Hi there! As you consider upgrading your graphics card, you may be wondering whether to go with Nvidia‘s latest RTX 4080 or their previous generation 3080 GPU. Both offer awesome performance, but which is better suited for your needs? This comprehensive guide compares all the key specifications, benchmarks, and hardware design differences to help inform your decision.
Overview
The RTX 4080 represents a major generational upgrade over the still-highly-capable RTX 3080 it replaces. Featuring Nvidia‘s new Ada Lovelace architecture, the 4080 boosts frame rates considerably thanks to higher clock speeds, increased CUDA cores, and upgraded Tensor and RT processing cores.
But notably, it also comes at a 70% premium over the 3080‘s initial launch price. Let‘s analyze if the performance and efficiency gains justify the much higher investment to help decide if you should upgrade or not.
Detailed Performance Benchmark Comparison
Thanks to major architectural gains from Ada Lovelace, the RTX 4080 takes 4K gaming performance to the next level over Turing-based GPUs like the 3080.
Across a suite of 22 AAA game titles at max settings, Hardware Unboxed testing revealed the 4080 averaged 89% higher frame rates than the previous gen card at 3840 x 2160 resolution.
We‘re talking the difference between smooth 60 fps gameplay on the 3080 to well over 100+ fps on the 4080 for many games. That allows you to better leverage those high refresh rate monitors for incredibly fluid visuals.
Let‘s get more specific with some actual gaming benchmarks:
| Game Title | RTX 4080 4K FPS | RTX 3080 4K FPS | Performance Gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horizon Zero Dawn | 139 | 75 | +85% |
| Spiderman Remastered | 130 | 71 | +83% |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 88 | 48 | +83% |
| Dying Light 2 | 105 | 77 | +36% |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 108 | 65 | +66% |
*FPS values represent average frame rates with max settings enabled
Beyond raw frames per second, even more important is achieving fast frame time delivery for minimizing perceived input lag while gaming. Here the 4080 particularly impresses – reaching incredibly low 10.3ms frametimes vs the 3080‘s 17.5ms.
Ray tracing and DLSS 3 performance
Modern games are increasingly integrating real-time ray traced global illumination and shadows to boost realism. Unique to the Ada Lovelace architecture, the RTX 4080 also supports Nvidia‘s updated DLSS 3 upscaling technology.
Together these provide a killer advantage for the 4080 in future proofing for cutting edge game engines. For example in the notoriously demanding Cyberpunk 2077 with Ultra quality ray tracing presets, 4K performance leaps from 48 fps to a smooth 88 fps. That‘s almost double the frame rate!
DLSS 3 builds on previous AI neural network training, rendering multiple frames ahead of time for significantly faster throughput. This advantage will continue growing as more titles add support.
Content creation software benchmarks
For 3D animators, CGI artists, video editors and other digital content creators, the 4080 provides excellent performance uplifts over its predecessor as well.
Puget Systems shared workstation benchmarks highlighting real-world gains when leveraging GPU acceleration in various production programs:
| Application | Render Time RTX 4080 | Render Time RTX 3080 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blender BMW Benchmark | 18 sec | 28 sec | 36% faster |
| After Effects 4K Render | 28 sec | 42 sec | 33% faster |
| Davinci Resolve Fairlight Benchmark Score | 1252 | 930 | 35% faster |
| Redshift GPU Render | 31 sec | 52 sec | 67% faster |
So content creators can achieve up to 67% quicker render times across tools like Blender, Premiere Pro, After Effects, DaVinci Resolve and many others. That convenience pays back quickly when tight project deadlines await!
Comparing Hardware Design and Architecture
You‘ll immediately notice a size difference holding these flagship GPUs. The RTX 4080 is considerably larger than its predecessor thanks to beefed up cooling needs. Make sure to double check case clearance!
GPU Size Comparison:
- RTX 4080: 12.3 x 5.35 x 2.12 inches
- RTX 3080: 11.2 x 4.4 x 2.2 inches
That said, the 4080 retains the same 320 watt TDP rating as the 3080. This efficiency comes courtesy of Nvidia‘s new power management in Ada Lovelace. Plus a move to TSMC‘s cutting edge 5nm manufacturing node helps drive those impressive performance-per-watt gains.
Another consideration is power supply requirements. While the RTX 3080 was satisfied by two 8-pin PSU connectors, the more powerful RTX 4080 now needs three dedicated 8-pin inputs. Make sure your power supply can provide adequate headroom!
Feature upgrades in the RTX 4080 include:
- 76 x 3rd-gen RT processing cores (up from 68 on 3080)
- 304 x 4th-gen Tensor processing cores (up from 272)
- Faster 21 Gbps GDDR6X memory vs 19 Gbps modules on the 3080
Combined with a 256-bit memory bus, total bandwidth still exceeds an acceptable 716 GB/s for feeding all those CUDA cores.
So in summary, major generational upgrades across all hardware combine to provide those excellent performance gains revealed in our earlier benchmarks.
Conclusion – Which GPU Should You Get?
For those currently gaming or creating content with an RTX 3080, be honest about your needs and budget when weighing an upgrade.
The value choice is still sticking with a 3080 for smooth 60 fps high resolution gameplay in 2022 titles. It will continue delivering good 1440p performance for several more years thanks to its solid Ampere architecture foundation.
But if blazing 120+ fps frame rates in cutting edge ray traced 4K games gets you excited – the RTX 4080 is an excellent (if expensive) upgrade. AI accelerated rendering via DLSS 3 also helps maximize performance from all those new 3rd and 4th generation cores.
For creative professionals, if you still rely heavily on GPU rendering to accelerate your 3D, video editing or VFX pipelines – the considerable speed boost from new Ada Lovelace Tensor and RT cores makes the 4080 a justifiable option. Just try to negotiate a team upgrade discount from IT!
Either way I hope this detailed RTX 4080 versus 3080 comparison has helped provide good technical insight to inform your own GPU decision. Let me know if any other questions come up!
