
RTX 4080 Vs 4090 – Check Which One Is Best & Why?
RTX 4080 & 4090 share many similarities, but there are also important differences, such as quality, performance, features, and connectivity. If you want the best one between them, I Would recommend the RTX 4090 rather than the RTX 4080.
Why Do I Recommend The Nvidia RTX 4090?
- The RTX 4090’s 16,384 CUDA cores boost in processing power for smooth frame rates, rendering large scenes, executing complex simulations & efficiently handling multiple tasks at once compared to the RTX 4080’s 9,728.
- Its 24 GB of GDDR6X memory & 1,008 GB/s bandwidth significantly handle large datasets, 3D rendering, and 8K video editing, whereas the RTX 4080’s 16 GB and 716.8 GB/s may struggle.
- Nvidia RTX 4090’s 128 Ray Tracing cores and 512 Tensor Cores give it a substantial edge in ray-traced gaming and AI-driven tasks (e.g., DLSS). In contrast, the RTX 4080 provides a lower performance threshold.
- The RTX 4090 has 33.75 TFLOPS higher floating-point, which translates into superior computational power for handling complex tasks such as deep learning, AI, and gaming with advanced ray-tracing features compared to the RTX 4080.
- It has 1290 GTexels/s texture fillrate, providing significantly faster texture processing capability for rendering detailed scenes, high-resolution textures, and graphical applications, while RTX 4080 has 763.04 GTexels/s.
Maybe the RTX 4080 price can make you comfortable because it’s a little bit cheaper than the RTX 4090. But you have to compromise all the above-mentioned features. Now the Decision is Yours. I hope it was helpful to choose the right one.
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Side By Side Comparison
Feature | Nvidia RTX 4090 | Nvidia RTX 4080 |
GPU Architecture | Ada Lovelace (AD102) | Ada Lovelace (AD103) |
CUDA Cores | 16,384 | 9,728 |
Base Clock Speed | 2.23 GHz | 2.21 GHz |
Boost Clock Speed | 2.52 GHz | 2.51 GHz |
VRAM (Video Memory) | 24 GB GDDR6X | 16 GB GDDR6X |
Memory Interface Width | 384-bit | 256-bit |
Memory Bandwidth | 1,008 GB/s | 716.8 GB/s |
Texture Mapping Units (TMUs) | 512 | 304 |
ROP Units | 176 | 112 |
Ray Tracing Cores | 128 | 76 |
Tensor Cores | 512 | 304 |
Shader Units | 16,384 | 9,728 |
Die Size | 608 mm² | 379 mm² |
Transistors | 76.3 billion | 45.9 billion |
TDP | 450W | 320W |
Power Supply Requirement | 850W or higher | 750W or higher |
Max Number of Displays | 4 | 4 |
Ray Tracing Performance | Ultra | High |
DLSS Support | DLSS 3 | DLSS 3 |
Gaming Performance (4K) | Outstanding | Excellent |
AI and Machine Learning Tasks | Superior performance | Strong performance |
Rendering Performance | Extremely fast | Fast |
Price | Check RTX 4090 Price | Check RTX 4080 Price |
What Common Both Can Do?
- Ada Lovelace Architecture: Both the RTX 4080 and RTX 4090 are built on Nvidia’s latest Ada Lovelace architecture, which brings significant advancements in performance and power efficiency compared to previous generations. This architecture includes improvements in ray tracing, AI processing, and power consumption, making both GPUs highly capable of handling the latest games and professional workloads.
- GDDR6X Memory Type: Both GPUs use GDDR6X memory, which is among the fastest memory types available for consumer GPUs. This allows for quick data access and smooth performance in memory-intensive applications such as gaming at 4K/8K resolutions, video editing, and 3D rendering.
- DLSS 3 and Ray Tracing Support: DLSS 3 is Nvidia’s latest AI-powered upscaling technology, supported by both GPUs. It helps boost frame rates in graphically demanding games while maintaining high visual quality. Both GPUs also excel in real-time ray tracing, providing realistic lighting, reflections, and shadows for an immersive gaming experience.
- PCIe 4.0 Compatibility: Both the RTX 4080 and RTX 4090 support PCIe 4.0, ensuring fast data transfer rates between the GPU and the system. PCIe 4.0 is the current standard for high-end gaming and workstation PCs, offering plenty of bandwidth for these powerful GPUs.
- 8K Resolution Support: Both cards support 8K resolution (7680×4320), making them future-proof for gamers and content creators working with ultra-high-definition displays. While the RTX 4090 handles 8K gaming more smoothly, the RTX 4080 is also capable, especially with the help of DLSS.
