NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Comparison

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 beats the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti in every single recorded benchmark. Out of 10 head-to-head tests, the RTX 4080 wins 10, and the RTX 3080 Ti wins 0. The average benchmark score tells the same story: 54,247 for the RTX 4080 versus 41,187 for the RTX 3080 Ti, a gap of roughly 31.7% based on those averages. The RTX 4080 also ranks higher in the overall GPU percentile, sitting at the 86th percentile versus the 83rd percentile for the RTX 3080 Ti.

For anyone choosing between these two, the conclusion is straightforward. The RTX 4080 is the faster card in every measured category, from DirectX 12 workloads to OpenCL compute to Vulkan rendering. The RTX 3080 Ti is not without merit, it offers a wider memory bus and higher memory bandwidth, but in actual benchmark results it trails across the board. The RTX 4080 is the clear pick for performance, while the RTX 3080 Ti only makes sense if the user specifically needs its physical characteristics, such as a dual-slot profile or shorter length, since it measures 285 mm versus 310 mm for the RTX 4080.

The launch MSRP for both cards is 1,199 USD, so at launch the RTX 4080 delivered substantially more performance for the same price. However, the RTX 3080 Ti launched earlier, in 2021, while the RTX 4080 arrived in 2022, so the comparison is between generations. Both are now end-of-life products. The RTX 4080 belongs to the GeForce 40-series with Ada Lovelace architecture, while the RTX 3080 Ti belongs to the GeForce 30-series with Ampere architecture.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 4080 wins in every benchmark category recorded in the database. There is no test where the RTX 3080 Ti comes out ahead. The largest margins appear in DirectX 11 and Vulkan workloads, while the smallest margin is in DirectX 10.

For DirectX 11 gaming, the RTX 4080 scores 314 versus 223 for the RTX 3080 Ti, a 40.8% advantage. This is the biggest single delta in the head-to-head results. For Vulkan, the RTX 4080 scores 263,779 versus 192,697, a 36.9% advantage. DirectX 9 shows a 35% lead, with scores of 370 versus 274. GPU compute also favors the RTX 4080 heavily, at 20,671 versus 15,282, a 35.3% lead.

The RTX 3080 Ti does have some theoretical advantages that do not translate into benchmark wins. It has a 384-bit memory bus versus 256-bit, and 912.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth versus 716.8 GB/s. It also has more shading units (10,240 versus 9,728), more TMUs (320 versus 304), more RT cores (80 versus 76), and more tensor cores (320 versus 304). But the recorded data shows that these extra resources on the older Ampere architecture do not overcome the newer Ada Lovelace design.

For users running OpenCL workloads, the RTX 4080 delivers 214,739 versus 170,037, a 26.3% advantage. For 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, the RTX 4080 scores 6,567 versus 5,077, a 29.3% advantage. Even in 2D tests, Passmark G2D shows 1,239 versus 1,091, a 13.6% lead for the RTX 4080. The RTX 3080 Ti has no category where it wins, so the use-case split is simple: the RTX 4080 wins everywhere, and the RTX 3080 Ti only competes in terms of physical size and power draw characteristics.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from different architectures and different manufacturing processes. The RTX 4080 uses the AD103 chip built on Ada Lovelace architecture, fabricated by TSMC on a 5 nm process. The RTX 3080 Ti uses the GA102 chip built on Ampere architecture, fabricated by Samsung on an 8 nm process. This process difference is significant: the RTX 4080 packs 45,900 million transistors into a 379 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 121.1 million per mm². The RTX 3080 Ti has 28,300 million transistors on a much larger 628 mm² die, yielding a density of 45.1 million per mm².

Clock speeds reflect the architectural and process improvements. The RTX 4080 has a base clock of 2205 MHz and a boost clock of 2505 MHz. The RTX 3080 Ti has a base clock of 1365 MHz and a boost clock of 1665 MHz. The memory clocks also differ: the RTX 4080 runs at 1400 MHz with 22.4 Gbps effective, while the RTX 3080 Ti runs at 1188 MHz with 19 Gbps effective.

The memory subsystems are configured differently. The RTX 4080 has 16 GB of GDDR6X on a 256-bit bus, providing 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth. The RTX 3080 Ti has 12 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus, providing 912.4 GB/s of bandwidth. So the RTX 3080 Ti has more bandwidth but less capacity, while the RTX 4080 has more capacity but less bandwidth. In the recorded benchmarks, the RTX 4080's combination wins.

Compute resources also differ. The RTX 4080 has 9,728 shading units, 304 TMUs, 112 ROPs, 76 RT cores, and 304 tensor cores. The RTX 3080 Ti has 10,240 shading units, 320 TMUs, 112 ROPs, 80 RT cores, 320 tensor cores, and 320 tensor cores. The RTX 3080 Ti actually has more of every unit type except ROPs, where they are equal. Despite having fewer shading units, TMUs, RT cores, and tensor cores, the RTX 4080 achieves much higher pixel rates and texture rates: 280.6 GPixel/s and 761.5 GTexel/s versus 186.5 GPixel/s and 532.8 GTexel/s for the RTX 3080 Ti.

