The RTX 3000 series is by far the biggest generational leap over the RTX 2000 series that everyone in the PC industry has seen in a long time. Not only is 4K gaming is accessible more than ever before, but the MSRP was also highly competitive, leaving no room for AMD to relax. In theory, the 3080 is a beast released to replace the 2080 but also traded blows with the flagship RTX 2080 Ti from the last generation with a massive price difference. The RTX 3000 series is pure innovation, taking the crown as the new king of the hill. With the RTX 3080, we are looking at a whopping 28 billion transistors, twice the number over the previous fastest graphics card, the 2080 Ti. In this article, we will be looking at a few RTX 3080 versions by Nvidia AIB partners and the gaming performance of this beast at 1440p and 4K, respectively. I will be diving briefly into the design, architecture, gaming performance, and other necessary basics and then the final verdict. So, without any further ado, let us get to the article.
Best Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Graphics Cards – Comparison Chart
A Quick Look At The Best RTX 3080 GPUs:
Best RTX 3080
At a glance, let me share some typical specs of the RTX 3080 Founder’s Edition by Nvidia. The RTX 3080 has 8704 Cuda cores, 1440 GHz / 1710 GHz clocking speeds with a 320-bit memory interface, and 10Gb of G6X video ram. Now, let’s discuss some of the best RTX 3080 graphics cards below:
#1- ASUS ROG STRIX GeForce RTX 3080 OC
First up, we have the ROG STRIX RTX 3080 based on Nvidia’s Ampere architecture. The ROG series of graphics cards are usually the fastest graphics cards with the best GPU boost clocks in the market, dominating the high-end graphics card market.
Clock Speed: Base Clock 1440 MHz & 1935 MHz Boost Clock. Video Memory: 10GB GDDR6X. Bus Standard: PCI Express 4.0. Recommended PSU: 850W. Power Consumption: 300W To 400W. Power Connectors: 3x 8-pin. Ports: 3x Native DisplayPort 1.4a & 2x Native HDMI 2.1 Dimensions: 12.5 x 5.5 x 2.2 Inch
Attractive, metallic design RGB lighting adds more to the aesthetics Outstanding 1440p and 4K gaming performance Fastest and the coolest out-of-the-box RTX 3080 version in the market Support for five displays on a single unit Solid build quality and high-quality components on the PCB.
Higher power draw, almost 9 percent lower than the RTX 3090 Founders Edition.
The ROX STRIX 3080 is no different. It is more inclined towards better boost clocks, cooling, build quality, and aesthetics, due to these reasons, you will find the ROG STRIX cards as the most expensive versions of the GPUs manufactured by Nvidia. The ROG STRIX 3080 runs a 2.9-slot, triple axial-tech design fans, metallic front plate, integrated RGB on the top giving a waterfall-like lighting effect, gorgeous metallic backplate, and 5x output slots to accommodate up to five displays on a single unit. It features 3x DisplayPort 1.4a and 2x HDMI 2.1 ports. The build quality is solid, featuring top-shelf capacitors, chokes, and MOSFETs on the ROG STRIX RTX 3080. Rest assured; you cannot find any graphics card with more premium components than this beast. Looking directly at the 1440p and 4K results, the card maintained a decent lead over the Founders Edition, gaining up to 7 percent more FPS in the best-case scenario. The card still maintained a led at every resolution due to the faster clocks than FE. ASUS did an excellent job with their ROG STRIX 3080 with performance and cooling performance. Under extreme stress, the card managed to stay around the 65 degrees Celsius mark, making it officially the most chill graphics card compared with other versions of the 3080. Despite it having a way faster clock speed than the Founders Edition, it still maintained lower thermals than the FE, which is nothing but impressive.
#2- MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Suprim X
MSI RTX 3080 Suprim X graphics card is the company’s latest, premium version of the 3080. With the release of this graphics card, MSI has officially debuted its new “Suprim” lineup of graphics cards for the general masses. The ROG STRIX 3080 is one of the best RTX 3080 cards that you can get your hands on these days. It features a complete package in a single unit. It is by far the biggest generational leap over the RTX 2000 series of the graphics card. Sure, the custom AIB cards cost more than the Founders Edition, but I would not mind paying an extra few hundred dollars for this level of gaming performance and the lowest temperatures than any other 3080 version out-of-the-box. ASUS perfectly implements their ROG STRIX formula with the new ROG STRIX 3080. With the RBG lighting on top, metallic finish paired with bold design, and excellent stable overclock, the powerhouse of a GPU is more than ready to shred any game at any resolution from 1080p to 4K. It is for every person, from content creators to competitive and casual campaign players.
Clock Speed: 1920 MHz (Dragon Center) & 1905 MHz (Gaming & Silent Mode) Video Memory: 10GB GDDR6X. Bus Standard: PCI Express 4.0. Recommended PSU: 850W. Power Consumption: 370W. Power Connectors: 3x 8-pin. Ports: 3x DisplayPort v1.4a & 1x HDMI 2.1. Dimensions: 13.2 x 5.5 x 2.4 Inch
Huge performance boost over the preceding RTX 2080 and 2080 Ti graphics cards. Solid 4K performance with over 60 FPS in most games at ultra-quality graphics settings. Excellent cooling performance. Outstanding Overclocking headroom. Attractive design featuring metallic frontplate and backplate. Dual BIOS modes.
