A powerful graphics card plays a key role when it comes to the level of video quality that you will get to enjoy. Whether you are a professional gamer or simply someone who wants to stream movies without lags, upgrading your setup in this aspect is a wise choice.
Nvidia is one of the most recognized brands in this sphere, as it sponsors thousands of professional gamers around the world. With this in mind, we went through the newer models that this company has to offer and found the GeForce RTX 3080 to provide an excellent price to quality ratio.
In the review below, we will look at all of the details and features of this product, how to use it, as well as the pros and cons. So without further ado, let’s get right into the details to help you make an educated purchasing decision!
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080
Nvidia is an American multinational company that was founded back in 1993 and is based in California. It is the symbol of powerful gaming equipment.
The model that we are reviewing is the long-awaited successor to the Nvidia Turing, as well as the RTX 2080 and 2080 Ti, which comes at a higher price without the same innovative features and reliability. The fact that the GeForce RTX 3080 is an upgraded version that is also more affordable is one of the main reasons why we have decided to review it.
Not only that, but this graphics processing unit also offers a much higher power efficiency (up to 80% higher than the RTX 2080 and 30% higher than the 2080 Ti). We are quite happy to see that Nvidia is able to offer superb computer equipment for lower prices than what older items sold for.
The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT, which has been hailed as the best GPU over the past couple of years, is a huge competitor. However, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 puts up an amazing fight, and that is something that we will look to prove through the next couple of sections.
Who is This Graphic Card for?
A lot of people think that top-of-the-line graphic cards and other essentials are exclusively for professional gamers. While a product such as the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 certainly comes as a worthy investment if you are trying to make your name in the eSports industry, it is also a fantastic choice for someone who is a graphics designer or a movie enthusiast.
It is pricier than the aforementioned AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT, but when compared to other popular models, as well as the Nvidia predecessors, we can say that this one comes at a reasonable price for what you are getting. Not to mention, the power efficiency and innovative design details play an important role when it comes to ensuring that you can get years of use from this GPU.
What’s Included?
Much like with most other graphics cards, you won’t be getting any fancy external hardware. However, there are a couple of design points that we want to mention.
Firstly, the two axial fans go a long way when it comes to cooling and ensuring that the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 offers optimal performance. The Virtual Post, which was present in some of the previous models, isn’t included in this one, but there is an HDMI 2.1 port and a 1.4a Display Port that work together to offer you adequate compatibility.
Lastly, you will get a thorough user’s guide that provides you with all the necessary details on how to set it up. It will also discuss all the features that you don’t want to miss out on.
Overview Of Features
The first thing that we want to discuss regarding the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 is its architecture. The main reason why it offers more power efficiency at a lower price than the 2080 and 2080 Ti is because of the Ampere technology. Along with a better PE, the overall performance is boosted, allowing you to play high-spec games, such as Borderlands 3 and Red Dead Redemption 2, without any lag.
As for the innovative features, it is essential to mention that Nvidia also invested in upgraded Tensor and RT cores, as well as the rasterization engine that powers the GPU. As we have mentioned above, the Ampere design goes a long way over the Turing, mostly because there are two streaming multiprocessors that are able to run Floating Print 32.
That wasn’t the case with the 2080 and 2080 Ti models, where you could only get a single data path workload running. This resulted in slower performance, as well as a lower frame rate.
Additionally, the fact that the CUDA count is set at above 8,000 makes this graphics card an even better decision when compared to its predecessors. This number is almost triple what Nvidia had to offer in the past. The result of this is just below 30 TFLOPS, which is quite impressive for a product of this price.
The overall raw performance may not be double what we experienced with the previous GPU’s, but it certainly offers a huge improvement. Apart from the points that we have already discussed, this one uses a GDDR6X memory with a 320-bit bus, and that comes as the best solution if you are looking for fast, smooth gameplay.
Also, there have been upgrades when it comes to the texture and the cache. These are features that you won’t want to miss out on while running the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080.
One of the best features of high-quality GPUs is the collaboration between streaming multiprocessors and RT(X) cores. During the process of ray tracing, the SM sends it over, the core receives the information, and then it sends back the information to the SMs regarding where the ray will be landing. While we are sure that this process will be of even greater importance in the future, for now, it contributes to a more efficient rendering of the complex scenes in video games.
As for the connection between cores and streaming multiprocessors, it is essential to note that there are eight Tensors in each SM. This justifies why the DLSS is much better than what you get with the 2080 Ti.
