GeForce RTX 2080 vs GeForce RTX 3090
The GeForce RTX 3090 pulls ahead here — in a different league, about 105% ahead of the GeForce RTX 2080. But the GeForce RTX 2080 is the better value, undercutting it by $5,232 AUD for the performance you get.
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GeForce RTX 3090 vs GeForce RTX 2080: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce RTX 3090 vs GeForce RTX 2080
The GeForce RTX 3090 is dramatically faster, around 105% ahead of the GeForce RTX 2080. That gap is enough to move it up a tier: the GeForce RTX 3090 is comfortable at 1440p, while the GeForce RTX 2080 is better matched to 1080p. The GeForce RTX 3090 packs 10,496 CUDA cores versus 2,944 on the GeForce RTX 2080.
Price & Value
Pricing has the GeForce RTX 2080 at $1,426 AUD, $5,232 AUD under the GeForce RTX 3090's $6,658 AUD. Despite being slower, the GeForce RTX 2080 offers the better performance-per-dollar (~128% better value), so budget-focused buyers should weigh it carefully. The GeForce RTX 2080 still sits about $727 AUD above its $699 AUD MSRP. The GeForce RTX 3090 still sits about $5,159 AUD above its $1,499 AUD MSRP.
Power & Efficiency
At 225W vs 350W, the GeForce RTX 2080 is the gentler load on your system. The GeForce RTX 3090's extra power draw buys more performance per watt, not just more heat — worth it if your PSU has the headroom. Its more modern Ampere architecture on a Samsung 8nm process is part of why it does more with each watt.
VRAM & Future-Proofing
The GeForce RTX 3090 carries 24GB versus 8GB on the GeForce RTX 2080. The extra 16GB helps at 4K, with high-resolution texture packs, and for content-creation or local-AI workloads that exhaust smaller buffers. The GeForce RTX 3090's memory is also faster — 936 GB/s versus 448 GB/s (384-bit vs 256-bit bus) — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.
Generation & Longevity
The GeForce RTX 3090 is roughly 2 years newer than the GeForce RTX 2080 (Ampere vs Turing), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Which should you buy: GeForce RTX 2080 or GeForce RTX 3090?
Choose the GeForce RTX 3090 if you want the most performance and can absorb the higher price. If you're optimizing for value, the GeForce RTX 2080 stretches your money further for only slightly lower performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GeForce RTX 3090 better than the GeForce RTX 2080?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce RTX 2080 or the GeForce RTX 3090?
Is the GeForce RTX 3090 worth the extra $5,232 AUD over the GeForce RTX 2080?
Does the GeForce RTX 3090 have enough VRAM advantage to matter?
Which should you buy: GeForce RTX 2080 or GeForce RTX 3090?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | GeForce RTX 2080 | GeForce RTX 3090 |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Turing | Ampere |
| Process Node | TSMC 12nm | Samsung 8nm |
| CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / CUDA Cores) | 2,944 | 10,496✓ |
| Ray Tracing Cores | 46 | 82✓ |
| Tensor / AI Cores | 368✓ | 328 |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | GeForce RTX 2080 | GeForce RTX 3090 |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,515 MHz✓ | 1,395 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1,710 MHz✓ | 1,695 MHz |
Memory
| Specification | GeForce RTX 2080 | GeForce RTX 3090 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 8 GB | 24 GB✓ |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR6X |
| Memory Bus | 256-bit | 384-bit✓ |
| Memory Speed | 14 Gbps | 19.5 Gbps✓ |
| Bandwidth | 448 GB/s | 936 GB/s✓ |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | GeForce RTX 2080 | GeForce RTX 3090 |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 |
| TDP | 225 W✓ | 350 W |
| Power Connectors | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin | 1x 12-pin |
| Released | Sep 2018 | Sep 2020 |
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