Higher power draw. Bulky card, might not fit in most cases.
This new brand extension is placed above the Gaming X TRIO line of GPUs, according to MSI. It features a higher clock speed and comes with a bunch of exclusive features like a redesigned, solid nickel-plated copper baseplate combined with an array of heat pipes for outstanding thermal performance. On the back, the GPU features a metal backplate coupled with thermal pads underneath for additional cooling. Let us take a look at the gaming performance of this GPU. At base clock speed, the card performance is similar to the performance of the 3080 Founders Edition. Out of the five games benchmarks that I have seen, the 3080 Suprim delivered exceptional results, only being single-digit percent slower than the 3090 at 1080p and 4K. The difference shrunk to a mere couple of FPS at 4K, making the 3080 Surpim a high value for money card, taking the price ratio of the 3090 and 3080 into account. The cooling performance of the card is also impressive at an RPM of 1350. We are looking at around 77 degrees Celsius – the highest in the competition, behind the Founders Edition. At 1988 RPM, the temperature significantly dropped up to 67 degrees Celsius, with mediocre noise levels at around 34 dBA. It is not the quietest, but not the worst either.
#3- ZOTAC GeForce RTX 3080 Trinity OC
The ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 3080 Trinity is the high-end version with a custom triple-fan form factor for cooling the GA102 GPU beneath the attractive, metallic front plate much cooler than the Founders Edition. The MSI RTX 3080 Suprim is the new premium end graphics card by MSI. The company debuted the new “Suprim” line-up of graphics cards, built exclusively for the enthusiastic and content creators, with the release of this graphics. This card is perfect for a fluid 4K gaming experience and best suited for monitors with higher refresh rates. It is also decent for 1440p and high-refresh-rate gaming, but at 1080p, it is overkill, and I do not recommend it for that resolution. However, if you are aiming for 1080p and 240Hz or above refresh rate gaming, then the 3080 is again a decent choice. If you are determined to purchase the Gaming RTX 3080 Suprim graphics card, make sure you have enough room for the card for decent cooling performance, otherwise not only you will have trouble fitting the graphics card, but you may face high temps in gaming, despite the fans running at their maximum RPM. Lastly, that’s why this card is the top-class all-round best RTX 3080 graphics card.
Clock Speed: 1725 MHz Boost Clock Video Memory: 10GB GDDR6X Bus Standard: PCI Express 4.0. Recommended PSU: 750W. Power Consumption: 320W. Power Connectors: 2x 8-pin. Ports: 1x HDMI 2.1 & 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. Dimensions: 12.5 x 4.8 x 2.3 Inch
Gorgeous metallic build with RGB aesthetics. Attractive RGB integrated backplate. Killer 4K gaming performance. Solid build quality. Impressive cooling performance. Relatively quieter than most high-end RTX 3080 versions.
Slower card than the Founders Edition at the same price.
ZOTAC graphics cards are not the fastest in the market and have many similar-looking graphics cards with similar product names, which can confuse a lot of people. ZOTAC has multiple different versions of the 3080, three excluding LHR versions. AMP Holo, Trinity, and Trinity OC. Out of these three versions, the RTX 3080 Trinity OC stands in the middle with a boost clock of 1725 MHz, 3 percent slower than the AMP Holo and 1 percent faster than the RTX 3080 Trinity. Looks-wise, it features a decent triple-fan design with an integrated RGB metallic front and backplate, that will easily blend with the aesthetics of the PC. The gaming and benchmarks performance is underwhelming and fell short of the Founders Edition by significant difference, at the same price. Do not let the results get you if you have a beefy PSU and ample airflow in your PC, with careful tweaks, the 3080 Trinity OC can potentially produce better results than the Founders Edition. It is a decent card overall for anyone looking for an RTX 3080 right now.
#4- MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Gaming Z Trio
The Gaming RTX 3080 Gaming Z TRIO is a thick, high-end graphics card version of the RTX 3080 by MSI. It is one of the many different versions of the RTX 3080 that can give a person a headache in no time. ZOTAC has a decent variety of RTX 3080 series of graphics cards for the consumers to choose from, with competitive prices than most of the custom build graphics cards by Nvidia AIB partners. Zotac most graphics cards have similar performance as the Founders Edition with an attractive-looking cooler attached on the top. Out of the three different 3080 versions, the 3080 Trinity OC lies in the middle, slower than the Founders Edition but still offers a fluid performance. If you are in for the looks, the 3080 Trinity OC offers a sumptuous design as a plus, and during the graphics cards shortage and over-budget prices, that graphics card is a satisfactory purchase. Well, this concludes my top three best RTX 3080 cards. Now let’s move on to the next ones below!
Clock Speed: 1830 Boost Clock. Video Memory: 10GB GDDR6X. Bus Standard: PCI Express 4.0. Recommended PSU: 750W Power Consumption: 370W. Power Connectors: 3x 8-pin. Ports: 1x HDMI & 3x DisplayPort v1.4a. Dimensions: 12.7 x 5.5 x 2.2 Inch.
Outstanding 4K gaming performance. Formidable cooling performance. Support bracket included to prevent the GPU from bending. Impressive noise levels compared to the competition. Aesthetically pleasing design that can blend with any PC.
Bulky heatsink requires decent room in PC with good overflow. High TDP with triple 8-slot connectors.
