GPU Showdown

GeForce RTX 3080 12 GBvsGeForce RTX 4080

The GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB is a strong high-end card for 1440p gaming, while the RTX 4080 targets 4K enthusiasts with newer architecture.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB
12 GB · 350W
VS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080
16 GB · 320W
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB

Ampere · TSMC 8 nm · 2022

64score
4.3/ 5
0 votes
VRAM
12 GB
TDP
350W
CUDA Cores
8,960
Boost Clock
1710 MHz

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NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4080

Ada Lovelace · TSMC 5 nm · 2022

83score
4.2/ 5
0 votes
VRAM
16 GB
TDP
320W
Shaders
9,728
Boost Clock
2505 MHz

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Aggregate Performance

Overall Performance Score

A unified score from combined synthetic and real-world benchmarks. 100 represents the fastest consumer GPU available.

RTX 3080 12 GB
64
RTX 4080Winner
83
RTX 4080 leads by 29.7% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#4RTX 508086
#5RTX 408083
#6RTX 4080 SUPER82
#22RX 6900 XT64
#23RTX 3080 12 GB64
#24RTX 309064
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

Every detail compared. Highlighted cells indicate the leading value for that metric.

SpecsRTX 3080 12 GBRTX 4080
General
ArchitectureAmpereAda Lovelace
Process Node8 nm5 nm
Memory
VRAM12 GB16 GB
Memory TypeGDDR6XGDDR6X
Memory Bus384-bit256-bit
Bandwidth912.4 GB/s716.8 GB/s
Compute
CUDA Cores8,9609,728
TMUs280304
ROPs96112
Boost Clock1710 MHz2505 MHz
FP3230.64 TF48.74 TF
Power
TDP350320
Power Connectors1x 12-pin1x 16-pin
Display
Max Resolution7680×43207680×4320
Display Outputs1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The GeForce RTX 4080 wins overall for its noticeably faster performance and larger memory capacity.

Best value

For budget-conscious buyers, the GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB is the smarter pick, offering strong performance at a lower cost.

When the other wins

The GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB is the right choice if you need solid 1440p gaming and find a good deal, skipping the premium for the newer model.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the RTX 3080 12 GB better than the RTX 4080?

Overall the RTX 4080 is the stronger graphics card: it ranks higher in our aggregate performance score (83 vs 64 out of 100), so it leads the RTX 3080 12 GB in most workloads.

How much faster is the RTX 4080 than the RTX 3080 12 GB?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the RTX 4080 is roughly 30% faster than the RTX 3080 12 GB overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the RTX 3080 12 GB or the RTX 4080?

If you want the most performance, pick the RTX 4080. If the RTX 3080 12 GB is meaningfully cheaper where you shop, it can be the better value for similar real-world results — check current prices and the full spec comparison above before deciding.