NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile represent two distinct approaches to high-performance graphics: a desktop-class powerhouse from the Ampere generation versus a mobile-focused part from the Ada Lovelace generation. The benchmark data shows a decisive overall victory for the desktop card, which wins 7 of the 9 head-to-head tests, but the mobile GPU secures two notable wins in legacy DirectX workloads. The RTX 3080 Ti leads in average benchmark score (41,187 vs. 38,135) and holds a higher percentile rank among all GPUs (83rd vs. 81st), positioning it as the stronger raw performer. However, the RTX 4080 Mobile achieves this performance in a dramatically different power envelope, with a 110 W TDP compared to the 350 W TDP of the desktop part. The choice between them depends on whether the priority is maximum desktop throughput or a mobile form factor with competitive results.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split in use cases. For desktop users who prioritize raw compute and rendering performance, the RTX 3080 Ti is the superior option, leading by 7.9% in PassMark G3D (26,896 vs. 24,926) and by a substantial 36.6% in PassMark GPU Compute (15,282 vs. 11,191). Its Geekbench Vulkan score of 192,697 is 32.2% higher than the mobile part’s 145,807, indicating a major advantage in modern graphics APIs. The RTX 4080 Mobile, on the other hand, is the only choice for a portable system, and it holds its own in specific legacy tests, winning PassMark DirectX 11 (244 vs. 223, an 8.6% advantage) and PassMark DirectX 9 (286 vs. 274, a 4.2% lead). The desktop GPU’s average benchmark score of 41,187 places it close to the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 (40,870, 0.8% ahead), while the mobile GPU’s 38,135 average sits near the NVIDIA GeForce MX570 (38,299, 0.4% behind). The desktop card is the definitive performance pick; the mobile card is the definitive portability pick, with the data showing it is only 7.4% slower on average overall.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs are built on fundamentally different architectures and manufacturing processes. The RTX 3080 Ti uses the GA102 chip on NVIDIA’s Ampere architecture, fabricated on Samsung’s 8 nm process. This is a large die at 628 mm², containing 28,300 million transistors, which yields a transistor density of 45.1M per mm². In contrast, the RTX 4080 Mobile uses the AD104 chip on the newer Ada Lovelace architecture, built on TSMC’s 5 nm process. Its die is much smaller at 294 mm², yet it packs more transistors (35,800 million), resulting in a significantly higher transistor density of 121.8M per mm². This architectural leap allows the mobile chip to achieve competitive performance with far fewer resources: it has 7,424 shading units, 232 TMUs, 80 ROPs, 58 RT cores, and 232 tensor cores, compared to the desktop card’s 10,240 shading units, 320 TMUs, 112 ROPs, 80 RT cores, and 320 tensor cores. The desktop GPU’s higher core counts translate directly into higher theoretical throughput, with 34.10 TFLOPS FP32 versus 24.72 TFLOPS for the mobile part. Both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, but their underlying hardware designs are generations apart.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most significant win for the RTX 3080 Ti comes in PassMark GPU Compute, where it scores 15,282 against the mobile GPU’s 11,191, a 36.6% advantage. This suggests a major lead in general-purpose compute workloads, likely driven by its higher shader count and 320 tensor cores. The Geekbench Vulkan test shows a similar story, with the desktop card scoring 192,697 versus 145,807, a 32.2% lead that indicates superior performance in Vulkan-based games and applications. The desktop GPU also wins Geekbench OpenCL by a narrower 6.6% margin (170,037 vs. 159,575), showing a smaller but still consistent lead in OpenCL compute. In DirectX 12, the RTX 3080 Ti outperforms the mobile part by 14.6% (110 vs. 96), while in DirectX 10 it leads by 17.2% (184 vs. 157). The 2D performance gap is notable as well, with the desktop card scoring 1,091 in PassMark G2D compared to 929 for the mobile GPU, a 17.4% difference that reflects faster desktop composition and UI rendering.

The RTX 4080 Mobile’s two wins come in older DirectX versions. In PassMark DirectX 11, it scores 244 against 223 for the desktop card, an 8.6% lead, and in DirectX 9 it scores 286 versus 274, a 4.2% advantage. These results are counterintuitive given the desktop card’s higher raw specs, but they indicate that the Ada Lovelace architecture handles legacy API workloads more efficiently in these specific tests. For the overall 3D gaming picture, the PassMark G3D score favors the desktop card at 26,896 versus 24,926, a 7.9% margin. The RTX 3080 Ti also has a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5,077, though no comparable score is available for the mobile part, further suggesting its DirectX 12 leadership. Across all shared benchmarks, the desktop GPU’s average score of 41,187 eclipses the mobile GPU’s 38,135 by 8.0%.