MSI has twenty-four different versions including, LHR versions. LHR versions are for people who want the card for gaming purposes only and do not want to mine any cryptocurrency. Out of these many versions, which version should I get? It is a question a lot of people will ask. The main differences between these versions are their ability to mine cryptocurrency (non-LHR version can mine crypto at better rates), cooler, aesthetics, and clock speeds. The Gaming Z TRIO features one of the best clock speeds in the MSI 3080 lineup with up to 1830 MHz of boost clock, way faster than Founders Editions and other competing cards. Due to the faster factory tweak, you can expect better and faster performance than the FE and competing graphics cards. It has everything that you would like, a high-end card, excellent gaming and cooling performance, adequate noise levels, and not to forget RGB embedded metallic front and backplate.
#5- EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 XC3 Ultra
Here we have the EVGA RTX 3080 XC3 Ultra graphics card. It is EVGA’s most affordable version of the RTX 3080 with some outstanding engineering wonders. If there is one thing about EVGA GPUs is the amazing value that they offer. Special thanks to EVGA engineers. The PC gaming industry is going through one of the roughest periods of all time. It has been hard for gamers to get their hands on the latest RTX 3000 graphics card lineup. Using the Founders Edition as a reference card, you will find multiple versions manufactured by AIBs. The Gaming Z TRIO is one of the faster versions that try to check all of the important boxes. You might wonder which MSI 3080 version you should get. The answer is the clocks and the design that will fit with the aesthetics of your system. The Gaming Z TRIO will take you on a pleasant 4K gaming journey and make the purchase worth every dollar it costs (unless you bought it from a scalper). That’s why the “MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Gaming Z Trio” takes the 4th spot on our best RTX 3080 list.
Clock Speed: 1755 MHz Boost Clock. Video Memory: 10GB GDDR6X. Bus Standard: PCI Express 4.0. Recommended PSU: 750W. Power Consumption: 320W. Power Connectors: 2x 8-pin. Ports: 1x HDMI & 3x DisplayPort v1.4a. Dimensions: 11.2 x 4.3 x 2.2 Inch.
Impressive lower noise levels than most AIBs. Superb 4K gaming experience Two 8-pin power connectors Budget-friendly than most 3080 versions Faster clocks than the RTX 3080 Founders Edition
Runs hotter than most 3080 variants.
Let us say this is one of the entry-level 3080s built by AIBs matching the performance of the Founders Editions. It features a triple fan design with a metallic build similar to the majority of the EVGA graphics cards. On the back, it features an LED RGB-lit logo, as well as on the top. The RGB lighting, after being turned off, surprisingly does not bother the eyes. Now, out of many different 3080s, the RTX 3080 XC3 Ultra runs the hottest, but on the other hand, it has unparalleled noise levels, possibly one of the quietest versions of the RTX 3080s. The gaming performance of the card is similar to other competing cards, it is not the fastest, but it still manages to cross the Founders Edition. It is nearly impossible to find a perfect product due to multiple factors, and the XC3 Ultra is no exception, but if I have to run the graphics card a few degrees higher than the reference card to have the additional performance boost, I will take it, and I recommend everyone to do the same.
#6- Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3080 GAMING OC
The GeForce RTX 3080 Gaming OC is the gaming beast by Gigabyte, featuring a faster clock speed than the Founders Edition, thanks to the custom WindForce cooler and configuration. An underwhelming RTX 3080 is still a beast and a worthy upgrade from anything you have been using in the past. With that said, the EVGA RTX 3080 XC3 Ultra is a decent 3080 graphics card that checks all of the necessary boxes a best RTX 3080 card should have. It might not be the ideal 3080 graphics card, but it will get the job done. It crushes gaming at 4K with over 70 FPS in most games with very few exceptions. One noticeable flaw of this card is it runs hotter as EVGA sacrificed lower temps for lower noise, but with tweaks, this average version of the 3080 can be turned into a beast.
Clock Speed: 1800 MHz Boost Clock. Video Memory: 10GB GDDR6X. Bus Standard: PCI Express 4.0. Recommended PSU: 750W. Power Consumption: 300W To 350W. Power Connectors: 2x 8-pin. Ports: 3x DisplayPort v1.4a & 1x HDMI 2.1. Dimensions: 12.5 x 5.0 x 2.16 Inch.
Premium build quality. Exceptional cooling performance. Attractive design with metallic backplate for increased protection. Splendid gaming performance at 4K. High boost clock speed out-of-the-box. Dual BIOSes for a silent or Overclock experience.
Bulky, large card can prone to GPU sag.
The aesthetics of the graphics card are not for everyone. It is a bulky GPU, lacks RGB but looking at the bigger picture, it has a pleasing design that you can stare in awe for hours. If you want to know why this card is listed amongst the best RTX 3080 cards you should read more below to know more! The design also complements the airflow, thus improving the overall cooling performance of the GPU, way better than some custom-built 3080s and the Founders Edition. The graphics card might not be the most attractive in the aesthetics department, but on the inside, it is still a beast that you would expect the 3080 to be. Crushing the benchmarks and gaming results. Offering up to 21 percent of performance boost at 1080p, 1440p, and 4k respectively, over the preceding 2080 Ti on average. Besides performance, cooling is one of the most crucial features of any graphics card. For a graphics card that consumes whopping 300+ watts of power during gaming, it is critical to have a decent cooler, and the Gaming OC WindForce cooler is well equipped and does an amazing job. It keeps the graphics card around the 70 degrees Celsius mark, if cooling and gaming performance has higher priority for you, you will be pretty happy to snag this RTX 3080 Gaming OC.