The FP32 performance is 48.74 TFLOPS for the RTX 4080 versus 34.10 TFLOPS for the RTX 3080 Ti. FP16 performance is also 48.48.74 TFLOPS for the RTX 4080 versus 34.10 TFLOPS for the RTX 3080 Ti, both at 1:1 ratios. The RTX 4080 also has a lower TDP of 320 W versus 350 W for the RTX 3080 Ti, with a suggested PSU of 700 W versus 750 W. Power connectors differ as well, with the RTX 4080 using a 16-pin connector and the RTX 4080 being triple-slot versus dual-slot for the RTX 3080 Ti. The RTX 4080 is longer at 310 mm, taller at 140 mm, wider at 61 mm, while the RTX 3080 Ti measures 285 mm, 112 mm, 40 mm. Both use PCIe 4.0 x16.

FAQ

Q: Which card has more memory bandwidth?

A: The RTX 3080 Ti has 912.4 GB/s bandwidth with 12 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus. The RTX 4080 has 716.8 GB/s bandwidth with 16 GB of GDDR6X on a 256-bit bus.

Q: Is the RTX 4080 faster in DirectX 12?

A: Yes, in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 the RTX 4080 scores 6,567 versus 5,077 for the RTX 3080 Ti, a 29.3% advantage. In Passmark DirectX 12, scores are 132 versus 110, a 20% lead for the RTX 4080.

Q:** How does the RTX 4080 compare in Vulkan?

A: The RTX 4080 wins Vulkan with a score of 263,779 versus 192,697 for the RTX 3080 Ti, a 36.9% delta. This is one of the largest margins in the head-to-head results.

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The RTX 4080 has an average benchmark score of 54,247, while the RTX 3080 Ti has an average score of 41,187. The RTX 4080 sits at the 86th percentile of all GPUs, and the RTX 3080 Ti sits at the 83rd.

Q: What is the difference in GPU compute performance?

A: The RTX 4080 scores 20,671 in Passmark GPU compute versus 15,282 for the RTX 3080 Ti, a 35.3% advantage. In OpenCL, the RTX 4080 scores 214,739, and the RTX 3080 Ti scores 170,037, a 26.3% lead.

Q: Are both cards the same physical size?

A: The RTX 4080 is longer at 310 mm, taller at 140 mm, wider at 61 mm, and triple-slot. RTX 3080 Ti is 285 mm, 112 mm, 40 mm, dual-slot.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data covers 10 tests, and the RTX 4080 wins all 10. The biggest win for the RTX 4080 is Passmark DirectX 11, where the RTX 4080 scores 314 versus 223 for the RTX 3080 Ti, a 40.8% delta. The second-largest win is Vulkan, with RTX 4080 at 263,779 versus 192,697 for RTX 3080 Ti, 36.9% lead. Passmark GPU compute follows at 35.3%, with RTX 4080 at 20,671 versus 15,282 for RTX 3080 Ti.

The DirectX 9 test shows RTX 4080 at 370 versus 274, a 35% lead. Passmark G3D, RTX 4080 at 34,457 versus 26,896, 28.1% advantage. 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, RTX 4080 at 6,567 versus 5,077 for RTX 3080 Ti, 29.3% delta. Geekbench OpenCL, RTX 4080 at 214,739 versus 170,037 for RTX 3080 Ti, 26.3% lead, 10.9% delta and Passmark DirectX 12 at 132 versus 110 showing 20% lead.

Passmark G2D RTX 4080 at 1239 versus 1,091, 13.6% lead. The RTX 4080 also wins Passmark DirectX 10 with 204 versus 184 for RTX 3080 Ti, 10.9% lead. All 10 wins for the RTX 4080 with zero wins for RTX 3080 Ti confirm the consistent advantage of the RTX 4080 across all workloads.

Specification Differences

The RTX 4080 and RTX 3080 Ti differ in nearly every specification except a few fields where they match, such as both having 112 ROPs, both 12 Ultimate (12_2) and 4.6 OpenGL, both 1.4 Vulkan, both 1.4. Both use GDDR6X, both use 4.0 x16, and both have 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. Both are end-of-life. Both are NVIDIA. Both have a launch MSRP of 1,199 USD.

Key differences include process node 5 nm versus 8 nm, foundry TSMC versus Samsung, and transistor count 45,900 million versus 28,300 million. Die size 379 mm² versus 628 mm², transistor density 121.1M/mm² versus 45.1M/mm². Base clock 2205 MHz versus 1365 MHz, boost clock 2505 MHz versus 1665 MHz. Memory size 16 GB versus 12 GB, bus width 256 bit versus 384 bit, bandwidth 716.8 GB/s versus 912.4 GB/s. Shading units 9728 versus 10240, TMUs 304 versus 320, RT cores 76 versus 80, tensor cores 304 versus 320. Pixel rate 280.6 GPixel/s versus 186.5 GPixel/s, texture rate 761.5 GTexel/s versus 532.8 GTexel/s, FP32 48.74 TFLOPS versus 34.10 TFLOPS, FP16 48.74 TFLOPS versus 34.10 TFLOPS. TDP 320 W versus 350 W, slot width triple-slot versus dual-slot, power connectors 1x 16-pin versus 1x 12-pin, suggested PSU 700 W versus 750 W. Dimensions 310 mm length, 140 mm height, 61 mm width versus 285 mm, 112 mm, 40 mm width. Release date 2022-09-19 versus 2021-05-30. The RTX 4080 is the newer card, and the data shows it is also the faster card in every benchmark recorded.