GeForce RTX 3080 vs GeForce RTX 5070
The GeForce RTX 5070 is a big jump in performance — leading the GeForce RTX 3080 by roughly 31% in our performance index. It also comes out ahead on value, making it the straightforward pick if the price fits your budget.
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GeForce RTX 5070 vs GeForce RTX 3080: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce RTX 5070 vs GeForce RTX 3080
The GeForce RTX 5070 is significantly faster, around 31% ahead of the GeForce RTX 3080. That gap is enough to move it up a tier: the GeForce RTX 5070 is comfortable at 4K with upscaling and native 1440p, while the GeForce RTX 3080 is better matched to 1440p.
Price & Value
On price, expect to pay $629 EUR for the GeForce RTX 3080 versus $780 EUR for the GeForce RTX 5070. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the GeForce RTX 5070 wins on performance-per-dollar by about 6%. The GeForce RTX 3080 is trading below its $699 EUR MSRP — a genuine deal. The GeForce RTX 5070 still sits about $231 EUR above its $549 EUR MSRP.
Power & Efficiency
The GeForce RTX 5070 draws just 250W versus 320W for the GeForce RTX 3080, and it also delivers more performance per watt — so it runs cooler and quieter and needs less PSU headroom. Its more modern Blackwell architecture on a TSMC 4N process is part of why it does more with each watt.
VRAM & Future-Proofing
With 12GB against 10GB, the GeForce RTX 5070 has more headroom for 4K textures and memory-hungry creative/AI tasks where the GeForce RTX 3080's 10GB can fall short. The GeForce RTX 3080's memory is also faster — 760 GB/s versus 672 GB/s (320-bit vs 192-bit bus) — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.
Generation & Longevity
The GeForce RTX 5070 is roughly 5 years newer than the GeForce RTX 3080 (Blackwell vs Ampere), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Which should you buy: GeForce RTX 3080 or GeForce RTX 5070?
The GeForce RTX 5070 is the all-round winner here — it's faster and the better value, so buy it if it fits your budget. Only consider the GeForce RTX 3080 if you find it at a steep discount.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GeForce RTX 5070 better than the GeForce RTX 3080?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce RTX 3080 or the GeForce RTX 5070?
Is the GeForce RTX 5070 worth the extra $151 EUR over the GeForce RTX 3080?
Does the GeForce RTX 5070 have enough VRAM advantage to matter?
Which should you buy: GeForce RTX 3080 or GeForce RTX 5070?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3080 | GeForce RTX 5070 |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Ampere | Blackwell |
| Process Node | Samsung 8nm | TSMC 4N |
| CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / CUDA Cores) | 8,704✓ | 6,144 |
| Ray Tracing Cores | 68✓ | 48 |
| Tensor / AI Cores | 272✓ | 192 |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3080 | GeForce RTX 5070 |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,440 MHz | 2,160 MHz✓ |
| Boost Clock | 1,710 MHz | 2,512 MHz✓ |
Memory
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3080 | GeForce RTX 5070 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 10 GB | 12 GB✓ |
| Memory Type | GDDR6X | GDDR7 |
| Memory Bus | 320-bit✓ | 192-bit |
| Memory Speed | 19 Gbps | 28 Gbps✓ |
| Bandwidth | 760 GB/s✓ | 672 GB/s |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3080 | GeForce RTX 5070 |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 5.0 x16 |
| TDP | 320 W | 250 W✓ |
| Power Connectors | 1x 12-pin | 1x 16-pin |
| Released | Sep 2020 | Mar 2025 |
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