NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data paints a remarkably one-sided picture. Across all nine shared benchmark tests, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER wins outright, with zero victories for the laptop-class RTX 4090 Mobile. The margins, however, tell a more nuanced story about where each GPU excels.

The most dramatic gap appears in Geekbench Vulkan, where the RTX 4080 SUPER scores 260,075 against 170,774 for the RTX 4090 Mobile. That is a 52.3% advantage, the largest percentage delta in the entire comparison. This suggests the desktop part has a substantial edge in compute-heavy, API-level workloads that leverage modern graphics features. Similarly, Passmark GPU Compute shows a 60.5% lead for the RTX 4080 SUPER (19,822 versus 12,347), indicating a major disparity in raw parallel processing throughput.

DirectX 12 performance also favors the desktop card decisively. The RTX 4080 SUPER records 134 points versus 107 for the mobile chip, a 25.2% delta. This aligns with the expectation that newer, more demanding rendering paths benefit from the desktop card’s higher resource allocation. DirectX 9 and DirectX 11 results follow the same pattern: 22.9% and 14.9% advantages, respectively, with scores of 381 versus 310 and 301 versus 262. Even older APIs, which often scale with memory bandwidth and clock speeds, show a clear desktop win.

The Passmark G3D score, often used as a proxy for overall gaming performance, gives the RTX 4080 SUPER a 25.8% lead (34,245 versus 27,212). This is a substantial margin that would translate into visibly higher frame rates in most titles. The 2D test (Passmark G2D) shows a 29.1% difference (1,270 versus 984), which is interesting because 2D performance is rarely a bottleneck in modern games; the gap likely reflects the desktop card’s higher memory bandwidth and pixel throughput.

OpenCL results are closer, with the RTX 4080 SUPER scoring 219,065 against 180,831, a 21.1% delta. While still a clear win, this smaller margin suggests that the mobile GPU’s architecture remains competitive in certain general-purpose compute tasks, possibly due to its efficient design at lower power.

The only test where the delta is under 15% is Passmark DirectX 10 (11.6%, 193 versus 173). This modest gap indicates that the two GPUs are more evenly matched under legacy API conditions, likely because neither is fully optimized for such workloads. Overall, the data shows a consistent, but not uniform, performance hierarchy. The RTX 4080 SUPER leads in every category, but the magnitude of its advantage varies from roughly 12% to over 60%, depending on the workload.

Architecture Differences

Both GPUs share the same fundamental architecture, node process, and chip design, yet their specifications diverge significantly in execution resources and power envelopes. The RTX 4080 SUPER and RTX 4090 Mobile both use the AD103 chip built on TSMC’s 5 nm process, with identical transistor counts of 45,900 million and a die size of 379 mm². This yields the same transistor density of 121.1M per mm², confirming they are essentially the same silicon, just configured differently.

The desktop RTX 4080 SUPER activates more of the chip’s potential. It houses 10,240 shading units, while the mobile RTX 4090 has 9,728. Texture mapping units follow suit: 320 versus 304. Raster operation units (ROPs) are identical at 112, meaning pixel fill rates differ only due to clock speeds. Ray tracing cores count 80 on the desktop versus 76 on mobile, and tensor cores are 320 versus 304. These differences, while not enormous on paper, compound with clock speeds to create a meaningful performance gap.

Clock speeds are where the two diverge most starkly. The RTX 4080 SUPER runs at a 2,295 MHz base clock and boosts to 2,550 MHz. The RTX 4090 Mobile, constrained by its 120 W thermal design, operates at a 1,335 MHz base and 1,695 MHz boost. That is a 960 MHz difference at base and 855 MHz at boost, which directly explains the desktop’s higher pixel rate of 285.6 GPixel/s versus 189.8 GPixel/s, and texture rate of 816.0 GTexel/s versus 515.3 GTexel/s.

Memory configurations also diverge. Both have 16 GB capacities and 256-bit buses, but the RTX 4080 SUPER uses GDDR6X at 23 Gbps effective, delivering 736.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The mobile part uses standard GDDR6 at 18 Gbps effective, yielding 576.0 GB/s. That is a 160 GB/s difference, which heavily impacts memory-bound workloads. The desktop card’s FP32 compute is rated at 52.22 TFLOPS, while the mobile chip manages 32.98 TFLOPS, a reflection of both fewer cores and lower clocks.

Power delivery is another fundamental split. The RTX 4080 SUPER has a 320 W TDP, requires a 16-pin connector, and is a triple-slot card. The RTX 4090 Mobile is an IGP (integrated graphics processor) with no dedicated power connectors and a 120 W TDP, designed to be soldered onto a laptop motherboard. This explains its portable-device-dependent display outputs versus the desktop’s 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 54,209, while the RTX 4090 Mobile averages 43,667. This places the desktop card in the 86th percentile of all GPUs, versus the 84th percentile for the mobile part.

Q: How much faster is the RTX 4080 SUPER in Vulkan compute?