- DisplayPort 1.4a and HDMI 2.1: Both GPUs come equipped with DisplayPort 1.4a and HDMI 2.1, providing high bandwidth and support for the latest display technologies. These standards allow for high frame rates and resolutions, such as 4K at 120Hz and 8K at 60Hz, ensuring compatibility with modern monitors and TVs.
- NVENC (8th Generation): Nvidia’s 8th generation NVENC encoder is included in both cards, allowing for high-quality video encoding. This is particularly useful for content creators and streamers who want to record or stream gameplay at high resolutions (4K/8K) with minimal performance impact.
- Tensor Cores for AI and Machine Learning: Both the RTX 4080 and RTX 4090 are equipped with Tensor Cores, which accelerate AI and machine learning tasks. These cores are especially important for features like DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), which uses AI to upscale lower resolution images in real-time, delivering better performance in gaming without compromising on visual quality. The Tensor Cores also enable these GPUs to excel in AI workloads, such as neural network training and inferencing.
- Nvidia G-Sync Compatibility: Both GPUs are Nvidia G-Sync compatible, which means they can synchronize their frame output with compatible monitors. This eliminates screen tearing and reduces input lag, offering a smoother and more responsive gaming experience, particularly for competitive players or those with high-refresh-rate displays.
- Resizable BAR Support: Both the RTX 4080 and RTX 4090 support Resizable BAR, a feature that allows the CPU to access the GPU’s full memory, improving performance in certain games. This technology ensures that games and applications can fully utilize the available resources for smoother and more efficient performance.
- AV1 Decode and Encode Support: The inclusion of AV1 encode and decode support in both GPUs is a major advantage for content creators and streamers. AV1 is a modern video codec that offers better compression efficiency than older standards like H.264 and H.265, allowing for high-quality streaming at lower bitrates, which is especially beneficial for live streamers and video editors working in 4K and 8K.
Common Features
Feature | Nvidia RTX 4090 | Nvidia RTX 4080 |
GPU Architecture | Ada Lovelace (5nm) | Ada Lovelace (5nm) |
Memory Type | GDDR6X | GDDR6X |
Ray Tracing Support | Yes (DLSS 3) | Yes (DLSS 3) |
PCIe Version | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 4.0 |
Maximum Display Resolution | 8K (7680×4320) | 8K (7680×4320) |
Number of Displays Supported | 4 | 4 |
DirectX 12 Ultimate Support | Yes | Yes |
Vulkan API Support | Yes | Yes |
Tensor Cores for AI | Yes | Yes |
Nvidia Reflex Support | Yes | Yes |
NVENC Encoding | 8th Generation NVENC | 8th Generation NVENC |
Real-Time Ray Tracing | Yes | Yes |
Cooling System | Air-cooled, triple fan design | Air-cooled, triple fan design |
SLI Support | No | No |
DisplayPort Version | DisplayPort 1.4a | DisplayPort 1.4a |
HDMI Version | HDMI 2.1 | HDMI 2.1 |
Power Connector Type | 16-pin PCIe Gen 5 | 16-pin PCIe Gen 5 |
Nvidia Broadcast | Yes | Yes |
Ansel and Nvidia Studio Support | Yes | Yes |
Resizable BAR Support | Yes | Yes |
Virtual Reality (VR) Ready | Yes | Yes |
DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) | DLSS 3 | DLSS 3 |
AV1 Decode and Encode Support | Yes | Yes |
Nvidia G-Sync Compatibility | Yes | Yes |
VRAM Type | GDDR6X | GDDR6X |
Price | Check RTX 4090 Price | Check RTX 4080 Price |
FAQ
Q: Do both GPUs support DLSS 3 and ray tracing? Q: Which GPU is better for 4K and 8K gaming? Q: How much power do I need for the RTX 4080 and RTX 4090? Q: Do both cards support PCIe 4.0? Q: Are both GPUs VR-ready? Q: What kind of cooling system do these GPUs use? Q: Do these GPUs support multi-display setups? Q: Are both cards compatible with DirectX 12 Ultimate? Q: Which GPU should I choose for AI and machine learning tasks? Q: Are both GPUs suitable for content creation and streaming? Q: Do both GPUs support Nvidia G-Sync? Q: Are these cards future-proof for 8K resolution and beyond? Q: Do both the RTX 4080 and RTX 4090 support AV1 encoding and decoding? Q: Can I use these GPUs for professional applications like 3D rendering and video editing? |