2080 Super vs 1080 Ti
This article compares two of Nvidia’s popular graphics cards, the RTX 2080 Super and the GTX 1080 ti to find out which is the best
Last Updated:
2080 Super vs 1080 Ti
If you are on the hunt for a new graphics card, you have made a great decision researching Nvidia’s products. They provide fantastic performing GPUs for all different budgets.
In this article, we will be honing in on two of Nvidia’s higher-end graphic cards, the 2080 Super and the 1080 Ti. We will be taking a closer look at both of their specifications, to find out which card fares better on architecture, VRAM, FPS, and resolution.
Nvidia
If you are new to the gaming world, you may be unaware of how influential Nvidia graphics cards have become in recent years.
Though Nvidia is a fairly new company and has only been around for half of the time that AMD has, their GPU creation solidified its place in the components market.
Nvidia is known to produce some of the best graphics cards that are currently available to purchase and although they have competitors, their models are difficult to beat.
Nvidia’s high-end graphics cards feature the highest specifications currently created. They are a company that is a pioneer and are consistently creating new and improved graphics cards.
While Nvidia’s high-end graphics cards are a popular choice for seasoned and competitive gamers, if you are just starting out, they produce many mid-range cards too.
Architecture
To begin, let’s take a look at the clock speeds of both GPUs:
2080 Super
- Base Clock – 1650Mhz
- Boost Clock – 1860MHz
1080 Ti
- Base Clock – 1481MHz
- Boost Clock – 1632MHz
The architecture of a GPU is important to consider as this controls the speed and overall performance. The architecture used by these graphics cards is where the main differences lay.
The 2080 Super uses Nvidia Turing architecture. This is one of the best on the market currently and provides up to 6x faster performance in comparison to previous generations of GPU. The powerful DLSS 2.0 graphics are AI-enhanced and significantly improve game performance.
The next-gen variable-rate shading creates impressive graphics. Nvidia Turing uses concurrent processing and is difficult to rival.
The 1080 ti uses Nvidia Pascal architecture. While this is fantastic, it is not advanced as Nvidia Turing. However, it still provides up to 3x faster performance in comparison to its predecessors. It supports next-gen VR and uses DirectX 12 and ultra-fast FinFET.
While the 1080 Ti has good architecture and clock speeds, it does fall short compared to the 2080 Super. If you are looking to future proof your build, the 2080 is the superior choice. They are both more power-efficient compared to previous models.
Cooling
If you are looking to overclock, you need to take into consideration the GPUs cooling system. While these GPUs have two fans to remove heat and provide air circulation, they are unlikely able to remove all of the heat generated when overclocking.
You will need to provide suitable cooling to ensure your GPU does not overheat.
The maximum GPU temperature for the 2080 Super is 89℃, for the 1080 ti, it is 91℃. While there is only a slight difference, it is worth keeping in mind.
The recommended power supply each graphics card requires is also important. For the 2080 Super, it is 650W and for the 1080 Ti, it is 600W.
When looking at the overall power consumption, they both use 250W and consume the same amount of power. There is little difference between the two when it comes to cooling and overclocking.
Dimensions
When you are deciding between GPUs, the size is something to consider. You will need to purchase a graphics card that is suitable for your build. While the majority of graphics cards are similar in their dimensions, there can be minor differences. Here are the reference sizes for the cards, but double-check, as cards from different makers differ in size, a good example being our recommended product on this page.
2080 Super:
- Height – 4.556”
- Length – 10.5”
- Width – 2-Slot
1080 Ti:
- Height – 4.376”
- Length – 10.5”
- Width – 2-Slot
Both GPUs are very similar in size. However, if you are lacking slightly in space with your build, the 1080ti is the better option. The differences are so minute that you are unlikely to notice unless both GPUs are placed alongside each other.
When comparing the interface both GPUs are PCIe 3.0 x 16 compatible. While this is great, PCIe 4.0 x 16 interface is now available. When looking at the longevity of your build, these GPUs may become outdated if you are looking to up your PCIe in the future.
Resolutions/FPS
The resolution and fps of your graphics card are important to consider. While the resolution of your monitor will limit the graphic capabilities to an extent, you ideally want your graphics card to match the resolution of your monitor.
The resolution is another aspect where the 2080 Super excels beyond the 1080 ti. While the 1080 Ti has a maximum resolution of 7680×4320, the 2080 Super has 1440p capabilities. This will allow you to play games in a 4K resolution.
While 1440p capabilities are better, especially when future-proofing your build, the majority of gamers use 1080p.
Let’s take a look at the benchmarking results. When looking at the overall effective speed, it may shock you to realize that the 2080 Super was only 1% better than the 1080 ti.
With PUBG gameplay, when benchmarked at Max 1080p, the 2080 Super was 39% faster. It had an average frame rate of 142 fps, in comparison to the 1080 Ti’s 102 fps.
When analyzing MRendering, when overclocked, the 2080 Super performed significantly better than the 1080 Ti. It performed at 215fps, in comparison to the 1080 ti’s 144 fps. However, the 1080 Ti was 11% faster when looking at reflection handling when overclocked.
Overall, the 2080 Super performed better when benchmarking. However, there was not a hugely significant difference.
Ray Tracing
If you are looking to improve the lighting and shadowing in game, ray tracing is a great feature. It is worth considering if you want to future-proof your build.
The 2080 Super has ray tracing capabilities, thanks to its RT cores. They ensure real-time ray tracing and are a fantastic addition to this GPU.
While the 1080 Ti does not have the architecture to support built ray tracing, the shadowing and display created are still good.
VRAM
The VRAM of your GPU is important.
When looking for a graphics card it should have at least 8GB. This will ensure that it can run at 1080p with no issues.
Both of these graphics cards are more than capable of gaming at a 1080p resolution. However, only the 2080 Super can play at 1440p.
The memory speed of the 2080 Super is significantly higher than the 1080 Ti with 15.5Gbps. The 1080 ti has a memory speed of 11Gbps, which is significantly lower.
The standard memory configuration of the 2080 Super is 8GB GDDR6. This is currently the best spec on the market. While there are talks of GDDR7, this is yet to be officially announced.
The standard memory configuration of the 1080 Ti is 11GB GDDR5X. While it has a higher memory, it uses more outdated software which may not be as future proof in comparison to the 2080 Super.
Conclusion
When pitted against each other, the 2080 Super has undeniably better specs. It uses the latest memory configuration and architecture, both of which are great for futureproofing. However, this does come at an increased cost.
While the 2080 Super performed better overall when benchmarked, the fps of each GPU was not significantly different. If you already own a 1080 ti and were thinking of upgrading to the 2080 Super, it may not be worth the additional cost.
If you are on a budget, the 1080 Ti is a great place to start. However, the 2080 Super is the better GPU overall.