RX 7900 GRE Vs RTX 3080 10GB: Which One Is Better?

The RX 7900 GRE is a card that uses the RX 7900 moniker deceptively. It presents pretty cut-down specifications from the RX 7900 XT and the XTX without any tricks to help back performance up. The RTX 3080 does the same to a lower extent, using the same name with a 10GB and 12GB variant. This comparison of the RX 7900 GRE vs RTX 3080 10GB will highlight both cards’ strong and weak points.

Key Takeaways

• The RX 7900 GRE was about 6.3% faster than the RTX 3080 in our gaming tests at 4k, with the settings dialed up to the max.
• The RTX 3080 drew around 100 watts more power than the RX 7900 GRE whilst being less performant.
• The RX 7900 GRE is significantly more expensive and less widely available than the RTX 3080.

RX 7900 GRE Vs RTX 3080 10GB

Comparison Table

Architectural Differences

1. Process Size: An advantage of getting a newer graphics card is that it will come with improved manufacturing nodes, helping with power efficiency and performance gains. We see precisely this with the RX 7900 GRE utilizing more advanced 5nm processing nodes (as well as 6nm nodes thanks to its chiplet design), whereas the RTX 3080 uses an older 8nm manufacturing process.
2. Clock Speed: Newer graphics cards have also made strides in improving clock speeds, which is why the RX 7900 GRE has a higher 1500MHz base clock over the RTX 3080’s base clock of 1260MHz. The newer card is also more advanced in boost clocks, which are clocked at 2245MHz, making the RTX 3080’s 1710MHz boost clock seem sluggish.
3. TDP: The RX 7900 GRE’s newer, more refined architecture allows it to get away with a TDP of only 260 watts, whereas the RTX 3080 has a heftier TDP of 350 watts.
4. VRAM: The RX 7900 GRE also has substantially more VRAM than its competitor. It utilizes 16GB of GDDR6 memory, whereas the RTX 3080 uses 10GB of faster GDDR6X memory.
5. Bus Width: One key aspect where the RX 7900 GRE gets beaten is in terms of its bus width, with the RTX 3080 supporting a wide 320-bit bus, whereas the RX 7900 GRE uses a narrower 256-bit bus.
6. Other Features: Despite the RX 7900 GRE being a newer card, it offers almost no extra features compared to Nvidia’s card from last year. Both cards support equivalent ray-tracing chops, use their respective super scaling software (DLSS/FSR), and are slated to get support for AMD’s upcoming frame generation technology.

Also Read: RTX 4060 Ti Vs RTX 3080

Benchmarks

Sometimes, it’s better to just see the performance of computer hardware instead of comparing every detail on a spec sheet, which is why we chose to test these cards in real-world gaming scenarios to gauge the performance difference of the RX 7900 GRE vs RTX 3080.

The tests in this section had to be performed in an environment where both cards could perform to their fullest without any bottlenecks, which is why we paired them with the Ryzen 7 7800X3D along with 32GB of DDR5-6000 RAM, all working in junction at the 4k resolution. 

The Last Of Us Part 1

• The performance of both cards in The Last Of Us Part 1 was quite disappointing in our benchmark of the game. Both cards managed similar averages, with the RX 7900 GRE hanging around 45 FPS. In contrast, the RTX 3080 had an average framerate of 44 FPS, painting the former to be a competitor to Nvidia’s flagships from last year.
• 1% lows also shared the frame of difference that the averages saw, with the RX 7900 GRE fumbling its way down to 35 FPS when the graphics became intense, whereas the RTX 3080 got 1% lows of 36 FPS.

Similar Guide: RTX 3080 Vs RTX 3090

Resident Evil 4

• The RX 7900 GRE enjoyed a substantial advantage over the RTX in our test run of this game, with its average touching 80 FPS, whereas the RTX 3080 had an average performance of 74 FPS.
• The GRE also boasted higher 1% lows than its competitor, getting minimums of around 70 FPS in graphically intense scenes, whereas the RTX got minimums of about 63 FPS, leading to stuttery gameplay.

Also Check: RTX 2070 Vs RTX 3080

Forza Horizon 5

• The growth in the gap of performance between these cards widened with Forza Horizon 5, with the RTX 3080 getting around 87 FPS on average, whereas the RX 7900 GRE flew by the RTX with an average of about 108 FPS.
• 1% lows on the RTX 3080 also plummeted substantially compared to the RX 7900 GRE, with the former getting a minimum framerate of around 76 FPS, whereas the latter got a minimum of 89 FPS.

Also Read: RTX 2080 Vs RTX 3080

Hogwarts Legacy

• The performance of both cards equalized once again in Hogwarts Legacy, which shares a reputation of being unoptimized like The Last Of Us. The RTX 3080 10GB and the RX 7900 GRE both had an average framerate of 56 FPS in our test of this game.
• Though averages were equal between the two cards, the gameplay was not. The RTX card felt more stuttery because its 1% lows hung around 39 FPS, whereas the RX 7900 GRE had smoother lows around the 44 FPS mark.

