable of a much higher digital resolution (7680 x 4320 over 5129 x 3200), Nvidia claims it is two times more powerful, yet is three times more power efficient.

That's an even more remarkable feat considering the average Titan X has more GPU cores and RAM (3072 and 12GB over 2560 and 8GB). Importantly, the GPU of the 1080 is capable of clock speeds over 1700MHz. The Titan X is just over 1000MHz without overclocking.

PC builders will also be grateful that the 1080 is the same physical size as the Titan X, so can be swapped easily: 4.376-inches by 10.5-inches.

It's also worth pointing out that, even though it is technically more powerful, the GTX 1080 is around half the price of the Titan X.

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 games and demos

We're still to see the GTX 1080 in action and will test it ourselves in time, but during the Nvidia launch event the company's CEO, Jen-Hsun Huang, and partners did show several games running using the card.

As part of the launch announcement, Epic Games showed some renders from its forthcoming game Paragon running using a GTX 1080. We think you'll agree that it looks pretty awesome.

However, more awesome still is Doom, running on ultra settings at a staggering 200fps.

We'll add more demonstrations as they become available. Check back for more later.