#7- Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Founders Edition
The RTX 3000 series is an impressive graphics card launch and quite successful too. Theoretically speaking, the RTX 3080 Founders Edition is a beast no matter which perspective you look it at from. Being able to find a decent-performing graphics card having everything for a fluid 4K gaming experience is nothing but a miracle. The RTX 3080 Gaming OC is one of the cards that let the performance do the talking, rather than the RGB and cutting-edge designs. Do not get me wrong, the design of this beast is still outstanding, and I am a huge fan of minimalistic design with a subtle hint of RGB. From a consumer perspective, I would be pretty happy to get my hands on this beast if possible, not only it has killer 4K performance, but the cooler’s performance is equally impressive. Though if you do not have enough room on your PC, you might face trouble installing this monster in your rig. Other than that there is nothing that can stop this card from featuring in this best RTX 3080 card list.
Clock Speed: 1440 MHz Base Clock & 1710 MHz Boost Clock. Video Memory: 10 GB GDDR6X. Bus Standard: PCI Express 4.0. Recommended PSU: 750W. Power Consumption: 320W. Power Connectors: 2x 8-pin. Ports: 3x DisplayPort v1.4a & 1x HDMI 2.1. Dimensions: 11.2 x 4.4 x 2.2 Inch.
Excellent value product over the graphics card from the past. Unique, eye-catching design. Marvelous cooling performance. Formidable gaming performance for optimal 4K gaming experience. Astonishing cost-per-frame value making it highly affordable.
Lack of RGB might not please everyone.
It packs 28 billion transistors, 50 percent more than the 2080 TI, 8704 CUDA Cores, 100 percent more than what the world’s fastest 2080 Ti had to offer. Practically, twice the number of transistors or CUDA Cores does not mean a 100 percent increase in the performance but a 40 percent increase. This increase is still an impressive feat. For gaming, this graphics card is overkill for 1080p gaming, however, for high refresh rate monitors like 240 Hz, for instance, you cannot choose a better graphics card than the 3080 FE for 1080p and 1440 gaming. The gains at 1440p and 4K vary from 20 percent to 50 percent in some titles. At 4K, the performance gain ranges roughly between 50 to 80 percent. Such gaming performance is made possible due to high power consumption. The graphics card consumes around 320 watts on average. If you are rocking a beefy PSU in your PC, you are good to go. Otherwise, you might want to get a new PSU. Overall, the Founders Edition is an excellent job done by Nvidia, offering up to 70 percent performance gains over the RTX 2080 TI.
#8- EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 FTW3 Ultra
The EVGA RTX 3080 FTW3 Ultra is the company’s premium version of the RTX 3080 that everyone is trying their hardest to get their hands on. It features the classic wave-like frontplate design that EVGA cards are known for in the PC hardware market. The RTX 3080 Founders Edition is the new 4K gaming king, delivering outstanding gaming and cooling performance for a pleasant next-gen experience. It is a worthy upgrade in many ways, hardware, power, and size, as well as, its capabilities of running games at 4K with ray-tracing. It also supports DLSS 2.0 for an unrivaled gaming pleasure that the world has never experienced before. It features the third generation of tensor cores and second generation of RT cores which emerges it as the champion from the competing graphics cards. It has decent overclock potential, and if a Founders Edition of 3080 is within your grasp, I would suggest you grab it ASAP before it is too late at a decent price, however.
Clock Speed: 1800 MHz Boost Clock. Video Memory: 10GB GDDR6X. Bus Standard: PCI Express 4.0. Recommended PSU: 750W. Power Consumption: 320W. Power Connectors: 3x 8-pin. Ports: 1x HDMI 2.1 & 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. Dimensions: 11.81 x 5.38 x 2.75 Inch.
One of the fastest versions of the RTX 3080. Excellent headroom for overclocking. Surprisingly silent under stress. ARGB lighting system adds value to the aesthetics. Dual BIOSes for desired performance.
Overclocking can get complicated due to power limit. Gigantic size, can prone to sag, without support.
This time, the triple-fan design is complemented by an RGB strip on the top, enhancing the aesthetics of the graphics card. EVGA did an excellent job with this product, as expected, and presents its gaming beast that is loaded with exciting features. Firstly, the overclock headroom of this GPU is higher than the Founders Edition. It is targeted for people with a high budget and looking for the best 4K, maxed out graphics settings, and with Ray-Tracing on. For the very first time, it is possible to experience 4K gaming at a price that would get a 1440p graphics card a few years back. That being said, compared to the Founders Edition, we are looking at a 5 percent faster boost clock speeds and almost 5 percent performance boost over FE at 4K, which is impressive. It does all of that without getting noisy, remaining silent. Despite having out-of-the-box faster boost clock speed, there is more headroom for overclocking. With careful tweaks, you can push the card to its possible limits.
