With generations between them, how does the GTX 1080 hold up?
WePC is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices subject to change. Learn more
It’s no secret that the GTX 1080 (and especially the Ti variant) was a massively successful card back when it released in 2016. The fact that it still gets praise today and is recognized as one of the best GPUs of all time, as far as value for money and staying power goes, says a lot.
That being said, as time goes on, more and more graphics card are releasing so it’s time to compare RX 7700 XT vs GTX 1080 now that AMD have released the 7700 XT to the market. It could finally be time to upgrade if you’re still holding on to your 10-series card; perfectly plausible given the soaring price of GPUs in the years following its release.
Great performance for a sub $500 GPU
Well-designed cooling keeps temps at less than 85°C
Sapphire Pulse keeps the price low without unnecessary extras
Only $50 less than the RX 7800 XT which has better framerates
Ray tracing performance is still lackluster, but much improved
Relatively high power draw even compared to its predecessor
The best cooling setup, featuring a huge heatsink and three fans
Strong factory overclock
Way too large for an ITX build, and many average-sized ATX builds
The most expensive of the cards
Shop on Amazon
CHECK PRICEThere is a massive difference between the architecture of these two graphics cards, but that shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. As they come from rivaling companies, they are built upon different architectures, just as any AMD vs Nvidia card is. The added layer of this is that there are a few generations between these cards, as the GTX 1080 is four generations old, whereas the RX 7700 XT is a fresh release.
The GTX 1080 is based on Nvidia’s Pascal architecture, which by this point is pretty outdated. No hardware ray tracing support is one aspect missing, and the lack of tensor cores which were introduced on the 20-series means that you won’t be able to take advantage of newer tech such as DLSS for improved performance.
On the other side, the RX 7700 XT is part of AMD’s RDNA 3.0 line-up, featuring upgraded AI acceleration tech, second-gen ray tracing and a whole host of extra features to improve efficiency, memory bandwidth (with AMD Infinity Cache), and more. The RX 7700 XT is the clear winner here, though that’s a given.
| RX 7700 XT | GTX 1080 | |
|---|---|---|
| GPU | Navi 32 | GP104 |
| Architecture | RDNA 3.0 | Pascal |
| GPU process | TSMC 5nm | TSMC 16nm |
| Shading units | 3456 | 2560 |
| Base clock speed | 1900 MHz | 1607 MHz |
| Boost clock speed | 2544 MHz | 1733 MHz |
| VRAM | 12GB GDDR6 | 8GB GDDR5X |
| Memory bandwidth | 432 GB/s | 320.3 GB/s |
| Memory bus | 192-bit | 256-bit |
| Memory clock | 2250 MHz / 18 Gbps effective | 1251 MHz / 10 Gbps effective |
| TDP | 245W | 180W |
Again, there is no surprise to see the new 7700 XT boast plenty of a better specs than the aging 1080. The massively more efficient GPU process on the latest gen of GPUs makes quite a difference, and the 7700 XT features an extra 4GB of video memory to allow it to enjoy better performance at higher resolutions.
The newer card features faster clock speeds and way more power in general over the 1080. Even though the Nvidia GPU does have a lower TDP, the efficiency of the RX 7700 XT means that it can pack all that power and still achieve a relatively low Thermal Design Power of its own. This means it can run cool and not hog up too much of your PC’s resources.
Performance is a big factor when deciding which graphics card is for you. There quite a large gap between the performance of the two cards, and that’s what you should expect from two cards so far apart in specs and age. Our own tests on the RX 7700 XT show that the card performs extremely well at 1440p, and can even perform at 4K – an average of 96 FPS in Overwatch 2 at the UHD resolution. Compare that with a much more demanding game like Cyberpunk 2077 (at ultra settings no less), and the 4K performance drops to an average of 36 FPS, but it is redeemed at 1440p and 1080p where it averages 79 FPS and 122 FPS respectively.
As for the GTX 1080, you’re better off sticking to the 1080p or 1440p level for modern games; 4K is more of a stretch given the lower memory specs. This more recent benchmark video shows that performance is pretty amazing considering how old this GPU is. That being said, the RX 7700 XT is still the stand out winner here and can offer around double the performance based on these benchmarks, especially at resolutions higher than 1080p.
Now we have some time to talk about the price. Let’s jump straight in with the MSRPs of these cards – i.e. how much they are recommended to cost at the time of their release.
These days, you’ll struggle to find a brand-new GTX 1080, though plenty of renewed cards are out there, with the renewed Founders Edition sitting at $349 at the time of writing. At that price though, we definitely say jumping up to the RX 7700 XT is way more worthwhile. If you really do want to opt for the GTX 1080, going for a second-hand option is your best bet and will save you a ton of cash – we’ve spotted some listings under the $100 mark but you really have to be mindful of quality here.
There really is no content between these two when it comes to specs, performance, and relevancy – the RX 7700 XT is clearly better. Obviously this shouldn’t be a shock to anyone. We reviewed the Sapphire Pulse AMD RX 7700 XT upon its release and were quite happy with how it turned out.
If you’ve been waiting for a big upgrade from your 1080, then this could be a valid option if you don’t mind switching over to an AMD card. Graphics cards are slowly getting more affordable, but not quite to the level they once were in terms of value for money. The 1080 could hold up for some time if you’re still focusing on older games, but anyone looking to experience fresh AAA titles are probably due an upgrade.
Core clock speed
2,425MHz game, 2,599MHz boost
Stream processors
3,456
Memory
12GB GDDR6
Dimensions
319.8 x 150.9 x 59.2 mm
PSU required
750W
TBP
245W
Clock Speed
1860 MHz
VRAM
8GB GDDR5X
Length
10.5 inches
The RX 7700 XT looks to be a fantastic card to upgrade to if you’re working with much older hardware, especially something like the GTX 1080. That being said, the 7800 XT could be an alternative if you don’t mind spending just a little extra cash.
The GTX 1080 has been a mainstay for many people, a card which has remained pretty relevant despite new generations arriving. Finding one brand-new right now is not viable, so picking out a newer-generation GPU is much preferred over the aging 10-series pick.
You could opt for a renewed model, but these still aren’t amazing value for money – going for second hand is the best way to get great value, and could be a worthwhile option if you’re only going to be playing older/lightweight games.
Trusted Source
WePC’s mission is to be the most trusted site in tech. Our editorial content is 100% independent and we put every product we review through a rigorous testing process before telling you exactly what we think. We won’t recommend anything we wouldn’t use ourselves. Read more
