The graphics card is that one thing that puts every gamer on top of the game itself. There are numerous options available on the market with a close tradeoff in price and performance. Nvidia is aware of these issues, so they regularly release new graphics cards to give their users the best option available on the market.
When Nvidia released the RTX 3080 Ti in 2021 as an upgrade to the RTX 3080, it was loaded with premium specs that make the company refers to it as the “New Gaming Flagship.” Everyone agreed Nvidia had outdone itself with the Ti editions, RTX 3080 Ti and RTX 3070 Ti (by the way, Ti means Titanium). However, the only thing constant is change!
Nvidia raised the stakes higher in 2022 when it released the GeForce RTX 4080, one of the RTX 40 series. The GPU was referred to as being “ahead of its time” by the manufacturer. The claim refers to Ray Tracing, Tensor cores, or the DLSS, which improves the gaming experience using AI.
RTX 4080 comes with all these features, but RTX 3080 Ti cannot lose out without a fight. The fact that Nvidia gives both of them the same launching price of $1199 puts them directly in competition with each other.
Considering the inflation on the world market, with both GPUs maintaining the same launch price despite being released a year apart and belonging to different generations, the question on your mind is probably whether RTX 3080 Ti is better than the 4080. This article will provide you with the answer.
RTX 4080 vs 3080 Ti: Side-by-Side Comparison
| RTX 4080 | RTX 3080 Ti | |
|---|---|---|
| Release Date | September 20, 2022 | May 31, 2021 |
| Price | 1199 USD | 1199 USD |
| Graphics Processor | AD103 | GA102 |
| Architecture | Ada Lovelace | Ampere |
| Boost Clock Speed (GHz) | 2.51 | 1.67 |
| Base Clock Speed (GHz) | 2.21 | 1.37 |
| Bandwidth | 716.8 GB/s | 912.4 GB/s |
| Memory Size | 16 GB | 12 GB |
| Texture Mapping Units (TMU) | 304 | 320 |
| CUDA capability | 8.9 | 8.6 |
| Ray Tracing Cores | Gen 3 | Gen 2 |
| Pixel Rate | 280.6 GPixel/s | 186.5 GPixel/s |
| Texture Rate | 761.5 GTexel/s | 532.8 GTexel/s |
RTX 4080 vs 3080 Ti: What’s The Difference?
It is no longer news that RTX 4080 and 3080 Ti share the same price tag despite being from different generations. We can boldly tell you that does not mean they share similar features. The reasons listed below will justify our position.
Ray Tracing and Graphics Quality
- 16 GB of GDDR6X VRAM
- 2.51 GHz GPU clock speed
- PCI Express 4.0 support
- Great for AI work
- 9,728 NVIDIA CUDA Cores
RTX 3080 Ti comes in hard with more memory bus, bandwidth, and die size than RTX 4080, but the latter established superiority where it matters. RTX 4080 Ray Tracing cores and DLSS 3 (frame generation) are a generation ahead of RTX 3080 Ti. This puts RTX 4080 ahead of the game because it can deliver a better gaming experience at a lower resolution and use AI to upscale delivery for an optimal experience.
RTX 3080 Ti was not designed for 1080p and 1440p gaming. Although it will quickly run both of them, its true strength is in 4K gaming. Coupled with DLSS 2, RTX 3080 Ti will perform excellently.
However, the RTX 3080 Ti doesn’t come with the limitation, which becomes apparent with subpar ray tracing during some 4K games. Also, it does not include the new DLSS technology.
RTX 4080 comes with a commanding 4K gaming experience that runs efficiently at a high level without distorted ray tracing. The DLSS 3 is not yet required for most games but guarantees future use. The frame generation technology is undoubtedly a game changer for the RTX 4080. The technology makes the game smoother by generating new frames, increasing their number.
Size and Hardware Features
This is one of the close calls between the two GPUs. The hardware of RTX 4080 includes one HDMI 2.1, three DisplayPort 1.4a, and one 16-pin power connector. RTX 3080 Ti is not far behind but only comes short with a 12-pin power connector. With more memory bus than RTX 4080, the 3080 Ti (12GB) is 4GB smaller than the RTX 4080’s 16GB in memory size.
RTX 3080 Ti is a dual slot which can explain its smaller size compared to RTX 4080, which has three slots. RTX 4080 is 12.2 inches in length, 5.5 inches in width, and 2.4 inches in height. Whereas RTX 3080 Ti has 11.2 inches in length, 4.4 inches in width, and 1.6 inches in height.
Performance
- 12GB GDDR6X Memory
- 19,000MHz memory clock speed
- Enhanced Tensor and RT Cores for a super fast gaming experience
- Scored 69.51 points on Passmark's benchmark test
The architecture also set these two GPUs apart. Although RTX 4080 seemingly comes short of CUDA cores, Tensor cores, and RT Cores when compared to RTX 3080 Ti, the Ada Lovelace architecture of RTX 4080 ensures that it doesn’t have lower performance.
RTX 4080 guarantees maximum resolution and refresh rate of 4K at 240Hz, or 8K at 60Hz with DSC and HDR. The 3080 Ti, on the other hand, has a maximum resolution of 7680 x 4320. It would interest you to know that despite differing performance levels, both GPUs’ power consumption is on par with 750 watts. This means that RTX 4080 is more efficient.
According to Nvidia, the RTX 4080 can offer gamers three times better performance than the RTX 3080 Ti in certain games. GeForce RTX 4080 has a more significant base and boost clock than RTX 3080 Ti; thus, consolidating its better performance by executing operations more quickly and efficiently.
The gaming performance of the RTX 4080 is about 35-40% more pleasing than the RTX 3080 Ti, making it a better choice for gamers.
RTX 4080 vs 3080 Ti: 8 Must-know Facts
- They have different architecture; Ada Lovelace for RTX 4080, and Ampere for RTX 3080.
- Both GPUs have DirectX -12 and the same OpenGL 4.6.
- While they are both equipped with DLSS and Ray Tracing, RTX 4080 is one generation ahead of the RTX 3080 Ti.
- The GeForce RTX 3080 Ti belongs to the RTX 30 series, which preceded the RTX 40 series, whereas RTX 4080 is one the leaders.
- They have the same power consumption.
- They both have the same launch price.
- RTX 3080 Ti has more shading units (10240) than RTX 4080 (9728).
- RTX 3080 Ti has more Texture Mapping units than RTX 4080 (320>304).
RTX 4080 vs 3080 Ti: Which One Is Better? Which One Should You Use?
It is evident that the RTX 4080 is better and more equipped for the future. RTX 3080 Ti, despite belonging to the previous mid-range GPUs, is not yet obsolete. With its DLSS 2.0, it can still run almost all the games out there satisfactorily.
As you are well aware, the RTX 4080 will put you ahead of the game because it is ahead of time itself. Some of its offerings, like the DLSS 3.0, are currently not required by most games. That will change, which is why it’s a thing of the future.
The fact that GeForce RTX 4080 and RTX 3080 Ti have comparable prices makes the former a natural choice to pick between the two. Providing a better performance with long-term utility and the same power consumption, Nvidia makes the choice easy for gamers.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Lia Koltyrina/Shutterstock.com.
