RTX 3080 12 GB vs RTX 3080

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Combined performance score

RTX 3080
65.34

RTX 3080 12 GB outperforms RTX 3080 by 6% in our combined benchmark results.

General info

GPU architecture, market segment, value for money and other general parameters compared.

Place in performance ranking2320
Place by popularity79not in top-100
Value for money21.2016.22
ArchitectureAmpere (2020−2022)Ampere (2020−2022)
GPU code nameAmpere GA102Ampere GA102
Market segmentDesktopDesktop
Release date16 September 2020 (3 years old)11 January 2022 (2 years old)
Launch price (MSRP)$699 $799
Current price$823 (1.2x MSRP)$1053 (1.3x MSRP)
Value for money

Performance to price ratio. The higher, the better.

RTX 3080 has 31% better value for money than RTX 3080 12 GB.

Technical specs

General performance parameters such as number of shaders, GPU core base clock and boost clock speeds, manufacturing process, texturing and calculation speed. These parameters indirectly speak of performance, but for precise assessment you have to consider their benchmark and gaming test results. Note that power consumption of some graphics cards can well exceed their nominal TDP, especially when overclocked.

Pipelines / CUDA cores87048960
Core clock speed1450 MHzno data
Boost clock speed1710 MHz1260 MHz
Number of transistors28,300 million28,300 million
Manufacturing process technology8 nm8 nm
Power consumption (TDP)320 Watt350 Watt
Texture fill rate465.1478.8

Size and compatibility

Information on compatibility with other computer components. Useful when choosing a future computer configuration or upgrading an existing one. For desktop graphics cards it's interface and bus (motherboard compatibility), additional power connectors (power supply compatibility).

InterfacePCIe 4.0 x16PCIe 4.0 x16
Length285 mm285 mm
Width2-slot2-slot
Supplementary power connectors1x 12-pin1x 12-pin

Memory

Parameters of VRAM installed: its type, size, bus, clock and resulting bandwidth. Integrated GPUs have no dedicated video RAM and use a shared part of system RAM.

Memory typeGDDR6X384
Maximum RAM amount10 GB12 GB
Memory bus width320 Bit19000 Bit
Memory clock speed19000 MHz1710 MHz
Memory bandwidth760.3 GB/s912.4 GB/s
Shared memory--

Video outputs and ports

Types and number of video connectors present on the reviewed GPUs. As a rule, data in this section is precise only for desktop reference ones (so-called Founders Edition for NVIDIA chips). OEM manufacturers may change the number and type of output ports, while for notebook cards availability of certain video outputs ports depends on the laptop model rather than on the card itself.

Display Connectors1x HDMI, 3x DisplayPort1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a
HDMI++

API support

List of supported graphics and general-purpose computing APIs, including their specific versions.

DirectX12 Ultimate (12_2)12 Ultimate (12_2)
Shader Model6.56.6
OpenGL4.64.6
OpenCL2.03.0
Vulkan1.21.3
CUDA8.58.6

Synthetic benchmark performance

Non-gaming benchmark performance comparison. The combined score is measured on a 0-100 point scale.


Combined synthetic benchmark score

This is our combined benchmark performance score. We are regularly improving our combining algorithms, but if you find some perceived inconsistencies, feel free to speak up in comments section, we usually fix problems quickly.

RTX 3080 65.34
RTX 3080 12 GB 69.00
+5.6%

RTX 3080 12 GB outperforms RTX 3080 by 6% in our combined benchmark results.


Passmark

This is the most ubiquitous GPU benchmark, part of Passmark PerformanceTest suite. It gives the graphics card a thorough evaluation under various types of load, providing four separate benchmarks for Direct3D versions 9, 10, 11 and 12 (the last being done in 4K resolution if possible), and few more tests engaging DirectCompute capabilities.

Benchmark coverage: 25%

RTX 3080 25329
RTX 3080 12 GB 26744
+5.6%

RTX 3080 12 GB outperforms RTX 3080 by 6% in Passmark.

3DMark Vantage Performance

3DMark Vantage is an outdated DirectX 10 benchmark using 1280x1024 screen resolution. It taxes the graphics card with two scenes, one depicting a girl escaping some militarized base located within a sea cave, the other displaying a space fleet attack on a defenseless planet. It was discontinued in April 2017, and Time Spy benchmark is now recommended to be used instead.