Specification Differences

The most striking specification differences are in power and memory configuration. The RTX 3080 Ti draws 350 W and requires a 750 W power supply, while the RTX 4080 Mobile is rated at 110 W and has no power connectors, being an integrated GPU for laptops. Memory bandwidth differs significantly: the desktop card uses 12 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus, delivering 912.4 GB/s, whereas the mobile GPU uses 12 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, delivering 432.0 GB/s. This 480.4 GB/s difference is a major factor in the desktop card’s performance advantage in memory-intensive workloads. Clock speeds are also different: the desktop GPU has a base clock of 1365 MHz and a boost of 1665 MHz, while the mobile GPU has a lower base clock of 1290 MHz but the same 1665 MHz boost clock. The memory clock is 1188 MHz (19 Gbps effective) for the desktop part versus 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective) for the mobile part, a trade-off between bus width and memory speed. The desktop card is a dual-slot design measuring 285 mm in length, while the mobile part is an IGP with no dimensions listed. The RTX 3080 Ti has a launch MSRP of 1,199 USD and is end-of-life, while the RTX 4080 Mobile is active with no launch MSRP. Both use PCIe 4.0 x16, but display outputs differ: the desktop card has 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, while the mobile GPU’s outputs are listed as portable device dependent.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The RTX 3080 Ti has an average benchmark score of 41,187, which is 8.0% higher than the RTX 4080 Mobile’s 38,135.

Q: How much faster is the RTX 3080 Ti in compute workloads?

A: In PassMark GPU Compute, the RTX 3080 Ti scores 15,282, which is 36.6% higher than the RTX 4080 Mobile’s 11,191.

Q: In which benchmarks does the RTX 4080 Mobile outperform the RTX 3080 Ti?

A: The RTX 4080 Mobile wins in PassMark DirectX 11 (244 vs. 223, an 8.6% lead) and PassMark DirectX 9 (286 vs. 274, a 4.2% lead).

Q: What is the power consumption difference between the two?

A: The RTX 3080 Ti has a TDP of 350 W, while the RTX 4080 Mobile has a TDP of 110 W, a difference of 240 W.

Q: How do their memory configurations compare?

A: Both have 12 GB of memory, but the RTX 3080 Ti uses GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus with 912.4 GB/s bandwidth, while the RTX 4080 Mobile uses GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus with 432.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU has a higher transistor density?

A: The RTX 4080 Mobile has a transistor density of 121.8M per mm² on a 294 mm² die, compared to the RTX 3080 Ti’s 45.1M per mm² on a 628 mm² die.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 3080 Ti is the clear winner in scenarios demanding maximum throughput. Its 36.6% lead in PassMark GPU Compute makes it the choice for GPU-accelerated rendering, scientific computing, and other compute-heavy tasks. The 32.2% advantage in Geekbench Vulkan indicates superior performance in modern games and applications that leverage Vulkan’s low-overhead API. The 14.6% lead in DirectX 12 points to better performance in current-generation AAA titles. The 17.4% margin in PassMark G2D means faster 2D desktop performance and smoother UI interactions. For users building a desktop workstation or gaming rig with access to a 750 W power supply, the RTX 3080 Ti’s higher core counts (10,240 shading units vs. 7,424) and 912.4 GB/s memory bandwidth deliver tangible benefits across the board.

The RTX 4080 Mobile wins in the niche of legacy API compatibility and, most importantly, in portability. Its wins in DirectX 11 and DirectX 9 suggest it handles older games and applications more efficiently, making it a better choice for users who frequently play older titles or run legacy software. More critically, its 110 W TDP and IGP form factor make it the only viable option for a laptop. Despite the 7.9% deficit in PassMark G3D, the mobile GPU still delivers competitive 3D performance (24,926 in G3D) and a strong 159,575 in Geekbench OpenCL, proving it is a capable gaming and compute solution for a portable system. The RTX 4080 Mobile’s smaller die and higher transistor density also indicate better power efficiency per unit of performance, which is essential for battery life and thermal management in laptops. For users who need a powerful GPU on the go, the RTX 4080 Mobile is the only choice, and the data shows it sacrifices less than 10% average performance relative to the desktop flagship.