GPU Comparison
Select up to 2 GPUs to analyze their pricing, performance, and specifications side-by-side.
On raw speed the GeForce RTX 3090 comes out dramatically faster — about 105% ahead of the GeForce RTX 2080. But the GeForce RTX 2080 is the better value, undercutting it by $1,150 USD for the performance you get.
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GeForce RTX 3090 vs GeForce RTX 2080: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce RTX 3090 vs GeForce RTX 2080
The GeForce RTX 3090 is dramatically faster, around 105% ahead of the GeForce RTX 2080. That gap is enough to move it up a tier: the GeForce RTX 3090 is comfortable at 1440p, while the GeForce RTX 2080 is better matched to 1080p. The GeForce RTX 3090 packs 10,496 CUDA cores versus 2,944 on the GeForce RTX 2080.
Price & Value
The GeForce RTX 2080 currently lists from $200 USD, $1,150 USD less than the GeForce RTX 3090 at $1,350 USD. Despite being slower, the GeForce RTX 2080 offers the better performance-per-dollar (~229% better value), so budget-focused buyers should weigh it carefully. The GeForce RTX 2080 is trading below its $699 USD MSRP — a genuine deal. The GeForce RTX 3090 is trading below its $1,499 USD MSRP — a genuine deal.
Power & Efficiency
On power, the GeForce RTX 2080 is the gentler choice at 225W versus 350W. The GeForce RTX 3090 is more efficient per watt because it's faster, but its higher 350W draw means more heat and a bigger PSU. Its more modern Ampere architecture on a Samsung 8nm process is part of why it does more with each watt.
VRAM & Future-Proofing
The GeForce RTX 3090 carries 24GB versus 8GB on the GeForce RTX 2080. The extra 16GB helps at 4K, with high-resolution texture packs, and for content-creation or local-AI workloads that exhaust smaller buffers. The GeForce RTX 3090's memory is also faster — 936 GB/s versus 448 GB/s (384-bit vs 256-bit bus) — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.
Generation & Longevity
The GeForce RTX 3090 is roughly 2 years newer than the GeForce RTX 2080 (Ampere vs Turing), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Which should you buy: GeForce RTX 2080 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 2080 stretches your money further for only slightly lower performance.