Benchmark coverage: 17%

RTX 3080 91747
+106%
RTX 3080 12 GB 44533

RTX 3080 outperforms RTX 3080 12 GB by 106% in 3DMark Vantage Performance.

3DMark 11 Performance GPU

3DMark 11 is an obsolete DirectX 11 benchmark by Futuremark. It used four tests based on two scenes, one being few submarines exploring the submerged wreck of a sunken ship, the other is an abandoned temple deep in the jungle. All the tests are heavy with volumetric lighting and tessellation, and despite being done in 1280x720 resolution, are relatively taxing. Discontinued in January 2020, 3DMark 11 is now superseded by Time Spy.

Benchmark coverage: 17%

RTX 3080 53713
RTX 3080 12 GB 217116
+304%

RTX 3080 12 GB outperforms RTX 3080 by 304% in 3DMark 11 Performance GPU.

3DMark Fire Strike Graphics

Fire Strike is a DirectX 11 benchmark for gaming PCs. It features two separate tests displaying a fight between a humanoid and a fiery creature made of lava. Using 1920x1080 resolution, Fire Strike shows off some realistic graphics and is quite taxing on hardware.

Benchmark coverage: 14%

RTX 3080 39257
+9.3%
RTX 3080 12 GB 35922

RTX 3080 outperforms RTX 3080 12 GB by 9% in 3DMark Fire Strike Graphics.

3DMark Cloud Gate GPU

Cloud Gate is an outdated DirectX 11 feature level 10 benchmark that was used for home PCs and basic notebooks. It displays a few scenes of some weird space teleportation device launching spaceships into unknown, using fixed resolution of 1280x720. Just like Ice Storm benchmark, it has been discontinued in January 2020 and replaced by 3DMark Night Raid.

Benchmark coverage: 14%

RTX 3080 188064
RTX 3080 12 GB 549644
+192%

RTX 3080 12 GB outperforms RTX 3080 by 192% in 3DMark Cloud Gate GPU.

3DMark Ice Storm GPU

Ice Storm Graphics is an obsolete benchmark, part of 3DMark suite. Ice Storm was used to measure entry level laptops and Windows-based tablets performance. It utilizes DirectX 11 feature level 9 to display a battle between two space fleets near a frozen planet in 1280x720 resolution. Discontinued in January 2020, it is now superseded by 3DMark Night Raid.

Benchmark coverage: 8%

RTX 3080 529548
+1020224%
RTX 3080 12 GB 52

RTX 3080 outperforms RTX 3080 12 GB by 1020224% in 3DMark Ice Storm GPU.

Gaming performance

Let's see how good the compared graphics cards are for gaming. Particular gaming benchmark results are measured in FPS.

Average FPS across all PC games

Here are the average frames per second in a large set of popular games across different resolutions:

Full HD164
−12.2%
184
+12.2%
1440p122
−0.8%
123
+0.8%
4K85
+2.4%
83
−2.4%

Performance in popular games

Full HD
Low Preset

Cyberpunk 2077 120−130
−6.3%
130−140
+6.3%

Full HD
Medium Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 100−110
−4%
100−110
+4%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 111
−9%
120−130
+9%
Battlefield 5 172
+8.9%
150−160
−8.9%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 160−170
−3%
170−180
+3%
Cyberpunk 2077 138
+2.2%
130−140
−2.2%
Far Cry 5 157
−8.9%
171
+8.9%
Far Cry New Dawn 129
−5.4%
136
+5.4%
Forza Horizon 4 180−190
−5.4%
190−200
+5.4%
Hitman 3 172
−19.8%
200−210
+19.8%
Horizon Zero Dawn 166
−20.5%
200
+20.5%
Red Dead Redemption 2 152
+32.2%
110−120
−32.2%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 194
−7.7%
209
+7.7%
Watch Dogs: Legion 134
+13.6%
118
−13.6%

Full HD
High Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 100−110
−4%
100−110
+4%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 96
−26%
120−130
+26%
Battlefield 5 156
−1.3%
150−160
+1.3%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 160−170
−3%
170−180
+3%
Cyberpunk 2077 134
−0.7%
130−140
+0.7%
Far Cry 5 150
−8%
162
+8%
Far Cry New Dawn 124
−5.6%
131
+5.6%
Forza Horizon 4 180−190
−5.4%
190−200
+5.4%
Hitman 3 167
−23.4%
200−210
+23.4%
Horizon Zero Dawn 149
−10.7%
165
+10.7%
Metro Exodus 128
−14.8%
147
+14.8%
Red Dead Redemption 2 119
+3.5%
110−120
−3.5%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 187
−8%
202
+8%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 303
−5.9%
321
+5.9%
Watch Dogs: Legion 119
+10.2%
108
−10.2%

