When it comes to building a gaming PC, the GPU is usually the most important part when it comes to deciding about the quality of gaming. NVIDIA RTX 3080 vs AMD RX 6800 XT are currently two of the most favorite GPUs in the current market when it comes to gaming and content creation. However, how are they contrasting against each other on performance, value and features? In order to help you decide which giant is favored for the job let’s break down these two titans.
Overview of Specifications
First, let’s take a look at what features each of these cards presents to get us started.
| Specification | NVIDIA RTX 3080 | AMD RX 6800 XT |
| Architecture | Ampere | RDNA 2 |
| GPU Cores/Stream Processors | 8704 CUDA Cores | 4608 Stream Processors |
| Base Clock | 1440 MHz | 1825 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1710 MHz | 2250 MHz |
| VRAM | 10GB GDDR6X | 16GB GDDR6 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 760 GB/s | 512 GB/s |
| TDP | 320W | 300W |
| Price (Launch) | $699 | $649 |
And, unsurprisingly, as more dense as these GPUs are, taking a look at these specs should indicate that the RTX 3080 will have more CUDA cores to work with, as well as higher memory bandwidth for performing better at higher resolutions or when ray tracing is enabled. On the opposite side, RX 6800 XT features 16GB of memory for providing a better gaming experience with large memory games and over high resolution gaming.
Gaming Performance: Benchmarks at Different Resolutions
Let’s move on to the performance comparison at different resolutions now. To this end, here’s just a look at how those two cards fare with some of the most popular titles out there in their 4K, 1440p and 1080p variations.
4K Gaming Performance
| Game | RTX 3080 (FPS) | RX 6800 XT (FPS) |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 60-70 FPS | 50-60 FPS |
| Assassin’s Creed Valhalla | 80-90 FPS | 75-85 FPS |
| Control (Ray Tracing) | 55-65 FPS | 40-50 FPS |
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 60-70 FPS | 50-60 FPS |
1440p Gaming Performance
| Game | RTX 3080 (FPS) | RX 6800 XT (FPS) |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 90-110 FPS | 90-110 FPS |
| Call of Duty: Warzone | 150 FPS | 150 FPS |
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 150 FPS | 150 FPS |
| Far Cry New Dawn | 150 FPS | 150 FPS |
The RTX 3080 continues to beat out the RX 6800 XT at 1440p, but the gap is not as wide as we saw in 4K. Both cards will easily handle 1440p gaming and there’s not going to be a dramatic increase in frame rates in most games.
1080p Gaming Performance
| Game | RTX 3080 (FPS) | RX 6800 XT (FPS) |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 120-140 FPS | 110-130 FPS |
| DOOM Eternal | 250 FPS | 240 FPS |
| Call of Duty: Warzone | 250 FPS | 240 FPS |
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 180 FPS | 170 FPS |
High frame rates are achieved in every game in 1080p for both cards. But the RTX 3080 narrowly beats the RX 6800 XT. In less demanding games, the differences between the two GPUs vanish at this resolution.
Ray Tracing Performance
One of the most exciting features of modern GPUs, ray tracing is the one where RTX 3080 stands out:
| Feature | RTX 3080 | RX 6800 XT |
| Ray Tracing Cores | 68 RT Cores | 72 Ray Accelerators |
| Performance with Ray Tracing | Superior with DLSS | Lower performance, no DLSS |
| Result | Smooth 4K/1440p Ray Tracing | Struggles in some titles |
RT cores and support for DLSS mean the RTX 3080 is faster at ray tracing, and it offers ray tracing at all while also boosting frame rates. Unlike the RX 6800 XT, whilst it has Ray Accelerators, it doesn’t perform quite as well in ray-traced games without similar tools like DLSS to help.
VRAM and Memory Bandwidth
The RTX 3080 only comes with 10GB of VRAM, but the RX 6800 looks to stand out with its 16GB. But if you want more than 10GB for your games, the extra 6GB of RAM in the RX 6800 XT gives it an edge over other cards at both 4K and games with high-res details.
| Memory Specification | RTX 3080 | RX 6800 XT |
| VRAM Capacity | 10GB GDDR6X | 16GB GDDR6 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 760 GB/s | 512 GB/s |
| Result | Better for 4K, ray tracing | Better for high-res textures |
The RTX 3080 gets slightly less performance at texture compression due to its lower memory bandwidth, but it’s still ultimately better at handling big textures and heavy loading, while the RX 6800 XT is better at handling VRAM when it gets higher, like at 4K.
Power Consumption and Cooling
While both GPUs are power hungry components, the RX 6800 XT has a slightly better power efficiency, drawing 300W as opposed to the 320W of the RTX 3080. Here’s a closer look:
| Power Consumption | RTX 3080 | RTX 3080 |
| TDP | 320W | 300W |
| Recommended PSU | 750W+ | 750W+ |
| Cooling Solution | Efficient but noisy | Generally quieter |
Both cards require a big, high wattage PSU (750w or more), but only the RTX 3080 runs a bit warmer under load. RX 6800 XT often have quieter cooling solutions, if noise is an issue it is preferable.
Price-to-Performance Ratio
Next, we need to discuss both GPUs in terms of price to performance:
| Aspect | RTX 3080 | RTX 3080 |
| Launch Price | $699 | $649 |
| Current Market Price | Varies (due to demand) | Varies (due to demand) |
| Best for | Ray tracing & high-res gaming | Memory-intensive games & value |
The price may seem high, but the former pricing at launch pegged the RX 6800 XT just slightly lower than the RTX 3080, and for gamers who need the most VRAM, or those who simply want the slightly more budget-friendly option they provide, these are still very attractive cards. However, your prices for these cards may vary because of high demand and the market fluctuations, so you need to check present market rates.
Conclusion
Both the NVIDIA RTX 3080 vs AMD RX 6800 XT are both great choices for high end gaming. Ray tracing, DLSS support and straight up better gaming performance in modern titles is what the RTX 3080 brings to the table. However, while that isn’t as much as the RX 6800 XT has (it has 16GB of VRAM), it is more than enough to give you something to look forward to on 4K resolution or high textures.
Choosing the Right GPU
If you’re here for the best visual effects and future proof performance, then the RTX 3080 is your best bet. But if you are searching for more VRAM and excellent performance at a slightly smaller price tag, there is the RX 6800 XT.
Both cards are really great cards, however, the right pick to go with depends on what you need and how you want to game.
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