#9- Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3080 Turbo
Lastly, I have a surprise for you. If you have not searched for this GPU or have information on this card already, it may catch you by surprise. Presenting you the first blower design graphics card, the GeForce RTX 3080 Turbo 10G by Gigabyte. Featuring the iCX3 cooler with the Ampere architecture, EVGA presents their 4K, ray-tracing enabled gaming graphics card for consumers and prosumers looking for an excellent and fluid 4K gaming performance out-of-the-box. The graphics card is already factory tweaked for a maximum performance featuring a much higher boost clock than the Founders Edition. Not only that, it contains exceptional overclock headroom and user-friendly overclocking features that can help the enthusiasts to squeeze as much performance as possible from an already monstrous GPU. Thanks to the iCX3 cooler, the cooling performance is outstanding and runs surprisingly quieter at such high boost clocks. This graphics card comes closest to my definition of a perfect gaming beast.
Clock Speed: 1710 MHz Boost Clock. Video Memory: 10GB GDDR6X. Bus Standard: PCI Express 4.0. Recommended PSU: 750W. Power Consumption: 300W To 350W. Power Connectors: 2x 8-Pin. Ports: 2x HMDI 2.1 & 2x DisplayPort 1.4a. Dimensions: 10.5 x 4.37 x 1.5 Inch.
Slick and slim, metallic-finish design. Wonderful 4K gaming experience. Compact design, built to fit in most PCs. Premium build quality. Durable PCB and components.
Little to no overclock headroom due to blower design Can prone to high temperature in a case with poor airflow.
Despite being stale, these cards are still manufactured for people that run a compact system, and frankly speaking, finding compact graphics card is much harder than looking for a GPU at MSRP these days. The Turbo 10G is the card for you if you have a compact system. The GeForce RTX 3080 Turbo features the same boost clock as the Founders Edition. The heat dissipates through the blower fan on the right side. The gaming performance is similar to Founders Edition. If overclocked, the temperatures could become an issue, and in a compact system, heat issues are the most you will have to worry about. Besides a generic, bulky design, the card has everything it takes to become an absolute gaming beast, due to the G102 GPU, underneath the slick-looking metallic casing.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Performance & Benchmarks!
Here is the best part of the article. It is time to check whether the RTX 3080 is worth getting or not and how you can decide which one is the best RTX 3080 graphics card from the list above. To help you in understanding the graphics card better, I have included the 1080p benchmarks, as well. It is a rare sight to see blower-style graphics cards in 2023, but they are still welcomed by people that run compact PC builds. Not everyone is looking to play games at 4K UHD, ray-tracing enabled, and maxed-out settings. Some people are looking for a graphics cards for 3D rendering, animation, and more. If you are looking for the best RTX 3080 card which is compact and provide high-end graphics too that can save you time, and is not on a budget, I cannot think of any other graphics card other than the GeForce RTX 3080 Turbo 10 to recommend. It is the perfect graphics card that will get the job done, at an affordable price. Fact: It is a solid graphics card for 4K 60 FPS performance. Out of the eight different games benchmarked, the RTX 3080 was 23 percent faster than the RTX 2080 Ti on average. 1080p Testing: Before heading towards the 1080p benchmark section, below are the details of the PC used for 1080p testing:
CPU: Intel Core i9-10900K. GPU: Nvidia RTX 3080 FE. RAM: 32 GB @4000 MHz. PSU: 1000W 80+ Gold.
The results for 1080p gaming are mentioned down below: Anno 1800 The first title we are looking at is Anno 1800. Anno 1800 puts both CPU and GPU to work. At maximum graphical settings, we are looking at a 38 percent increase over the RTX 2080. The card managed to deliver 245 FPS on average and 139 FPS as 1% lowest. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Here the 3080 was 25 percent faster than the RTX 2080 and quite incredibly 47 percent faster than the GTX 1080. We are looking at 134 FPS on average at High Detail graphical preset. For 1% lowest FPS, we are looking at 88 FPS. Borderlands 3 In Borderlands 3, the results are quite interesting. We are looking at a 59 percent performance uplift from the RTX 2080 and a 109 percent increase over the GTX 1080. 140 FPS were the 1% lowest FPS recorded for the 3080. Horizon Zero Dawn Horizon Zero Dawn sees a whopping 47 percent increase over 2080. We are looking at 176 FPS on average at the High Details graphics setting preset. For 1% lowest, we are looking at 118 FPS. Division 2 Lastly, we have The Division 2. The performance difference that we have observed in the titles above remains similar as we are looking at a 46 percent performance boost over the 2080 and 147 FPS as 1% lowest. 1440P Testing: For 1440p testing, the PC specifications used for testing are mentioned below:
CPU: Intel Core i7 – 8700K. RAM: 16GB @3200 MHz. PSU: 1000W 80+ Gold. GPU: 3080 Founders Edition.
