GeForce RTX 4080 vs RTX 3080 12 GB

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Aggregate performance score

We've compared GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB and GeForce RTX 4080, covering specs and all relevant benchmarks.

RTX 3080 12 GB
2022
12 GB GDDR6X, 350 Watt
69.20

RTX 4080 outperforms RTX 3080 12 GB by a substantial 30% based on our aggregate benchmark results.

Primary details

GPU architecture, market segment, value for money and other general parameters compared.

Place in the ranking253
Place by popularitynot in top-100not in top-100
Cost-effectiveness evaluation40.9829.01
Power efficiency13.5519.25
ArchitectureAmpere (2020−2024)Ada Lovelace (2022−2024)
GPU code nameGA102AD103
Market segmentDesktopDesktop
Release date11 January 2022 (2 years ago)20 September 2022 (2 years ago)
Launch price (MSRP)$799 $1,199

Cost-effectiveness evaluation

Performance to price ratio. The higher, the better.

RTX 3080 12 GB has 41% better value for money than RTX 4080.

Detailed specifications

General parameters such as number of shaders, GPU core base clock and boost clock speeds, manufacturing process, texturing and calculation speed. Note that power consumption of some graphics cards can well exceed their nominal TDP, especially when overclocked.

Pipelines / CUDA cores89609728
Core clock speed1260 MHz2205 MHz
Boost clock speed1710 MHz2505 MHz
Number of transistors28,300 million45,900 million
Manufacturing process technology8 nm5 nm
Power consumption (TDP)350 Watt320 Watt
Texture fill rate478.8761.5
Floating-point processing power30.64 TFLOPS48.74 TFLOPS
ROPs96112
TMUs280304
Tensor Cores280304
Ray Tracing Cores7076

Form factor & compatibility

Information on compatibility with other computer components. Useful when choosing a future computer configuration or upgrading an existing one. For desktop graphics cards it's interface and bus (motherboard compatibility), additional power connectors (power supply compatibility).

InterfacePCIe 4.0 x16PCIe 4.0 x16
Length285 mm310 mm
Width2-slot3-slot
Supplementary power connectors1x 12-pin1x 16-pin

VRAM capacity and type

Parameters of VRAM installed: its type, size, bus, clock and resulting bandwidth. Integrated GPUs have no dedicated video RAM and use a shared part of system RAM.

Memory typeGDDR6XGDDR6X
Maximum RAM amount12 GB16 GB
Memory bus width384 Bit256 Bit
Memory clock speed1188 MHz1400 MHz
Memory bandwidth912.4 GB/s716.8 GB/s
Shared memory--

Connectivity and outputs

Types and number of video connectors present on the reviewed GPUs. As a rule, data in this section is precise only for desktop reference ones (so-called Founders Edition for NVIDIA chips). OEM manufacturers may change the number and type of output ports, while for notebook cards availability of certain video outputs ports depends on the laptop model rather than on the card itself.

Display Connectors1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a
HDMI++

API compatibility

List of supported 3D and general-purpose computing APIs, including their specific versions.

DirectX12 Ultimate (12_2)12 Ultimate (12_2)
Shader Model6.66.7
OpenGL4.64.6
OpenCL3.03.0
Vulkan1.31.3
CUDA8.68.9

Synthetic benchmark performance

Non-gaming benchmark results comparison. The combined score is measured on a 0-100 point scale.


Combined synthetic benchmark score

This is our combined benchmark score. We are regularly improving our combining algorithms, but if you find some perceived inconsistencies, feel free to speak up in comments section, we usually fix problems quickly.

RTX 3080 12 GB 69.20
RTX 4080 89.84
+29.8%

Passmark

This is the most ubiquitous GPU benchmark. It gives the graphics card a thorough evaluation under various types of load, providing four separate benchmarks for Direct3D versions 9, 10, 11 and 12 (the last being done in 4K resolution if possible), and few more tests engaging DirectCompute capabilities.

RTX 3080 12 GB 26666
RTX 4080 34617
+29.8%

3DMark 11 Performance GPU

3DMark 11 is an obsolete DirectX 11 benchmark by Futuremark. It used four tests based on two scenes, one being few submarines exploring the submerged wreck of a sunken ship, the other is an abandoned temple deep in the jungle. All the tests are heavy with volumetric lighting and tessellation, and despite being done in 1280x720 resolution, are relatively taxing. Discontinued in January 2020, 3DMark 11 is now superseded by Time Spy.