Similar Guide: RTX 4070 Vs RTX 3080

Fortnite

• Fortnite somehow wound up running substantially better on our Nvidia card in our benchmark of the game, going against the results of the tests we’ve run so far. The GRE managed an average framerate of only 67 FPS on Ultra settings at 4k, whereas the RTX 3080 had an impressive 74 FPS average.
• Lows were not great on either device because games based on the Unreal Engine 5 tend to stutter, but the RTX 3080 handled them better with a minimum of 42 FPS, whereas the GRE had a minimum framerate of around 35 FPS.

Also Check: RTX 3080 Vs RX 6800 XT

A Plague Tale: Requiem

• This game brought the two cards back to equilibrium, with both cards averaging a framerate of around 56 FPS in this unoptimized title.
• 1% lows had a difference in performance between the two cards, despite the averages being the same. The RX 7900 GRE stuttered down to 46 FPS when graphically intense scenes were put forth, whereas the RTX 3080 had a framerate of around 44 FPS.

Similar Guide: RTX 3080 Vs 3080 Ti

Overall Gaming Performance

The performance of these cards was all over the place. Some games had both cards performing equally, whereas some games had one card well beyond the other. This variance in performance in the RX 7900 GRE vs RTX 3080 10GB can seem pretty random, which is why we took a step back to present the bigger picture in the sections below.

Framerate

• Tallying the results from the games at hand, the RTX 3080 10GB had an average framerate of around 63 FPS in our testing, whereas its 1% lows averaged around 51 FPS.
• The RX 7900 GRE did not perform miles better than the RTX 3080 as we’d hoped. It led by 6.3% in terms of average framerates with a median of 67 FPS, whereas the lows were around 55 FPS.
• Though these numbers in modern games at 4k might seem like they’re on the borderline of being playable, both cards can give a hefty boost to their performance when DLSS or FSR is turned on, making for much more comfortable framerates.
• Additionally, some settings in the Ultra preset of these games make an unnoticeable difference in visual quality while reducing the framerate by a lot, so turning those settings down will help improve framerates further on both cards.

Also Read: RX 5700 XT Vs RTX 3080

Power Consumption

• Using our RX 7900 GRE, our test bench only consumed 384 watts on average.
• When we fitted the same test bench with the RTX 3080 10GB, its power consumption shot up to 487 watts, almost 100 watts higher than what we saw with the AMD card.

Similar Article: Radeon RX 6700 XT Vs GeForce RTX 3080

Price And Availability

• The RTX 3080 10GB can be had for around $489 on Newegg, whereas used retailers like eBay can get you an even lower price. You can easily find this graphics card in most shops you step foot in.
• The RX 7900 GRE is marketed for $649, but it has only launched in China at the time of writing this article.

RTX 3080 10GB Vs RX 7900 GRE: What We Recommend

The performance of the RX 7900 GRE vs RTX 3080 10GB made it difficult to crown one graphics card as the victor of our tests, so we gathered the salient points about these cards below to assist you in making your purchasing decision.

• The RX 7900 GRE had a 6.3% higher performance over the RTX 3080 on average in our gaming benchmarks in terms of framerate.
• The RTX 3080 consumed around 100 watts more than the RX 7900 GRE.
• Though the RX 7900 GRE was only a little bit faster than the RTX 3080 in our gaming benchmarks, it is slated to get AMD’s frame generation technology, so it can double or even triple its framerate in supported games. AMD has announced this software to be available to all GPUs, so the RTX 3080 will also benefit from this innovation, breathing new life into the card.
• If you’re willing to pay for a slightly faster, slightly newer graphics card, the RX 7900 GRE is a good option if it’s available near you. For anyone looking for a good deal, though, the RTX 3080 is a great card for the price it’s selling for.

Pros And Cons

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Abde Manaf

[Comparisons Expert]

Abdemanaf is a skilled creative writer who has been honing his craft since 2011. While initially working in different fields, he found a passion for technology and has been exploring the tech world since early 2015. Over the years, he has developed an in-depth knowledge of the latest tech trends and product offerings by various companies.

Abdemanaf’s writing reflects his analytical mindset and ability to think critically. He has a knack for breaking down complex technical information into easily digestible pieces, making his articles engaging and accessible to readers from all backgrounds. In February 2022, he joined Tech4Gamers as a blog and product comparison writer, where he has been able to hone his skills further.

As a writer, Abdemanaf is dedicated to staying up-to-date with the latest technological advancements and trends, enabling him to provide readers with the most relevant and accurate information. He is always eager to learn more and is constantly seeking new challenges to improve his skills.

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