One of the coolest features of the whole product has to be the RTX voice app that filters the background noise made by your microphone, your webcam, and the rest of your gaming accessories. With this in mind, apart from being a good investment for those who enjoy spending time playing classic titles, it is also something that music producers should consider.
Before this product was released, the NVIDIA developers were quite excited to announce Microsoft’s DirectStorage along with the API implemented in their graphics cards. This is a feature of the RTX 3080 that is meant to improve the frame rate, as well as the processing time.
This involves the GPU, as well as whether such communication is allowed by the developers of a certain game. We are sure that in the upcoming years, this will become a trend, and that is when the true power of this collaboration will be registered. One of the most interesting design details is the power connector that comes in the form of a 12-pin adapter that you can connect to any model of any brand.
Among the points that people have a lot of mixed feelings about is the fact that there isn’t any RGB included, which makes this Nvidia less attractive than most other models at first glance. However, to us and probably to a good number of gamers, the GeForce RTX logo on the right side is more than enough to showcase the sleek and modern design of this GPU.
You shouldn’t invest in this product unless you are planning to put it to good use, whether that is streaming 4K movies, graphics design, or playing high-spec games. As it is designed for professional use, it doesn’t do well with low-resolution titles (bottleneck). Additionally, the aforementioned 12-pin adapter isn’t the best solution when it comes to a model such as this one.
Also, although it is absolutely worth the price tag and is more affordable than the 2080 and 2080 Ti, it is still somewhat expensive. This is why you should think twice and analyze all the provided information before making your choice.
In our opinion, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 is something that you will want to get in three different scenarios. The first one is that your graphics card is a 10-series model, given the fact that the amount of boost you will be getting is quite impressive. The second is if you want to be prepared for the next-gen titles that can support what the PS5 and Xbox Series X will offer.
Lastly, it would be good for making sure that you can run any 4K game at a frame rate of at least 60 FPS without any lags. Overall, while there is some room for improvement regarding the adapter, we consider this GPU to be a worthy choice for anyone who wants to enjoy superb video quality!
How to Use Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080
While discussing all the features that the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 offers was quite complex, there isn’t a lot of theory when it comes to using this product. The first thing that you will want to do is install it to the computer/console through one of the offered ports (HDMI/DisplayPort) and a 12-pin adapter.
Once you have done that, it all comes down to getting the most out of this GPU by putting it to test with high-spec games and complex graphic designing projects.
If you would like to find out more about this graphics card, how to use it, and the features it includes, take a look at this quick video from Nvidia.
Pros
- Excellent value for money option (not cheap but worth the price)
- Incredibly fast speed
- 8 Tensor cores in each SM
- Great for 4K 60FPS gaming
- Reliable Ampere design
- Can also be used by those who do not game
- More affordable than 2080 and 2080 Ti
- Efficient cooling system maintains a low operating temperature
Cons
- 12-pin adapter isn’t a good solution
- CPU bottleneck on lower resolution
- The dongle is somewhat irritating
Where To Buy Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080?
This graphics card was first released back on September 17, 2020, and since then, the demand for it has been outstanding. Luckily, you can still find it on online stores, such as eBay and Amazon.
You can find it sold independently, as well as built into desktop computers. Along with these marketplaces, we found it available at a couple of authorized dealers, including NEWEGG, Adorama, Tiger Direct, Walmart, and most importantly, NVIDIA.
Alternatives
If the Nvidia option is not quite what you were looking for in a graphics card, then we have another option below to present to you that may tick all of your boxes.
AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
While we will be devoting a special article to this fantastic product, we wanted to use this section in order to highlight the superb performance the AMD Radeon 6800 XT offers. It steadily runs Assassin’s Creed Valhalla at 70 FPS and offers a frame rate of up to 200 FPS when it comes to popular games like Fortnite and PUBG. Designed with RDNA architecture in mind and with die-cast aluminum, it is a GPU that offers fantastic reliability for the price that it comes at.
Most importantly, it features a USB-C port, which was something that wasn’t present in the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080. This ensures even higher compatibility. Overall, this is a product of impressive quality!
Wrap Up
We did our best to provide you with all the important information on the performance and innovative features of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080. Yes, there are more affordable GPUs, including the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT, but if you want to get steady, lag-free performance with 4K games, this one is certainly worth the somewhat higher price tag. You get excellent features for both gaming and non-gaming purposes, and it has been built to last for many years.
So if you want an awesome graphic experience for your gaming and movie-watching, consider the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 as the model for you.