How does Nvidia RTX 4080 compare to RTX 4090? Benchmarks, specs, and more explained

The Nvidia RTX 4080 will be launched this Wednesday as the second-most-powerful card in the Ada Lovelace-based RTX 40 series lineup, only behind the flagship RTX 4090.

Nvidia announced two RTX 4080 models back in September — with a second less powerful 4080 12 GB model. However, the card was "relaunched" last month after the company faced backlash from the community.

The RTX 4080 16 GB card — presently the only 4080 in the market — is a fast rendering machine, but is also one of the most expensive GPUs in the market.

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By how much does the RTX 4090 pull ahead of the RTX 4080?

The RTX 4080 is now available for purchase in leading online computer hardware stores. The graphics card is being sold at MSRP for now. Add-in board (AIB) partners have models with extra features that cost higher than the $1,199 mark.

However, the situation could reverse if the card is sold out, like with the RTX 4090 and the last-gen RTX 30 series options.

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Specs

The RTX 4090 features the flagship AD102 processor that packs 16,384 CUDA cores, 512 texture mapping units (TMUs), 176 render output units (ROPs) and 24 GB of GDDR6X memory.

In comparison, the 4080 is based on a slower and smaller AD103 processor. The graphics card packs 9,728 CUDA cores — 40% fewer than the flagship card. Other specs have been tuned down as well. The 4080 packs 304 TMUs, 112 ROPs, and 16 GB of GDDR6X memory which is based on a narrow 256-bit bus.

	Nvidia RTX 4090	Nvidia RTX 4080
CUDA core count	16,384	9,728
Tensor cores	576	304
RT cores	144	76
Base clock	2,235 MHz	2,205 MHz
Boost clock	2,520 MHz	2,505 MHz
VRAM	24 GB GDDR6X	16 GB GDDR6X
VRAM bus width	384 bit	256 bit
Total board power (TBP)	450 W	320 W

On paper, the RTX 4090 looks like a much faster graphics card. However, the RTX 4080 is decent for the average gamer. At UHD resolution, it can support any demanding game without too many hiccups. Thus, the variation in specs does not translate to a sensible real-world performance difference.

The 3080 killer outperforms the last-gen flagship, the RTX 3090 Ti. Though, the GPU is nowhere close to the RTX 4090 in terms of raw performance. Gamers can expect anywhere between 25 to 30% more performance with the flagship card depending on the game it is being benchmarked in.

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Pricing

Both the RTX 4080 and the RTX 4090 are competitive video cards. However, it is almost impossible to find a 4090 at a $1,599 MSRP. The graphics card can be found at a price between $2,500 and $3,000, which does not make a lot of sense considering its price point.

In contrast, some 4080 models are selling for $1,199. Nvidia's AIB partners have launched cards that go up to $1,550. However, the cards can be sold for much higher once the GPUs sell out.

Thus, if gamers can spot the RTX 4090 for around $1,599, they can opt for the flagship GPU as it is much faster than the 4080. If not, the 4080 is a sensible choice, for now. The video card can support almost every game at decent framerates in 4K and will save gamers some cash.

However, if gamers are seeking a value-for-money GPU, they can wait for the AMD Radeon RX 7000 series, which will hit the market on December 13.