With the flagship there is high costs so which is better
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Right at the top end of Nvidia’s GPU selection, you can find the RTX 3080 Ti vs 3090 battle. The top range of the selection has some eye-watering prices, but not without a great bit of tech built inside them. Each of them competes for the best graphics card podium.
During the original launch, it was the RTX 3090 that took the flagship lead of this generation. Then the 3080 Ti was launched nearly a year later to bridge the gap between the top end and bring the price down. Now we take a look at which is actually worth your money and which is better for the high price.
One of the cheapest RTX 3080 Ti AIBs you will find
Improved cooling solution compared to the Founder’s Edition
Good build quality
The RTX 3080 Ti is a prohibitively expensive GPU
Not the quietest on offer
Less powerful than other RTX 3080 Ti AIBs
Large size vs Founder’s Edition
New 11-blade fan for increased airflow
Stays cool
Freeze fan stop technology
Excellent build quality
Can become noisy
We first take a look at the graphics processor in the two GPUs. In the case of the 3080 ti vs 3090, they are both based on the GA102 variant. Based on the Ampere architecture the 3090 uses the 300 variant compared to the 225 used by the 3080 Ti.
Which also means they are built on the same process. Utilizing the Samsung 8nm process to build a 628mm2 die. With the same die and process, it means the differences come from the rest of the build and the core differences.
| RTX 3080 Ti | RTX 3090 | |
|---|---|---|
| GPU | GA102-225-A1 | GA102-300-A1 |
| Shaders | 10240 | 10496 |
| RT Cores | 80 | 82 |
| TMUs | 320 | 328 |
| Memory | 12GB GDDR6X | 24GB GDDR6X |
| Base clock | 1365MHz | 1395MHz |
| Boost clock | 1665MHz | 1695MHz |
| Memory clock | 19 Gbps | 19.5 Gbps |
| Card bus | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 |
| Memory bandwidth | 912.4 GB/s | 936.2 GB/s |
| TDP | 350W | 350W |
In most cases, the two GPUs are very close to each other in what they’re built with. However, as expected the 3090 does take the lead in some of the specs so we take a look at what that means.
The video memory is one of the key distinguishers between the two cards. VRAM is important as a frame buffer and storing texture maps. Which becomes especially important at higher resolutions with higher pixel counts. So for high-resolution multimonitor setups, more VRAM is crucial.
In the case of 3080 Ti vs 3090, the 3090 does have double the capacity of the Ti card. With 24GB it’s the highest of any consumer card so a massive advantage in any high memory situation.
However, for most users, 12GB is plenty enough. Especially since it is the same spec memory being used. With GDDR6X both cards have very similar throughput of 19 and 19.5 Gbps. So nothing is left behind about capacity when picking between the two.
Many cores make up the chip die itself. Each of these has a different responsibility in terms of calculation and graphics production. Being from the same manufacturer there aren’t architectural differences to worry about. Just the count itself will change and there isn’t a lot of difference between the two.
There is a 2.5% difference on all the cores so there is likely to be only a slight difference between the performance of them. The few more cores the 3090 has are unlikely to give it the extra power it might need to lead.
Shaders, TMUs, and RT cores have their own responsibilities. Shaders focus on the shadows and shading, texture mappers are responsible for 3d mapping the bitmaps. With the ray-tracing cores working on the real-time lighting creating great scenes. So can the 2.5% advantage give the 3090 that much more performance?
Clock speeds are responsible for how quickly the graphics instructions are processed by a GPU. It is a factor of the silicon crystal and how quickly it can cycle and process those graphics effectively. There is a factory clock given to the cars but it’s not unusual to overclock them to be faster, especially with effective cooling systems.
Comparing the 3080 Ti vs 3090 factory clock speeds there isn’t a lot of difference between them. Another 2% advantage of the 3090, with a 1395MHz base clock and a 1695MHz boost clock. Gaining a slight advantage in another area but not as much as you might expect.
Thermal design power is how much energy the GPU will expel as heat under maximum load. Consideration for the cooling solution and energy usage of the card itself. In this case, both cards have the same amount, with a 350W TDP. Meaning they have the same heating and usage capabilities.
3dmark gives us a graphics performance benchmark comparing the two GPUs. In their graphics score, the 3090 gets 19,949 whilst the 3080 Ti follows behind with 19,615. With 300 points between the two, the 3090 doesn’t outperform the Ti significantly.
In other performance benchmarks, the RTX 3090 outperforms the RTX 3080 Ti by just 1%. With the close-knit specs, it’s unsurprising the performance difference is insignificant. With the VRAM advantage not giving the performance increase in real use scenarios.
The launch price for the 3080 Ti was set to $1,199, compared to the $1,499 of the 3090. With the $300 difference buying you the extra VRAM and slight performance. The price difference is a potential swaying point for many users.
Although still as of now, GPUs are expensive. Even though they are trending to lower prices closer toward MSRP you’re still unlikely to find them close to that. So looking at the market, you can find a Ti for $1,550 minimum and $2,140 for a 3090. The large difference between the two is a big consideration when picking between the two.
Moderate out-the-box overclock
Quiet thermal design
Greater expected lifespan vs FE
2x HDMI ports
4 Years warranty
Good build quality
Moderately expensive compared to other RTX 3080 Ti AIBs
The RTX 3080 Ti is a prohibitively expensive GPU
Large size vs Founder’s Edition
Less aesthetically pleasing than the Founder’s Edition
Would have liked to have seen a higher overclock
Powerful cooling system keeps temps low
High clock frequency boosts performance above base level
Incredible build quality and design makes it a top pick from the crowd
On the higher end of the 3090 price spectrum
A high price to pay for the card with the current generation
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CHECK PRICEOverall, the choice isn’t hard when comparing the RTX 3080 Ti vs 3090. Not only is the 3080 much cheaper, but you will also barely notice the difference in performance day-to-day. The only real reason for the 3090 is if you require all that extra video memory. Or you can always consider one of the new cards in the Ada or RDNA 3 lineup. Such as the RTX 4090/4080 or RX 7900 XTX.
In the majority of games and benchmarks, the RTX 3090 performs better than the RTX 3080 Ti. With regards to Boost Clock and Memory Speed, it is also quicker than the RTX 3080 Ti. The RTX 3080 Ti has better Texture and Pixel Fill Rates and has more CUDA Cores than the RTX 3090.
The RTX 3090 does, however, feature a greater VRAM capacity than the RTX 3080 Ti. The RTX 3090 is the most expensive option for players who want the best gaming experience, but it is more expensive than the RTX 3080 Ti.
The 3090 has a faster clock speed and twice as much VRAM as the 3080 Ti. Additionally, because of its greater TDP, it will use more power and generate more heat. Compared to the 3080 Ti, the 3090 is worth the extra cost. In conclusion, the 3090 performs far better than the 3080 Ti and is pricey, but it is worth it.
The 3090 still leads in terms of clock speeds even if it is the older choice. Although it is not too big of a difference. The 3090 has a 2% faster base and boost clock than the 3080 Ti. It also just pushes ahead with the memory clock 3% higher, leading to a 3% faster bandwidth.
Comparing the graphics performance of the cards in 3DMark we can see how they fare. With the 3090 achieves a score of 19,949, whilst the 3080 Ti gets 19,615. With only a 2% difference, the 3090 is marginally better. The same can be seen in gaming performance with a lead of 2-4% from the 3090 in framerates.
No the difference between them is not significant enough to warrant the upgrade. As the 3090 only leads by 204% over the 3080 Ti. So it is not significant extra for the cost on top.
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