The benchmark results for the 1440p gaming are given down below: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey In this title, we are looking at rather underwhelming results. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is not the ideally optimized game. There is a 16 percent performance increase over the 2080 TI, as we are looking at around 78 FPS on average at maxed-out settings. Borderlands 3 Moving on to Borderlands 3, we are looking at roughly 115 FPS on average, making it 40 percent faster than the 2080 Ti, an impressive result coming out from the 3080 at 1440p. Metro Exodus In Metro Exodus, the performance of the 3080 was underwhelming as we are looking at 68 FPS on average, making it 23 percent faster than the 2080 Ti. Metro Exodus is a demanding game, especially at higher resolutions, so these results are not that surprising. Rainbow Six Siege Here in Rainbow Six Siege, the 3080 maintained a 23 percent performance advantage over the 2080 Ti. The FPS jumped from anywhere in between 290 up to 350. Division 2 Moving on to the next title, we have The Division 2. We are looking at 130 FPS on average by the 3080 and 95 FPS on average by the 2080 Ti, making the former graphics card 39 percent faster than the latter. Shadow of The Tomb Raider In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, the 3080 managed to gain a 34 percent performance advantage over the 2080 Ti with delivering 90 FPS on average compared to the 65 FPS average by the 2080 TI. Battlefield V In Battlefield V, we are looking at roughly 37 performance uplift from the 3080 over the 2080 TI, a decent performance boost over the former fastest graphics card in the world. Red Dead Redemption 2 Lastly, we have Red Dead Redemption 2. We are back to mild performance gains in this title as the 3080 is almost 23 percent faster than the RTX 2080 Ti with 101 FPS on average. 4K Testing: At 4K things tend to change, and the difference tends to increase. Below are the system specifications used for 4K testing:
CPU: Intel Core i7 – 8700K. RAM: 16GB @3200 MHz. PSU: 1000W 80+ Gold. GPU: RTX 3080 Founders Edition.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Starting with Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, we are looking at a roughly 22 percent performance increase over the 2080 Ti. In the open environments, the graphics card struggled to achieve the 60 FPS mark and stayed around 55 FPS on average. Borderlands 3 In Borderlands 3, we are looking at an impressive 36 percent over the 2080 TI. On average, we are looking at 65 FPS with the 3080, while we can see an average of 45 FPS on average. Metro Exodus Here in this title, we back to underwhelming results with a 36 FPS average at maxed-out settings and a difference of 38 percent between the 3080 and 2080 TI. The results are generated without using DLSS. Rainbow Six Siege At 4K, the 3080 managed to lead the 2080 Ti with a 33 percent performance difference between the two graphics cards. On average, we are looking at 160 FPS with the 3080, while 120 FPS on average with the 2080 TI. Division 2 In the Division 2, we are looking at a weaker performance difference between the 3080 and 2080 Ti. In this title, we are looking at 65 FPS on average for the 3080 and around 53 FPS on average for the 2080 TI, making the card roughly 19 percent faster than the 2080 Ti. Shadow of The Tomb Raider Here in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, we are looking at a roughly 37 percent performance increase over the 2080 TI. In dense areas, the 3080 managed to deliver around 45 FPS on average. Red Dead Redemption 2 Lastly, in Red Dead Redemption 2, the performance difference seemed similar to in previous titles. We are looking at a 30 percent performance difference between the 3080 and 2080 Ti.
Power Supply (PSUs) For The Best RTX 3080 Graphic Cards
Having a reliable power supply is the key to having the best gaming performance free from FPS loss, lag, and stuttering. While you are looking for the best RTX 3080 for upgrading, it is necessary to understand the power consumption of the graphics card so that you will know exactly how much power supply you would need for certain configurations. Assuming you are planning to upgrade your rig from a 2080 Ti, you may still have to change your power supply, and with the help of this section, you will find the ideal PSU for your system configuration in no time. With the help of MSI Afterburner in gaming or using technologies like Nvidia’s Power Capture Analysis Tool (PCAT), the power consumption of the 3080 can be accurately measured. Nvidia rates the 3080 for 320 watts of massive power consumption. While the 2080 Ti is rated for 250 watts, we are looking at a 28 percent power increase between the two gaming beasts. These numbers are generated for the theoretical number listed on Nvidia’s website. Practically speaking, you can expect a 25 ±3 percent difference between these two graphics cards. In contrast, despite having a higher TDP, the 3080 offers a 7 percent better performance-per-watt ratio, as well as, the cost per frame value over the 2080 Ti, making the 3080 a better value card from every perspective. Nvidia suggests a 750 watts PSU, which is more than enough even if you plan to get the fastest 3080 available in the market. Trading blows with the base version RX 5700, which is unbelievable.
Best RTX 3080 Graphics Card By Nvidia – Ultimate A-Z Buyers Guide!
There is stuff you still need to discover after reading all the reviews above. It’s beneficial for every kind of gamer, whether you are a newbie or pro. This buying guide will help you to decide what are some essential things you must know while selecting your best companion.
Temperatures, Clock Speeds & Noise
There is no denying the fact that RTX 3080 is an outstanding card, overpriced these days, yes, but the jump users get from previous generations of graphics cards is significant. The Founders Edition features a stock clock speed of 1440 GHz and a boost clock speed of 1710 GHz. Some RTX 3080 versions feature higher clock speeds than the Founders Edition, featuring up to 100 MHz faster boost clock speed than the FE. The performance of these variants is similar to the FE, the real difference is the cooler, heatsink size, aesthetics between these versions. The Founders Edition runs very quietly, and it is one of the quietest 3080 versions that you can get your hands on. Good job, Nvidia. It also operates at a very low noise level when the fans spin at their maximum RPM. However, if you are not a fan of the Founders Edition looks and it does not still well with the theme of your PC, there are several versions from which you can choose while getting similar cooling performance and similar clock speeds. Noise levels may differ from version to version. Some versions offer exceptional cooling but generate noise, while some run hotter but remain silent. The Founders Edition lies in the middle, which highly increases the value of the graphics card. The temperatures can vary from place to place like if a user lives in a colder location, it is very likely their GPU will get hot, and as a result, the fans do not run at maximum RPM whatsoever possibly, preventing the fans from spinning, generating no noise at all, as a result. Similarly, if you live in a hotter environment, chances are your GPU fans will have to run at maximum RPM, which can add to the overall noise of the system including, CPU cooler fans and PC fans.
