NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 4080 are two GPUs that, on paper, could hardly be more different in generation, yet the benchmark data places them in a dead heat. Their average benchmark scores are 52086 and 52085, respectively, a difference of 1 point, and both sit at the 87th percentile among all GPUs. The 5070 Ti is Blackwell 2.0 on a 5nm TSMC node, while the 4080 is Ada Lovelace on the same process, but the architectural changes and memory updates produce a fascinating split in workload performance.

Where Each One Wins

The head-to-head results reveal a clear division of labor. The RTX 5070 Ti takes 3 of 10 tests, while the RTX 4080 wins 7. The 5070 Ti’s wins are concentrated in modern and low-level workloads: it leads in 3DMark Steel Nomad (DX12) by 0.6%, in Geekbench Vulkan by 5.3%, and in Passmark G2D by 7.5%. The 4080 counters across legacy DirectX tests, compute, and general 3D: it wins Passmark DX10 by 5.9%, DX11 by 4.5%, DX12 by 3.8%, DX9 by 5.1%, Passmark G3D by 4.3%, Geekbench OpenCL by 4.0%, and Passmark GPU Compute by 2.3%. This suggests the 5070 Ti is optimized for newer APIs and 2D acceleration, while the 4080 retains an edge in older DirectX paths and raw compute throughput. For a user prioritizing Vulkan or the latest DX12 titles, the 5070 Ti is the stronger pick; for legacy software or OpenCL-heavy workloads, the 4080 holds the advantage.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from different NVIDIA generations. The 5070 Ti is built on the GB203 chip with Blackwell 2.0 architecture, part of the GeForce 50 series, while the 4080 uses the AD103 chip with Ada Lovelace, from the GeForce 40 series. Both are fabricated on TSMC’s 5nm process, with nearly identical transistor counts (45,600 million vs 45,900 million) and die sizes (378 mm² vs 379 mm²). The 5070 Ti’s memory subsystem is the most striking divergence: it uses 16 GB of GDDR7 with an effective 28 Gbps and 896.0 GB/s bandwidth, whereas the 4080 has 16 GB of GDDR6X at 22.4 Gbps effective and 716.8 GB/s. This 25% bandwidth advantage for the 5070 Ti is a key factor in its Vulkan and 2D wins. The 4080, however, packs more execution resources: 9728 shading units vs 8960, 304 TMUs vs 280, 112 ROPs vs 96, 76 RT cores vs 70, and 304 tensor cores vs 280. It also has higher peak FP32 (48.74 TFLOPS vs 43.94 TFLOPS) and higher pixel/texture rates (280.6 GPixel/s and 761.5 GTexel/s vs 235.4 and 686.6). The 5070 Ti counters with a higher base clock (2295 MHz vs 2205 MHz) but a lower boost clock (2452 MHz vs 2505 MHz). Power and physical design differ too: the 5070 Ti is rated at 300 W and is dual-slot, while the 4080 is 320 W and triple-slot. The 5070 Ti also supports PCIe 5.0 x16 and DisplayPort 2.1b, while the 4080 uses PCIe 4.0 x16 and DisplayPort 1.4a. The 4080 is end-of-life; the 5070 Ti is active.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: They are effectively tied. The RTX 5070 Ti scores 52086 and the RTX 4080 scores 52085, a difference of 1 point (0.0% delta).

Q: Which card offers more memory bandwidth?

A: The RTX 5070 Ti has 896.0 GB/s bandwidth from its GDDR7 memory, compared to the RTX 4080’s 716.8 GB/s from GDDR6X. This is a 25% advantage for the 5070 Ti.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The RTX 4080 has 9728 shading units, while the RTX 5070 Ti has 8960. The 4080 also leads in TMUs, ROPs, RT cores, and tensor cores.

Q: In which benchmark does the RTX 5070 Ti show its largest win?

A: Its biggest margin is in Passmark G2D, where it leads the 4080 by 7.5% (1332 vs 1239).

Q: Which card performs better in OpenCL compute?

A: The RTX 4080 wins Geekbench OpenCL by 4.0% (240854 vs 231226) and Passmark GPU Compute by 2.3% (20671 vs 20203).

Q: Are these cards comparable in overall performance?