RTX 3080 12 GB 217116
+152%
RTX 4080 86267

3DMark Vantage Performance

3DMark Vantage is an outdated DirectX 10 benchmark using 1280x1024 screen resolution. It taxes the graphics card with two scenes, one depicting a girl escaping some militarized base located within a sea cave, the other displaying a space fleet attack on a defenseless planet. It was discontinued in April 2017, and Time Spy benchmark is now recommended to be used instead.

RTX 3080 12 GB 44533
RTX 4080 143194
+222%

3DMark Fire Strike Graphics

Fire Strike is a DirectX 11 benchmark for gaming PCs. It features two separate tests displaying a fight between a humanoid and a fiery creature made of lava. Using 1920x1080 resolution, Fire Strike shows off some realistic graphics and is quite taxing on hardware.

RTX 3080 12 GB 35922
RTX 4080 57903
+61.2%

3DMark Cloud Gate GPU

Cloud Gate is an outdated DirectX 11 feature level 10 benchmark that was used for home PCs and basic notebooks. It displays a few scenes of some weird space teleportation device launching spaceships into unknown, using fixed resolution of 1280x720. Just like Ice Storm benchmark, it has been discontinued in January 2020 and replaced by 3DMark Night Raid.

RTX 3080 12 GB 549644
+196%
RTX 4080 185431

3DMark Ice Storm GPU

Ice Storm Graphics is an obsolete benchmark, part of 3DMark suite. Ice Storm was used to measure entry level laptops and Windows-based tablets performance. It utilizes DirectX 11 feature level 9 to display a battle between two space fleets near a frozen planet in 1280x720 resolution. Discontinued in January 2020, it is now superseded by 3DMark Night Raid.

RTX 3080 12 GB 51
RTX 4080 769721
+1515099%

Gaming performance

Let's see how good the compared graphics cards are for gaming. Particular gaming benchmark results are measured in FPS.

Average FPS across all PC games

Here are the average frames per second in a large set of popular games across different resolutions:

Full HD186
−28.5%
239
+28.5%
1440p119
−39.5%
166
+39.5%
4K82
−31.7%
108
+31.7%

Cost per frame, $

1080p4.305.02
1440p6.717.22
4K9.7411.10

FPS performance in popular games

Full HD
Low Preset

Cyberpunk 2077 130−140
−72.4%
231
+72.4%

Full HD
Medium Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 140−150
−28.9%
180−190
+28.9%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 120−130
−111%
262
+111%
Battlefield 5 220−230
−10.4%
240−250
+10.4%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 110−120
−0.8%
120−130
+0.8%
Cyberpunk 2077 130−140
−72.4%
231
+72.4%
Far Cry 5 110−120
−0.9%
110−120
+0.9%
Far Cry New Dawn 160−170
−18.9%
200−210
+18.9%
Forza Horizon 4 230−240
−12.7%
260−270
+12.7%
Hitman 3 120−130
+0%
120−130
+0%
Horizon Zero Dawn 250−260
−25.4%
300−350
+25.4%
Metro Exodus 150−160
+0%
150−160
+0%
Red Dead Redemption 2 120−130
−2.5%
120−130
+2.5%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 290−300
−39.3%
400−450
+39.3%
Watch Dogs: Legion 150−160
−1.3%
150−160
+1.3%

Full HD
High Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 140−150
−28.9%
180−190
+28.9%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 120−130
−75%
217
+75%
Battlefield 5 220−230
−10.4%
240−250
+10.4%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 110−120
−0.8%
120−130
+0.8%
Cyberpunk 2077 130−140
−56.7%
210
+56.7%
Far Cry 5 110−120
−0.9%
110−120
+0.9%
Far Cry New Dawn 160−170
−18.9%
200−210
+18.9%
Forza Horizon 4 230−240
−12.7%
260−270
+12.7%
Hitman 3 120−130
+0%
120−130
+0%
Horizon Zero Dawn 250−260
−25.4%
300−350
+25.4%
Metro Exodus 150−160
+0%
150−160
+0%
Red Dead Redemption 2 120−130
−2.5%
120−130
+2.5%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 356
−43.8%
512
+43.8%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 140−150
−39.2%
200−210
+39.2%
Watch Dogs: Legion 150−160
−1.3%
150−160
+1.3%