Performance As Compared To Previous 2080 Series & Others
From trusted sources and personal testing, one thing is sure that the new RTX 3080 graphics cards have 30% more power compared to 2080Ti and 51% if we compared it with 2080 Super. For true 4K in-game benchmarks, the RTX 3080 appears to be 52% on average faster than the old gen RTX 2080 SUPER series. The most hugely famous triple AAA gaming titles named “Far Cry 5, Horizon Zero Dawn, Control & Death Stranding are a few of the advanced games that were tested with a huge performance difference as compared to the old gen RTX series or the 1st gen ray tracing. Fact: The RTX 3080 is not the direct successor of the RTX 2080 Ti, but it does have twice the CUDA Cores, offering better performance than the RTX 2080 Ti. With the new DLSS AI Acceleration, you can further maximize the gaming settings onto the next level without hurdles as well with better Anti-Aliasing as compared to the old gen native settings. This new system will also boost up the overall FPS of the games, too, in case you do not know about it!
PCI Express Performance
The Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) is an interface standard that helps to connect high-speed data transfer components like GPUs, SSDs, WiFi cards, etc., to the motherboard. The PCIe slots come in different configurations like 1x, 4x, 8x, 16x, etc. These numbers before the X represent the number of lanes through which data travels from the component to the CPU and more. Right now, we have PCIe 4.0 slots on motherboards, and the PCIe slot generation depends on what motherboard you have. Newer motherboards have PCIe 4.0 slots, offering double the bandwidth compared to PCIe 3.0. On paper, PCIe 4.0 with double bandwidth sounds exciting until we look at the results practically. From the gaming tests that I have observed, the difference of performance between PCIe 4.0 and 3.0 is merely 1 percent at max. The difference does exist, but nothing to get excited about. Though PCIe 4.0 offers better performance and very certain workloads, PCIe 4.0 can take advantage of the double bandwidth over PCIe 3.0. So, always look at this feature while choosing your best RTX 3080 card from the given list.
Compatibility & Motherboard
The most common asked question on this website is the compatibility issues. So, that’s why I dedicated this whole section for that. Actually, the incompatibility is not only existing in motherboards, but some other components can also add extra incompatibilities too like if you are using a low-watt power supply even though your Motherboard and graphics card are compatible with each other, the problem is going to pop up for sure. Make sure you have enough power supply before installing the graphics card you decided above and also check online that the Motherboard you are using is quite powerful, too, and is supporting the current generations GPU efficiently. If you are using a Ryzen processor, then feel free to check my other motherboard guides, where I reviewed different RYZEN motherboards.
DLSS / Ray Tracing
DLSS and real-time ray tracing are some of the biggest selling points of the RTX series of graphics cards. Most AAA developers have started implementing ray-tracing in their games, however, it is still not a widely implemented technology, making rasterization still a huge factor that will help users in choosing a GPU purchase. DLSS and ray-tracing were introduced in video games back with the launch of the RTX 2000 graphics card series, and frankly speaking, it was a disaster, there were countable games supporting ray-tracing, and DLSS 1.0 was a flop. However, with the release of the third generation of tensor cores and second generation of RT cores, Nvidia made a comeback, and now gamers can have a fluid 4K 60 FPS experience with the RTX 3080, at a price that made 1440p gaming accessible a couple of years in the past. Not only that, even the starters of the 3000 series can perform exceptionally at higher resolutions like 1440p. Moreover, DLSS 2.0 is now outstanding. Nvidia managed to turn every negative review into positive comments praising the improvements over the initial version. Talking about ray-tracing, the RTX 2080 Ti faced a tough time maintaining 60 FPS with ray-tracing enabled, maxed-out graphics. Now, we have the RTX 3000 series making ray-tracing enabled gaming for an unrivaled gaming pleasure, but again we still have limited titles that can take advantage of DLSS and ray-tracing.
Power & Thermals
Nvidia made huge jumps from the RTX 2000 and 3000 series in multiple departments, be it performance, power consumption, and size. The 3080 is a beast of a GPU, and for the very first time in history, it is affordable to play video games at native 4K resolution with a stable 60 FPS in most games for a price that made 1440P gaming possible a couple of years back. Nvidia and most AIB custom graphics cards are rated for 320 watts of power consumption under high stress, as far as power is concerned. Assuming users have ample power supply installed in their system, a higher power limit can open more room for overclocking, which can further improve the performance of the GPU. At lower resolutions like 1080p and 1440p, the GPU consumes an average of around 230-250 watts of power consumption. Thermals-wise, the Founders Edition is one of the coolest versions of the RTX 3080, staying around the 65-70 degrees Celsius mark. Super impressive performance.
Is Using An RTX 3080 For 1080p Overkill?