A: In Geekbench Vulkan, the RTX 4080 SUPER scores 260,075 versus 170,774 for the RTX 4090 Mobile, a 52.3% advantage. This is the largest single-test delta recorded between the two.

Q: Do both GPUs use the same manufacturing process?

A: Yes, both are built on TSMC’s 5 nm process with the same AD103 chip, 45,900 million transistors, and 379 mm² die size. They differ in how many cores are enabled and their clock speeds.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER offers 736.3 GB/s of bandwidth using GDDR6X memory, while the RTX 4090 Mobile provides 576.0 GB/s with GDDR6. Both have 16 GB capacity and a 256-bit bus.

Q: Which card has a higher power draw?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER has a 320 W TDP, while the RTX 4090 Mobile has a 120 W TDP. The desktop card also requires a 700 W suggested power supply, whereas the mobile part uses no external power connectors.

Q: Are there any benchmarks where the RTX 4090 Mobile wins?

A: No. Across all nine shared tests, the RTX 4080 SUPER wins every one. The closest margin is in Passmark DirectX 10, where the desktop leads by 11.6%.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in nearly every measurable specification except for their chip, process, transistor count, die size, ROPs, memory capacity, bus width, and API support. Here are the specific fields where they diverge:

• Shading Units: 10,240 (SUPER) versus 9,728 (Mobile)
• TMUs: 320 versus 304
• RT Cores: 80 versus 76
• Tensor Cores: 320 versus 304
• Base Clock: 2,295 MHz versus 1,335 MHz
• Boost Clock: 2,550 MHz versus 1,695 MHz
• Memory Type: GDDR6X versus GDDR6
• Memory Clock: 23 Gbps effective versus 18 Gbps effective
• Bandwidth: 736.3 GB/s versus 576.0 GB/s
• Pixel Rate: 285.6 GPixel/s versus 189.8 GPixel/s
• Texture Rate: 816.0 GTexel/s versus 515.3 GTexel/s
• FP32 Performance: 52.22 TFLOPS versus 32.98 TFLOPS
• TDP: 320 W versus 120 W
• Slot Width: Triple-slot versus IGP
• Power Connectors: 1x 16-pin versus None
• Suggested PSU: 700 W versus null
• Display Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a versus Portable Device Dependent
• Dimensions: 310 mm x 140 mm x 61 mm versus null (no fixed dimensions)
• Production Status: End-of-life versus Active
• Release Date: 2024-01-30 versus 2023-01-02
• Predecessor: GeForce 30 versus GeForce 30 Mobile
• Successor: GeForce 50 versus GeForce 50 Mobile
• Launch MSRP: 999 USD versus null

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 4080 SUPER wins every benchmark in the database, so the question becomes which workloads benefit most from its advantages. The desktop card is particularly dominant in compute-heavy tasks. Its 60.5% lead in Passmark GPU Compute and 52.3% lead in Geekbench Vulkan suggest it is the better choice for GPU-accelerated rendering, scientific simulation, and any workload that stresses parallel processing. The 25.8% advantage in Passmark G3D also makes it the stronger option for high-refresh-rate gaming at high resolutions, where the extra bandwidth and pixel throughput matter most.

The RTX 4090 Mobile, despite losing every test, has a clear use case: it delivers a substantial portion of the desktop card’s performance in a 120 W package. Its 84th percentile ranking is only two points below the desktop card, and in the closest test (DirectX 10), it trails by just 11.6%. For laptop users who need strong 1440p gaming or CUDA acceleration without a desktop tower, the mobile part offers a compelling compromise. Its active production status and lack of external power connectors mean it can be integrated into thin-and-light designs, something the triple-slot, 320 W desktop card cannot do.

In legacy API titles (DirectX 9 and 10), the mobile card’s margins of defeat are smaller (22.9% and 11.6%), indicating that older games, which often rely more on CPU and memory rather than raw shader throughput, are where the mobile GPU is least disadvantaged. Conversely, the desktop card’s biggest wins are in compute and modern APIs, making it the clear pick for future-proofing.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is the superior performer in every recorded benchmark, with an average score of 54,209 versus 43,667 for the RTX 4090 Mobile. Its wins range from 11.6% to 60.5%, with the largest gaps in Vulkan compute and GPU compute, and the smallest in legacy DirectX 10. The desktop card’s higher clock speeds, more enabled cores, faster GDDR6X memory, and 320 W power budget all contribute to this dominance.

However, the RTX 4090 Mobile is not a poor performer; it sits in the 84th percentile of all GPUs and its nearest rivals include the RTX 5050 Mobile and Quadro M6000, with average scores within 0.9% of its own. Its 120 W TDP and IGP form factor make it the only viable option for portable systems. The choice comes down to form factor versus raw performance. Desktop builders with room for a triple-slot card and a 700 W PSU should choose the RTX 4080 SUPER without hesitation. Laptop buyers who need strong GPU acceleration on the go will find the RTX 4090 Mobile adequate, especially in older DirectX 10 workloads where the gap narrows. The recorded data simply does not support any scenario where the mobile part outperforms its desktop sibling.