RTX 3090 Ti Vs RTX 4080: Should You Upgrade?

See full bio

Uzair Qureshi

At Tech4Gamers, I proudly wear the title of Comparisons Specialist. Focused on CPUs and GPUs, I bring forth a wealth of hands-on experience and a keen eye for detail to provide our audience with the latest insights and analyses.

See full bio

Pros And Cons

Comparison Table

Architectural Differences

1. Process node: The RTX 4080 and the rest of the 40 series of graphics cards utilize cutting-edge 5nm manufacturing nodes, whereas the RTX 3090 Ti uses an older 8nm process.
2. Clock Speeds: The RTX 4080 clocks anywhere from 2205MHz at the base with a boost of up to 2505MHz, whereas the RTX 3090 Ti can clock from 1560MHz to 1860MHz.
3. VRAM: The RTX 4080 comes with a sizeable VRAM buffer of 16GB, whereas the RTX 3090 Ti comes with the highest VRAM amount possible on a consumer gaming GPU; 24.
4. TDP: The RTX 4080 is rated to reach a TDP of 320 watts, which is significantly lower than the RTX 3090 Ti’s 450-watt TDP.
5. Bus Width: The RTX 4080 has a pretty sizeable 256-bit, whereas the RTX 3090 Ti takes this up to a 384-bit bus, allowing for more bandwidth between the GPU and the VRAM.
6. Other Features: The RTX 4080 brings improved ray-tracing over the RTX 3090 Ti and a new type of upscaling dubbed DLSS 3 that adds interpolated frames between the generated frames in your games, drastically boosting FPS.

A little while ago, the RTX 3090 Ti used to be the biggest, best GPU that money could buy, but that isn’t the case anymore. The RTX 4090 dethroned the RTX 3090 Ti from its title when the RTX 40 series of cards were released. This article comparing RTX 3090 Ti vs RTX 4080 will ascertain whether the RTX 3090 Ti can still hold its ground against the newer next tier down.

Gaming Performance Benchmarks

To elaborate on what you’d see in the real-world performance of these cards, we have tested several modern games at the 4k resolution using a testbench, the specs of which you can see below:

Testing Rig

• OS: Windows 10 Pro
• CPU: Intel Core i5-13600K 
• Motherboard: MSI MEG Z790 ACE MAX Motherboard
• RAM: Kingston Fury Renegade RGB DDR5 32GB 7200MHz
• CPU Cooler: be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4
• SSD: CORSAIR MP700 PRO 2TB Gen5 NVMe SSD
• Power Supply: ENERMAX REVOLUTION D.F. X 1050W

Cyberpunk 2077

• In my Cyberpunk 2077 gaming session, the RTX 3090 Ti got 52 FPS with high settings and DLSS and RT on, whereas the 4080 maintained an average of 62 FPS.
• The 1% lows were also noticeably better on the 4080 at 46 FPS than the rather stuttery 38 FPS on the RTX 3090 Ti.

God Of War

• During my session on God of War, the RTX 4080 had an average of 128 FPS, whereas the RTX 3090 Ti got an average of 106 FPS.
• 1% lows also had a similar disparity, with the RTX 4080 maintaining a minimum of 92 FPS, whereas the RTX 4080 hovered around 109 FPS.

A Plague Tale Requiem

• The RTX 4080 managed to get an average framerate of 75 FPS in A Plague Tale Requiem, whereas the RTX 3090 Ti managed 66 FPS average.
• The trend in the 1% lows was also established, with the RTX 4080 getting 63 FPS at minimum, whereas the RTX 3090 TI got 1% lows of 55 FPS.

Red Dead Redemption 2

• This modern masterpiece by Rockstar Games also ran significantly better on the RTX 4080 with 102 FPS. In contrast, the RTX 3090 Ti runs the game at 85 FPS.
• Regarding the 1% lows, the 4080 maintained lows of 83 FPS, whereas the RTX 3090 Ti had a minimum framerate of around 71 FPS.

Hitman 3

• Hitman 3 ran at 112 FPS on average on the 3090 Ti, whereas the RTX 4080 ran the game better at a framerate of 141 FPS. 
• 1% lows were much smoother on the RTX 4080 at 122 FPS, whereas the 97 FPS lows on the RTX 3090 Ti were not bad either.

Horizon Zero Dawn

• The PC port of Horizon Zero Dawn ran great on both graphics cards, with the RTX 4080 getting 143 FPS, whereas the RTX 3090 Ti lagged with an average of 129 FPS.
• The difference between the 1% lows of these cards was also small enough to be unnoticeable by most people, with the RTX 3090 Ti boasting lows of 105 FPS, whereas the RTX 4080 maintained a framerate of 114 FPS.

Forza Horizon 5

• In our Forza Horizon 5 gameplay, the RTX 3090 Ti performed 115 FPS, whereas the RTX 4080 ran the game at an average of 154 FPS.
• 1% lows had a similar deviation between the two. The RTX 4080 had lows of 134 FPS, whereas the RTX 3090 Ti had 1% lows of 101 FPS.

Microsoft Flight Sim 2020

• In our last benchmark test, the RTX 3090 Ti managed a framerate of 53 FPS in this game, whereas the RTX 4080 had a framerate of around 67 FPS.
• The RTX 4080 maintained a minimum framerate of 58 FPS, whereas the RTX 3090 Ti was noticeably choppy with a framerate of 46 FPS.

Overall Gaming Performance

The RTX 3090 Ti had an average performance of 90 FPS, with the 1% lows reaching an average of 76 FPS. The RTX 4080 got an average framerate of 108 FPS, whereas the 1% lows hovered around 91 FPS. On average, the RTX 4080 had 20% more performance than its older cousin.

Power

The RTX 3090 TI had an average power consumption of 423 watts over the 8 games tested at 4k. The RTX 4080 was considerably more power efficient than the RTX 3090 Ti, consuming around 300 watts of power on average, 29% lower than the older card.

Temperature

The peak temperature of the RTX 3090 Ti hovered around 54°C on average, whereas the RTX 4080 on average peaked around 60°C in our testing. Both the cards were well within safe temperature limits, though the thermal performance of the RTX 3090 Ti was more impressive.

Price And Availability

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 Ti, with an MSRP of $1999, is currently priced at $2190, showing a price hike of approximately 10%.

Final Verdict – What We Recommend?

RTX 4080: With an impressive 20% higher overall gaming performance than the RTX 3090 Ti, the RTX 4080 emerges as the more powerful option. It boasts a 29% lower power draw while delivering superior performance. However, it’s important to consider the physical dimensions and power requirements of the RTX 4080, especially if your current setup may be limited in space or power capacity.

RTX 3090 Ti: Despite being slightly less powerful than the RTX 4080, the RTX 3090 Ti still offers substantial gaming performance. If budget constraints are a concern and the slightly lower performance is acceptable, the RTX 3090 Ti remains a capable choice to satisfy gaming needs for the foreseeable future.

If top-tier performance is a priority and budget allows, the RTX 4080’s superior gaming performance and power efficiency make it an attractive option.

Uzair Qureshi

[Comparisons Specialist]

I’m a passionate computer hardware expert specializing in CPUs and GPUs. With a lifelong curiosity for hardware and extensive hands-on experience, I provide valuable insights, practical advice, and in-depth analysis on these components. Engaging with the hardware community, I exchange knowledge and stay at the forefront of technological advancements.

Get In Touch: uzair@tech4gamers.com