GeForce RTX 3080 12GB vs Radeon RX 6800 XT
Neither the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB nor the Radeon RX 6800 XT pulls ahead in performance; treat them as equals on speed. The Radeon RX 6800 XT, however, delivers more performance per dollar — $560 AUD cheaper.
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GeForce RTX 3080 12GB vs Radeon RX 6800 XT: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce RTX 3080 12GB vs Radeon RX 6800 XT
The GeForce RTX 3080 12GB and Radeon RX 6800 XT post nearly the same score in our performance index, so neither holds a meaningful raw-speed advantage. Both are best suited to 1440p gaming.
Price & Value
On price, expect to pay $1,783 AUD for the Radeon RX 6800 XT versus $2,343 AUD for the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB. Despite being slower, the Radeon RX 6800 XT offers the better performance-per-dollar (~31% better value), so budget-focused buyers should weigh it carefully. The Radeon RX 6800 XT still sits about $1,134 AUD above its $649 AUD MSRP. The GeForce RTX 3080 12GB still sits about $1,544 AUD above its $799 AUD MSRP.
Power & Efficiency
The Radeon RX 6800 XT draws just 300W versus 350W for the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB, and it also delivers more performance per watt — so it runs cooler and quieter and needs less PSU headroom.
VRAM & Future-Proofing
With 16GB against 12GB, the Radeon RX 6800 XT has more headroom for 4K textures and memory-hungry creative/AI tasks where the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB's 12GB can fall short.
Generation & Longevity
The GeForce RTX 3080 12GB is roughly 2 years newer than the Radeon RX 6800 XT (Ampere vs RDNA 2), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Features & Ecosystem
Beyond raw numbers, the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB brings NVIDIA DLSS upscaling/frame generation and stronger ray tracing, while the Radeon RX 6800 XT offers AMD FSR upscaling and strong rasterization value. If you lean on upscaling or ray tracing, that ecosystem difference can matter as much as the frame-rate gap.
Which should you buy: GeForce RTX 3080 12GB or Radeon RX 6800 XT?
Choose the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB if you want the most performance and can absorb the higher price. If you're optimizing for value, the Radeon RX 6800 XT stretches your money further for near-identical performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB better than the Radeon RX 6800 XT?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB or the Radeon RX 6800 XT?
Is the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB worth the extra $560 AUD over the Radeon RX 6800 XT?
Does the Radeon RX 6800 XT have enough VRAM advantage to matter?
Which should you buy: GeForce RTX 3080 12GB or Radeon RX 6800 XT?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3080 12GB | Radeon RX 6800 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Ampere | RDNA 2 |
| Process Node | Samsung 8nm | TSMC N7 |
| CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / Stream Processors) | 8,960✓ | 4,608 |
| Ray Tracing Cores | — | 72 |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3080 12GB | Radeon RX 6800 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,440 MHz | 1,825 MHz✓ |
| Boost Clock | 1,710 MHz | 2,250 MHz✓ |
Memory
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3080 12GB | Radeon RX 6800 XT |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 12 GB | 16 GB✓ |
| Memory Type | GDDR6X | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | 384-bit✓ | 256-bit |
| Memory Speed | 19 Gbps✓ | 16 Gbps |
| Bandwidth | 912 GB/s✓ | 512 GB/s |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3080 12GB | Radeon RX 6800 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 |
| TDP | 350 W | 300 W✓ |
| Power Connectors | 2x 8-pin | 2x 8-pin |
| Released | Jan 2022 | Oct 2020 |