A: Yes. Both sit at the 87th percentile among all GPUs, and their nearest rivals list each other with a deltaPct of 0. They are also within 0.8% of the AMD Radeon RX 7700S and 2.5% ahead of the NVIDIA RTX A1000.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in nearly every physical and architectural field. The 5070 Ti uses the GB203 chip with Blackwell 2.0 architecture, while the 4080 uses AD103 with Ada Lovelace. Transistor count is 45,600 million vs 45,900 million, and die size is 378 mm² vs 379 mm². Base clocks are 2295 MHz vs 2205 MHz, boost clocks 2452 MHz vs 2505 MHz. Memory clock is 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective) vs 1400 MHz (22.4 Gbps effective). Memory type is GDDR7 vs GDDR6X, with bandwidth 896.0 GB/s vs 716.8 GB/s. Shading units: 8960 vs 9728; TMUs: 280 vs 304; ROPs: 96 vs 112; RT cores: 70 vs 76; tensor cores: 280 vs 304. Pixel rate: 235.4 GPixel/s vs 280.6 GPixel/s; texture rate: 686.6 GTexel/s vs 761.5 GTexel/s; FP32: 43.94 TFLOPS vs 48.74 TFLOPS. TDP: 300 W vs 320 W. Slot width: dual-slot vs triple-slot. Power connector is identical (1x 16-pin), and suggested PSU is the same (700 W). Bus interface: PCIe 5.0 x16 vs PCIe 4.0 x16. Display outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1b + 3x DisplayPort 2.1b vs 1x HDMI 2.1 + 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. Dimensions: 304 mm x 137 mm x 48 mm vs 310 mm x 140 mm x 61 mm. Release dates: 2025-02-19 vs 2022-09-19. Production status: Active vs End-of-life.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest win for the RTX 5070 Ti is in Passmark G2D, where it scores 1332 against the 4080’s 1239, a 7.5% margin. This 2D advantage is notable because it suggests the Blackwell memory subsystem or driver stack improves desktop and 2D workloads. In Geekbench Vulkan, the 5070 Ti leads by 5.3% (227554 vs 216045), a clear signal for Vulkan-based games and applications. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad win is narrow (6604 vs 6567, +0.6%), indicating near-parity in modern DX12 rasterization. The RTX 4080’s biggest win is in Passmark DX10, where it scores 204 vs 192, a 5.9% lead. It also takes DX9 by 5.1% (370 vs 351) and DX11 by 4.5% (314 vs 300). In Geekbench OpenCL, the 4080 is 4.0% ahead (240854 vs 231226), and in Passmark G3D it leads by 4.3% (34457 vs 32974). The compute tests show a consistent edge for the 4080: Passmark GPU Compute is 20671 vs 20203, a 2.3% margin. Even in DX12, the 4080 wins by 3.8% (132 vs 127), which is curious given the 5070 Ti’s win in Steel Nomad (also DX12) — likely a difference in workload characteristics. Overall, the 4080’s higher shading unit count and FP32 throughput (48.74 TFLOPS) likely drive its legacy and compute wins, while the 5070 Ti’s faster GDDR7 memory and newer architecture boost Vulkan and 2D performance.

The Verdict

The data presents a balanced picture. If the priority is modern API performance — particularly Vulkan, where the 5070 Ti is 5.3% ahead — or 2D desktop responsiveness, the RTX 5070 Ti is the better choice. Its GDDR7 memory and PCIe 5.0 interface also make it a forward-looking option, and it is currently an active product. However, for users who rely on older DirectX versions (DX9, DX10, DX11) or OpenCL compute, the RTX 4080 consistently outperforms by 2.3% to 5.9%. The 4080 also has more raw compute resources (9728 shading units, 48.74 TFLOPS FP32) and a higher boost clock (2505 MHz). The average scores are effectively identical, so neither card is objectively faster overall. The 4080’s end-of-life status and triple-slot cooler may be practical drawbacks, but the benchmark data shows it remains a strong performer in legacy and compute scenarios. The 5070 Ti, with its dual-slot design and lower TDP (300 W vs 320 W), offers better efficiency on paper and a clear edge in Vulkan and 2D. Ultimately, the choice hinges on workload: Vulkan and modern DX12 titles favor the 5070 Ti, while legacy DX and OpenCL favor the 4080.