Full HD
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 140−150
−28.9%
180−190
+28.9%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 120−130
−52.4%
189
+52.4%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 110−120
−0.8%
120−130
+0.8%
Cyberpunk 2077 130−140
−41.8%
190
+41.8%
Far Cry 5 110−120
−0.9%
110−120
+0.9%
Forza Horizon 4 230−240
−12.7%
260−270
+12.7%
Hitman 3 120−130
+0%
120−130
+0%
Horizon Zero Dawn 263
−50.6%
396
+50.6%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 314
−52.9%
480
+52.9%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 165
−57%
259
+57%
Watch Dogs: Legion 95
−72.6%
164
+72.6%

Full HD
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2 120−130
−2.5%
120−130
+2.5%

1440p
High Preset

Battlefield 5 160−170
−0.6%
160−170
+0.6%
Far Cry New Dawn 110−120
−1.8%
110−120
+1.8%

1440p
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 80−85
−37%
110−120
+37%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 85−90
−73.9%
153
+73.9%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 80−85
−1.2%
80−85
+1.2%
Cyberpunk 2077 70−75
−76.7%
129
+76.7%
Far Cry 5 80−85
−3.7%
80−85
+3.7%
Forza Horizon 4 270−280
+0%
270−280
+0%
Hitman 3 100−110
−29.7%
130−140
+29.7%
Horizon Zero Dawn 206
−61.2%
332
+61.2%
Metro Exodus 116
−28.4%
149
+28.4%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 236
−65.3%
390
+65.3%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 120−130
−54%
191
+54%
Watch Dogs: Legion 230−240
−0.4%
240−250
+0.4%

1440p
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2 110−120
−13.2%
120−130
+13.2%

4K
High Preset

Battlefield 5 85−90
−1.1%
85−90
+1.1%
Far Cry New Dawn 65−70
+0%
65−70
+0%
Hitman 3 78
−6.4%
80−85
+6.4%
Horizon Zero Dawn 220−230
+0%
220−230
+0%
Metro Exodus 100−110
−30.3%
140−150
+30.3%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 132
−41.7%
187
+41.7%

4K
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 55−60
−42.1%
80−85
+42.1%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 50−55
−85.2%
100
+85.2%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 50−55
−2%
50−55
+2%
Cyberpunk 2077 30−35
−85.3%
63
+85.3%
Far Cry 5 50−55
+0%
50−55
+0%
Forza Horizon 4 110−120
−67.2%
190−200
+67.2%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 142
−37.3%
195
+37.3%
Watch Dogs: Legion 55
−58.2%
87
+58.2%

4K
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2 70−75
−50%
110−120
+50%

This is how RTX 3080 12 GB and RTX 4080 compete in popular games:

  • RTX 4080 is 28% faster in 1080p
  • RTX 4080 is 39% faster in 1440p
  • RTX 4080 is 32% faster in 4K

Here's the range of performance differences observed across popular games:

  • in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, with 1080p resolution and the Medium Preset, the RTX 4080 is 111% faster.

All in all, in popular games:

  • RTX 4080 is ahead in 63 tests (88%)
  • there's a draw in 9 tests (13%)

Pros & cons summary


Performance score 69.20 89.84
Recency 11 January 2022 20 September 2022
Maximum RAM amount 12 GB 16 GB
Chip lithography 8 nm 5 nm
Power consumption (TDP) 350 Watt 320 Watt

RTX 4080 has a 29.8% higher aggregate performance score, an age advantage of 8 months, a 33.3% higher maximum VRAM amount, a 60% more advanced lithography process, and 9.4% lower power consumption.

The GeForce RTX 4080 is our recommended choice as it beats the GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB in performance tests.


Should you still have questions concerning choice between the reviewed GPUs, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.

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NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB
GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080
GeForce RTX 4080

Comparisons with similar GPUs

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Community ratings

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