Full HD
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 100−110
−4%
100−110
+4%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 88
−37.5%
120−130
+37.5%
Battlefield 5 145
−9%
150−160
+9%
Cyberpunk 2077 131
−3.1%
130−140
+3.1%
Far Cry 5 140
−7.9%
151
+7.9%
Far Cry New Dawn 112
−5.4%
118
+5.4%
Forza Horizon 4 180−190
−5.4%
190−200
+5.4%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 149
−10.7%
165
+10.7%
Watch Dogs: Legion 101
+6.3%
95
−6.3%

1440p
High Preset

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 110−120
−6.8%
120−130
+6.8%
Hitman 3 164
+7.2%
150−160
−7.2%
Horizon Zero Dawn 131
−0.8%
132
+0.8%
Metro Exodus 95
−3.2%
98
+3.2%
Red Dead Redemption 2 84
+27.3%
65−70
−27.3%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 150
+2%
147
−2%

1440p
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 70−75
−6.9%
75−80
+6.9%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 76
−13.2%
85−90
+13.2%
Battlefield 5 124
−4.8%
130−140
+4.8%
Cyberpunk 2077 86
+17.8%
70−75
−17.8%
Far Cry 5 135
−8.9%
147
+8.9%
Far Cry New Dawn 107
−8.4%
116
+8.4%
Forza Horizon 4 150−160
−8%
160−170
+8%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 110−120
−7.6%
120−130
+7.6%
Watch Dogs: Legion 81
−3.7%
84
+3.7%

4K
High Preset

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 70−75
−6.9%
75−80
+6.9%
Hitman 3 109
+25.3%
85−90
−25.3%
Horizon Zero Dawn 44
+10%
40
−10%
Metro Exodus 65
+0%
65
+0%
Red Dead Redemption 2 56
+30.2%
40−45
−30.2%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 86
+3.6%
83
−3.6%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 115
−14.8%
132
+14.8%

4K
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 50−55
−7.8%
55−60
+7.8%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 52
−3.8%
50−55
+3.8%
Battlefield 5 91
+1.1%
90−95
−1.1%
Cyberpunk 2077 43
+26.5%
30−35
−26.5%
Far Cry 5 94
−8.5%
102
+8.5%
Far Cry New Dawn 89
−10.1%
98
+10.1%
Forza Horizon 4 100−110
−9.4%
110−120
+9.4%
Watch Dogs: Legion 54
−1.9%
55
+1.9%

This is how RTX 3080 and RTX 3080 12 GB compete in popular games:

1080p resolution:

  • RTX 3080 12 GB is 12.2% faster than RTX 3080

1440p resolution:

  • RTX 3080 12 GB is 0.8% faster than RTX 3080

4K resolution:

  • RTX 3080 is 2.4% faster than RTX 3080 12 GB

Here's the range of performance differences observed across popular games:

  • in Red Dead Redemption 2, with 1080p resolution and the Medium Preset, the RTX 3080 is 32.2% faster than the RTX 3080 12 GB.
  • in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, with 1080p resolution and the Ultra Preset, the RTX 3080 12 GB is 37.5% faster than the RTX 3080.

All in all, in popular games:

  • RTX 3080 is ahead in 17 tests (25%)
  • RTX 3080 12 GB is ahead in 50 tests (74%)
  • there's a draw in 1 test (1%)

Advantages and disadvantages


Performance score 65.34 69.00
Recency 16 September 2020 11 January 2022
Cost $699 $799
Maximum RAM amount 10 GB 12 GB
Power consumption (TDP) 320 Watt 350 Watt

We couldn't decide between GeForce RTX 3080 and GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB. The differences in performance seem too small.


Should you still have questions concerning choice between the reviewed GPUs, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.

User ratings

Do you think we are right or mistaken in our choice? Vote by clicking "Like" button near your favorite graphics card.


NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080
GeForce RTX 3080
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB
GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB

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