GPU Comparison
Select up to 2 GPUs to analyze their pricing, performance, and specifications side-by-side.
The GeForce RTX 3080 is dramatically faster than the GeForce RTX 3050 8GB, leading by roughly 218% in our performance index. It is also the stronger value pick here, so it's the easy recommendation if your budget allows.
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GeForce RTX 3080 vs GeForce RTX 3050 8GB: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce RTX 3080 vs GeForce RTX 3050 8GB
The GeForce RTX 3080 is dramatically faster, around 218% ahead of the GeForce RTX 3050 8GB. That gap is enough to move it up a tier: the GeForce RTX 3080 is comfortable at 1440p, while the GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is better matched to entry-level 1080p. The GeForce RTX 3080 packs 8,704 CUDA cores versus 2,560 on the GeForce RTX 3050 8GB. The GeForce RTX 3080 also has more RT cores (68 vs 20) and more AI cores (272 vs 80), strengthening its ray-tracing and AI-upscaling performance.
Price & Value
Right now the GeForce RTX 3050 8GB starts at $180 GBP against $393 GBP for the GeForce RTX 3080. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the GeForce RTX 3080 wins on performance-per-dollar by about 46%. The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is trading below its $249 GBP MSRP — a genuine deal. The GeForce RTX 3080 is trading below its $699 GBP MSRP — a genuine deal.
Power & Efficiency
The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB pulls less power (130W vs 320W), so it's the easier card to cool and the lighter load on your PSU. The faster GeForce RTX 3080 draws more overall but extracts more performance from each watt — plan for a sturdier power supply if you pick it.
VRAM & Future-Proofing
With 10GB against 8GB, the GeForce RTX 3080 has more headroom for 4K textures and memory-hungry creative/AI tasks where the GeForce RTX 3050 8GB's 8GB can fall short. The GeForce RTX 3080's memory is also faster — 760 GB/s versus 224 GB/s (320-bit vs 128-bit bus) — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.
Generation & Longevity
The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is roughly 2 years newer than the GeForce RTX 3080, so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Which should you buy: GeForce RTX 3050 8GB or GeForce RTX 3080?
The GeForce RTX 3080 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 3050 8GB if you find it at a steep discount.