GPU Comparison
Select up to 2 GPUs to analyze their pricing, performance, and specifications side-by-side.
The GeForce RTX 3090 is noticeably faster than the GeForce RTX 3080, leading by roughly 14% in our performance index. The GeForce RTX 3080, however, delivers more performance per dollar — $832 GBP cheaper.
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GeForce RTX 3090 vs GeForce RTX 3080: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce RTX 3090 vs GeForce RTX 3080
The GeForce RTX 3090 is noticeably faster, around 14% ahead of the GeForce RTX 3080. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to 1440p. The GeForce RTX 3090 packs 10,496 CUDA cores versus 8,704 on the GeForce RTX 3080. The GeForce RTX 3090 also has more RT cores (82 vs 68) and more AI cores (328 vs 272), strengthening its ray-tracing and AI-upscaling performance.
Price & Value
Right now the GeForce RTX 3080 starts at $387 GBP against $1,219 GBP for the GeForce RTX 3090. Despite being slower, the GeForce RTX 3080 offers the better performance-per-dollar (~177% better value), so budget-focused buyers should weigh it carefully. The GeForce RTX 3080 is trading below its $699 GBP MSRP — a genuine deal. The GeForce RTX 3090 is trading below its $1,499 GBP MSRP — a genuine deal.
Power & Efficiency
The GeForce RTX 3080 pulls less power (320W vs 350W), so it's the easier card to cool and the lighter load on your PSU. The faster GeForce RTX 3090 draws more overall but extracts more performance from each watt — plan for a sturdier power supply if you pick it.
VRAM & Future-Proofing
With 24GB against 10GB, the GeForce RTX 3090 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 3090's memory is also faster — 936 GB/s versus 760 GB/s (384-bit vs 320-bit bus) — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.
Which should you buy: GeForce RTX 3080 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 3080 stretches your money further for only slightly lower performance.