GeForce RTX 3080 12GB vs Radeon RX 7800 XT
Raw performance is basically a wash between the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB and Radeon RX 7800 XT — the gap is within margin of error. But the Radeon RX 7800 XT is the better value, undercutting it by $862 EUR for the performance you get.
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GeForce RTX 3080 12GB vs Radeon RX 7800 XT: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce RTX 3080 12GB vs Radeon RX 7800 XT
The GeForce RTX 3080 12GB and Radeon RX 7800 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
Pricing has the Radeon RX 7800 XT at $585 EUR, $862 EUR under the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB's $1,447 EUR. Despite being slower, the Radeon RX 7800 XT offers the better performance-per-dollar (~147% better value), so budget-focused buyers should weigh it carefully. The Radeon RX 7800 XT still sits about $86 EUR above its $499 EUR MSRP. The GeForce RTX 3080 12GB still sits about $648 EUR above its $799 EUR MSRP.
Power & Efficiency
Power draw favors the Radeon RX 7800 XT (263W vs 350W), and it's the more efficient card too, so it's the easy pick if thermals or a smaller PSU matter. Its more modern RDNA 3 architecture on a TSMC N5 process is part of why it does more with each watt.
VRAM & Future-Proofing
The Radeon RX 7800 XT carries 16GB versus 12GB on the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB. The extra 4GB helps at 4K, with high-resolution texture packs, and for content-creation or local-AI workloads that exhaust smaller buffers.
Features & Ecosystem
Beyond raw numbers, the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB brings NVIDIA DLSS upscaling/frame generation and stronger ray tracing, while the Radeon RX 7800 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 7800 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 7800 XT stretches your money further for near-identical performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB better than the Radeon RX 7800 XT?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB or the Radeon RX 7800 XT?
Is the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB worth the extra $862 EUR over the Radeon RX 7800 XT?
Does the Radeon RX 7800 XT have enough VRAM advantage to matter?
Which should you buy: GeForce RTX 3080 12GB or Radeon RX 7800 XT?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3080 12GB | Radeon RX 7800 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Ampere | RDNA 3 |
| Process Node | Samsung 8nm | TSMC N5 |
| CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / Stream Processors) | 8,960✓ | 3,840 |
| Ray Tracing Cores | — | 60 |
| Tensor / AI Cores | — | 120 |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3080 12GB | Radeon RX 7800 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,440 MHz | 1,800 MHz✓ |
| Boost Clock | 1,710 MHz | 2,430 MHz✓ |
Memory
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3080 12GB | Radeon RX 7800 XT |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 12 GB | 16 GB✓ |
| Memory Type | GDDR6X | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | 384-bit✓ | 256-bit |
| Memory Speed | 19 Gbps | 19.5 Gbps✓ |
| Bandwidth | 912 GB/s✓ | 624 GB/s |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3080 12GB | Radeon RX 7800 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 |
| TDP | 350 W | 263 W✓ |
| Power Connectors | 2x 8-pin | 2x 8-pin |
| Released | Jan 2022 | Aug 2023 |