You may already know, the RTX 3080 is a high-end graphics card for 1440p and 4K gaming. There are two answers to the question, is using an RTX 3080 for 1080p overkill? Yes and no. Fact: The RTX 3080 features 10 GB of GDDR6X memory faster up to 19 Gbps and a 320-bit wide interface. Now for the first answer, if you are a single-player type of person, that is looking for an immaculate 4K gaming experience with maxed-out graphics as long as the FPS stays over 60 FPS, or let us just say 1440p resolution and maxed out setting with ray-tracing enabled. If you fall in the above category of people, then yes, 3080 is overkill for 1080p. Now, for the second answer, if you have a monitor with a high refresh rate like 144 Hz or 240 Hz and want the highest possible frames in competitive games. In this case, 3080 is not an overkill graphics card. In the end, it all depends on the resolution and refresh rates. The ideal choice would be a 1440p resolution with a minimum of 144 Hz refresh rate. If you are a competitive gamer, naturally, you would prefer a higher FPS than resolution. For such people, RTX 3080 is a perfect choice.
CPU Bottlenecking Issues On The 3080 Graphics Card?
The RTX 3000 series reigns the best graphics cards competition and gives AMD a tough time catching up. It is a powerful series of graphics cards, and while graphics card is the main factor for an ultimate gaming experience, it is crucial to check if the CPU is equally powerful and can keep up with the GPU. If the CPU is not capable, it can cause a bottleneck that will prevent the user from having an ideal gaming experience, and as a result, the user will experience a lower frame rate and stuttering. CPU bottleneck is not always bad. If the system has a small bottleneck, the frame rate might drop to an unnoticeable amount. A decent, high-quality motherboard is also a must, though it does not affect FPS directly. I mean, 3080 is a powerful graphics card, and installing it on a cheap motherboard and older processor. At lower resolutions, CPU usage is significant but drops drastically as soon as the resolution increases. If you are thinking about getting an RTX 3080, make sure your CPU is worthy of the CPU. A six-core Intel or AMD Ryzen processor is recommended by experts for the 3080. If you are waiting for upgrading your whole system and temporarily want to use your GPU with your current CPU, there is no harm in doing so, but you will not be getting desired frame rate. It is possible to pair the 3080 with a dual or quad-core CPU or even AMD FX series but, I would not recommend doing that. So, that’s all I’ve for you guys in this best RTX 3080 GPU cards round-up. Stay tuned for more and don’t forget to read the conclusion below: The RTX 3080 is a direct successor to 2080, but it even edges out the 2080 Ti by a convincing margin by being a few hundred dollars cheaper. We are talking about a 70 percent performance jump over the RTX 2080 at 4K and massive improvements in cost per frame and performance per watt ratios. By getting an RTX 3080, 4K gaming is accessible more than ever. With the MSRP in mind, it is a huge deal. Because a couple of years back, it was only possible to run games at 1440p at the price of 3080. The graphics card is future-proof and can easily last two years of native 4K gaming. Though with the help of DLSS or graphical setting tweaking, the two years can become three. As for DLSS and ray-tracing is concerned, there is no denying that these are impressive technologies and biggest selling points for the RTX 3000 series graphics cards, but it is still not as important as rasterization performance. However, in the future, when the technologies will be widely implemented and accessible, these will become crucial. As of now, I am more than pleased with the performance of the RTX 3080 and did not expect this much of a difference from its predecessors. It is way better than what the last generation of the RTX 2000 series had to offer, and honestly, it gets me nothing but excited about what Nvidia will have for us in store with their new lineup of graphics cards in the future.
Question 1: Which aftermarket is the best RTX 3080 card?
There are many contenders that I can recommend as the best RTX 3080 version, but it all depends on your taste in design and workload. If you want a decent gaming experience, you can go for the cheapest aftermarket 3080. But if you want the best in terms of clock speeds and cooling, you are looking at either the ASUS ROG STRIX RTX 3080 OC or the MSI Gaming RTX 3080 Suprim X.
Question 2: What is the difference between RTX 3080 and RTX 3080 Ti?
The RTX 3080 and 3080 Ti are entirely different cards. The 3080 Ti is a better, faster version of the 3080 featuring more CUDA Cores, better gaming performance, and, importantly, more expensive than the non-Ti version. RTX 3080 is a better value card overall.
Question 3: – Is it worth getting RTX 3080?
Yes, the RTX 3080 is an excellent card for people looking for 4K 60 FPS gaming or people desiring the ideal 1080p and 144Hz+ gaming. Thanks to the improved and new generation of tensor and RT cores, 4K gaming is accessible more than ever.
Question 4: Is the 3080 overkill for 1440p?
No, the 3080 is not an overkill graphics card for 1440p. If you have a monitor with a 1440p resolution and a high refresh rate like 144Hz, the RTX 3080 is an ideal choice for these people. You can have an amazing 1440p and ray-tracing-enabled gaming experience out of the 3080.
Question 5: – How do I get the most out of my RTX 3080?
Make sure that your CPU is powerful and can keep up with the 3080. Secondly, make sure you have a sufficient power supply installed on your PC. Also, make sure that there is enough room for the graphics card to breathe and has decent airflow. Compact space can cause the GPU to run hotter, which can cause FPS to drop and stuttering.
Question 6: Is 3080 good for 4K?
Yes, it is a decent card for native 4K 60 FPS gaming. You can expect around 70 FPS on average in most games and roundabout 35-40 FPS in demanding titles like Metro Exodus. With a few graphical tweaks here and there, you can attain a stable 60 FPS frame rate even in the demanding title.
