Is RTX 3080 better than PS5? – RTX 3080 vs PS5
Wondering if you should choose between a beefy GPU or console?
Updated: Apr 20, 2023 10:26 am
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Table of Contents
You may be wondering which one of these to pick and the question is RTX 3080 better than PS5? Both of these came out at the end of 2020, with the 3080 out in September whilst the Playstation in November. Not a lot of difference in release but it may have caused some hard decisions to be made.
There are some fundamental differences between the two of course. Being from different manufacturers leads to different architectures and so ends up with different optimizations and how they work. Therefore direct comparisons can be a bit hard to line up against each other.
ASUS ROG Strix NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 OC Edition
Pros
Very good build quality
Attractive design
The building blocks for the world’s fastest, most efficient GPU
Axial-Tech Fan Design
Cons
Quite pricey
Architecture
There are some core disparities between the two choices. First off one is an integrated graphics processor in the PS5 whilst the 3080 is a discrete graphics processor. They will have different strengths and power. Especially with the variance in operating systems, they utilize they are optimized differently.
With that, we look at how they are made. The 3080 is an Nvidia Ampere graphics processor, specifically the GA102-200. Created with Samsungs 8nm process to create a 628mm² processor with 28.3 billion transistors. Whilst the PS5 is an AMD Oberon graphics processor, with the CXD90044GB. The RDNA 2.0 GPU is made with TSMCs 7nm process creating a die 308mm² in size. Although the transistor count is unknown as the specifications aren’t public knowledge.
Specifications
Looking at some more comparable parts there are some more standard parts we can compare. The likes of memory and frequency give a basic understanding of how they run.
| RTX 3080 | PS5 | |
|---|---|---|
| GPU | GA102-200 | CXD90044GB |
| Shaders | 8,704 | 2,304 |
| TMUs | 272 | 144 |
| VRAM | 10/12 GB GDDR6X | 16 GB GDDR6 |
| Memory bus | 320-bit | 256-bit |
| Memory clock | 19 Gbps | 14 Gbps |
| Bandwidth | 760.3 GB/s | 448 GB/s |
| GPU clock | 1,440 MHz base, 1,710 MHz boost | 2,233 MHz |
| TDP | 320 W | 180 W |
Now we see what that entails in the different departments.
Video memory
The VRAM of a graphics card is used as a frame buffer or pixel store. Loading the scenes of a game requires the pixels to be stored somewhere. And so the video RAM is utilized for that. Higher capacities enabling bigger resolutions to work better. As well as bandwidths enabling smoother experiences.
Between the two there are some differences in solutions. With the 3080 having 10 GB of GDDR6X memory. Across a 320-bit bus and clocked at 19 Gbps it gives it a bandwidth of 760.3 GB/s. Whilst the PS5 uses 16 GB of GDDR6, opting for more capacity instead. With a 256-bit bus clocked at 14 Gbps, it has a bandwidth of 448 GB/s.
Frequency
The GPU clock is a readout of how quickly the silicon crystals in the die oscillate. Which is the way it processes instructions and creates the graphics you see. It is a factor for overclocking on desktop GPUs to squeeze out the extra performance it.
Unlike discrete graphics cards, the integrated PS5 chip only has one clock speed. It is at a speedy 2,233 MHz. Compared to the base clock of 1,440 MHz and a boost clock of 1,710 MHz. Showing how AMD is able to run its chips faster.
TDP
Thermal design power is the total amount of energy the board will consume at max utilization. It gives you an idea of how much you may need to dish out for electricity and how much heat it will give off. There is a significant difference between the two with the PS5 only 180 W whilst the 3080 chugs up 320 W. Clearly you can see how efficient the console ecosystem is. Although they can sound like jets trying to cool themselves too.
Performance
From the specifications, we can gauge the theoretical performance of the two GPUs. The PS5 aims for a 10.29 TFLOPS FP32 float performance. As well as a 643.1 GFLOPS FP64 double performance. Whilst the 3080 has a supposed performance of 29.77 TFLOPS FP32 float performance and a 465.1 GFLOPS FP64 double performance.
In gaming, the PS5 can achieve either a 4k 60 FPS or lower resolution 120 FPS performance mode. High achievement for the integrated graphics found in it. Whilst the 3080 can easily achieve 90 FPS at 4K with a much higher 1440p frame rate and easily above 180 FPS at 1080p. So it can outperform the console in most applications, but there are still other factors to consider.
Price
One big factor to consider is the price of the two GPUs. The PS5 had a launch price of $499 or $399 for the digital edition. Whilst the 3080 has an MSRP of $699 or $799, between $200-400 more. Although the price of that doesn’t include the whole system to run everything you need.
MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 3080 Gaming X Trio 10G
Pros
Extremely attractive 3080
Very quiet thermal design
High out-the-box clock boost
Excellent build quality
Cons
Lies within the higher end of the 3080 price spectrum
Is RTX 3080 better than PS5?
Overall on raw performance, the RTX 3080 is better. But it does cost quite a bit more, and you don’t get the full package like in a console. It requires a lot more hardware and spending. Whilst the console offers a lot more convenience and plug-and-play for much cheaper even though it might not quite hit the performance level.
Although there is some more to it. Consoles are more limited in what you can achieve with them. As PCs are a lot more open and flexible and you can do much more than game and stream. Although Sony does have some good exclusives to bring you over however they are slowly coming to PC too so even that advantage may fade.
Check out more of our comparisons or in particular the RTX 3080 vs Xbox Series X.
RTX 3080 vs PS5 FAQs
What graphics card is the PS5 equivalent to?
In terms of direct comparison, it’s better to compare the same architectural build. So we look to what AMD Radeon has to offer in that range of spec and performance. In terms of theoretical performance and technical specifications, the PS5 is equivalent to the RX 6600 XT. Although the theoretical performance is a bit off the base will be similar, unlike the older RX 5700 XT from the previous generation.
Although the discrete card does have half the memory capacity and bandwidth. It does have a bit higher clocks and offers higher theoretical performance. With a 165.7GPixel/s pixel rate, 10.60 TFLOP FP32 performance, and 662.8 GFLOPS FP64 performance. Compared to the 142.9 GPixel/s, 10.29 TFLOPS FP32, and 643.1 GFLOPS.
What is the 3080 equivalent to?
In terms of comparing the 3080 to other graphics cards, we have to look at current AMD GPUs. It’s most likely the 6800 XT vs 3080 is a good contender for similarity.
