ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER Advanced Edition 8GB
Pros
Simple and stylish black design
Great performance
Cons
Expensive and no water cooling
Nvidia RTX 2080 Super vs 3070
How much is in it between the two generations
Updated: Nov 22, 2022 3:04 pm
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Table of Contents
Comparing the last generation with the current we compare Nvidia’s RTX 2080 Super vs 3070. Even though it is supposedly a lower-tier card, it has the potential to still be the best graphics card.
The 2080 Super was released in late July of 2019, finishing up the 20 series lineup. Whilst the 3070 came alongside the initial release of the 30 series. Releasing just over a year later in September/October 2020. With the generation of differences and changes in architecture, we see what kind of gains it offers.
ASUS ROG Strix NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Gaming
Pros
Excellent aesthetic design
Great cooling solution
High boost clock speed
Cons
On the higher end of the price spectrum
Architecture
From two different series of cards, they are made up of different architectures. The 20 series was based on the Turing architecture. Whilst the 30 series utilizes the Ampere architecture, whilst Turing introduced many new features, Ampere has improved upon them.
2080 Super is built with the TU104-450 chip which is made with TSMCs 12nm process. It creates a 545mm2 die that holds 13.6 billion transistors. Compared to the 3070s GA104-300 GPU which is made with Samsungs 8nm process. Creating a die 392mm2 in sizer with 17.4 billion transistors in it.
Specifications
| RTX 2080 Super | RTX 3070 | |
|---|---|---|
| GPU | TU104-450-A1 | GA104-300-A1 |
| Shaders | 3072 | 5888 |
| RT cores | 48 | 46 |
| TMUs | 192 | 184 |
| Memory | 8GB GDDR6 | 8GB GDDR6 |
| Base clock | 1650 MHz | 1500 MHz |
| Boost clock | 1815 MHz | 1725 MHz |
| Memory clock | 15.5 Gbps | 14 Gbps |
| Card bus | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 |
| Memory bandwidth | 495.9 GB/s | 448.0 GB/s |
| TDP | 250 W | 220 W |
With those architectural differences, we also see how they differ in their specs. There are some key factors affecting the changes.
Cores
GPU cores detail how the die is set up. With each segment specializing in different problems. In particular, we take a look at the shaders/CUDA cores, RT cores, and TMUs. These focus on the shadows and shading, real-time ray tracing, and creating 3D objects from bitmaps.
Between the 2080 Super vs 3070, there are some interesting differences. The 3070 has a greater shader count of over 2,816. But then it has 4% fewer RT cores and TMUs. So whilst it vastly improves in some areas it lacks in others.
Video memory
The VRAM of the card is used for a frame buffer and storage for pixels. Higher counts are needed for larger resolutions, as they utilize more pixels and need space to store them. To ensure performance is smooth and suffers less latency between the CPU and it.
Between the two cards, there is no difference between memory type or capacity. They only differ by the speed of the 8GB of GDDR6. Even with the same memory bus, the 2080 super has a better bandwidth as its memory is clocked higher. Allowing it to transfer information out more quickly.
Clock rate
We also compare at what speeds the two GPUs process instructions. A factor of the silicon oscillation gives a number to how quickly graphics can be output from the GPU. Not the sole leader in the performance but it can be used to get the most out of it. As such it is one of the things to get overclocked.
Between the 2080 Super vs 3070, it’s the last generation card that has a higher speed. As standard, it can achieve a 1,650MHz base and a 1,815MHz boost. Whereas the 3070 only gets a 1,500MHz base and a 1,725MHz boost clock. So even though it’s newer, not being able to get the same speeds.
TDP
Thermal design power is another difference between the two cards. It is a number that informs us how much power the card will consume under maximum load. Since this is usually given off as heat, it also informs us of what kind of heat it will give off.
Between the two generations, the 2080 Super has the higher TDP. With 250W it is 30W higher than the 3070. Therefore, under load, it will consume more energy as well as give off more heat.
Card bus
One of the bigger differences between the generations of GPUs is the bus interface used between the GPU and motherboard. The 20 series only used a gen 3 PCIe connector whereas the 30 series upgraded to the 4th gen. Which doubles the available throughput of an x16 slot from 15.74 GB/s to 31.508 GB/s. Allowing the higher performance of the newer generation to not be limited by a connector.
2080 Super vs 3070 performance
Comparing the 2080 Super vs 3070 on 3dmarks benchmarks we can see the raw performance of the two. With which the 3070 manages to achieve a score of 13,679 and a value for money of 27. Whereas the 2080 Super achieves a lower score of 11,609 with only a 16 in value for money.
This raw performance also translates into gaming performance. With the 3070 taking the lead in games across the board. It averages a score 20-23% higher from 1080p to 4k.
2080 Super vs 3070 price comparison
Taking a look at the launch price of the two graphics cards we can see what they were valued at. The 2080 Super launches for the price of $699, whilst the 3070 started at only $499.
Although in the current market you may not find the same situation. With a GPU shortage, graphics cards are expensive. And taking a look at the market, you may struggle to find the 3070 for cheaper than the 2080 Super let alone close to the MSRP.
EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 Super FTW3 Hybrid Gaming
Pros
Water cooling system
Cons
Just one fan
Not the most interesting design
EVGA GeForce RTX 3070 FTW3 Ultra Gaming
Pros
Fantastic build quality
EVGA iCX3 Cooling
Adjustable ARGB LED
Cons
Design can be a little basic for some
Is RTX 2080 Super better than 3070?
Overall, when looking at the RTX 2080 Super vs 3070, the 30 series card is the better option. With improvements in architecture and some specifications, it easily beats the 2080 Super. While also meant to be cheaper than the older card.
However, you may not find it that way and so you may need to wait a bit longer for GPU prices to fall. Or wait for more options like the Intel ARC Alchemist lineup, or the RTX 40 series likely to come by the end of the year.
RTX 2080 Super vs 3070 FAQs
How much better is the 3070 than 2080 Super?
In 3DMark the 3070 leads by 18% in graphical score over the 2080 Super. Whilst the gaming performance also is led by the 30 series card with an average of 20-23% higher across the resolutions.
How much faster is RTX 3070 than 2080 Super?
In terms of the clock speeds, the 3070 still falls behind the older 2080 Super. It does makeup in other specifications and architecture to bring the performance gains. As the 2080 Super has a 10% higher base clock, 5% higher boost clock, and 11% higher memory clock than the 3070.
