GeForce RTX 3070 vs GeForce RTX 3080

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

2020Core: 1500 MHzBoost: 1725 MHz
RTX family
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3080

2020Core: 1440 MHzBoost: 1710 MHz
RTX family
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GeForce RTX 3070 vs GeForce RTX 3080 Performance Spectrum

About G3D Mark

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

GeForce RTX 3070 vs GeForce RTX 3080 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce RTX 3070 vs GeForce RTX 3080: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce RTX 3070

2020

Why buy it

  • Costs $200 less on MSRP ($499 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
  • Delivers 23.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 35.9 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
  • Draws 220W instead of 320W, a 100W reduction.
  • Measures 242mm instead of 285mm, a 43mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3080 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 10 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (184 vs 272), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.

GeForce RTX 3080

2020

Why buy it

  • 8.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 47.8% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (272 vs 184).
  • 25% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (10 GB vs 8 GB).

Trade-offs

  • 40.1% HIGHER MSRP
    $699 MSRPvs$499 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 35.9 vs 44.4 G3D/$ ($699 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
  • 45.5% higher power demand at 320W vs 220W.
  • 17.8% longer card at 285mm vs 242mm.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 3080 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 8.8% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 13.1% in PassMark G3D (25,071 vs 22,172), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3080 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 10 GB vs 8 GB of VRAM and 68 vs 46 ray-tracing units. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce RTX 3070 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $200 cheaper on MSRP at $499 vs $699, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 23.9% (44.4 vs 35.9), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and strong 1440p, GeForce RTX 3070 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and strong 1440p headroom, GeForce RTX 3080 has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce RTX 3070 vs GeForce RTX 3080 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

The GeForce RTX 3070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1500 MHz to 1725 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 220W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 22,172 points. Launch price was $499.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3080

The GeForce RTX 3080 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1440 MHz to 1710 MHz. It has 8704 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 320W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 68 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 25,071 points. Launch price was $699.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3070 scores 22,172 versus the GeForce RTX 3080's 25,071 — the GeForce RTX 3080 leads by 13.1%. The GeForce RTX 3070 is built on Ampere while the GeForce RTX 3080 uses Ampere, both on a 8 nm process. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 8,704 (GeForce RTX 3080). Raw compute: 20.31 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 29.77 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3080). Boost clocks: 1725 MHz vs 1710 MHz. Ray tracing: 46 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 68 (GeForce RTX 3080) with 184 Tensor cores vs 272.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 3080
G3D Mark Score
22,172
25,071+13%
Architecture
Ampere
Ampere
Process Node
8 nm
8 nm
Shading Units
5888
8704+48%
Compute (TFLOPS)
20.31 TFLOPS
29.77 TFLOPS+47%
Boost Clock
1725 MHz
1710 MHz
ROPs
96
96
TMUs
184
272+48%
L1 Cache
5.8 MB
8.5 MB+47%
L2 Cache
4 MB
5 MB+25%
Ray Tracing Cores
46
68+48%
Tensor Cores
184
272+48%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 3080
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3070 has 8 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3080 carries 10 GB. GeForce RTX 3080 gives you 25% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 760 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3080) — a 69.6% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3080. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce RTX 3070 and 320-bit on the GeForce RTX 3080. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 5 MB (GeForce RTX 3080) — the GeForce RTX 3080 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 3080
VRAM Capacity
8 GB
10 GB+25%
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR6X
Memory Bandwidth
448 GB/s
760 GB/s+70%
Bus Width
256-bit
320-bit+25%
L2 Cache
4 MB
5 MB+25%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 12 Ultimate (12_2) (GeForce RTX 3080). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 3080
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12 Ultimate (12_2)
Vulkan
1.4+8%
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3070) vs NVENC (Ampere) (GeForce RTX 3080). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs NVDEC (Ampere). Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3080).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 3080
Encoder
NVENC 7th gen
NVENC (Ampere)
Decoder
NVDEC 5th gen
NVDEC (Ampere)
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9
H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3070 draws 220W versus the GeForce RTX 3080's 320W — a 37% difference. The GeForce RTX 3070 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 750W (GeForce RTX 3080). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 2x 8-pin. Card length: 242mm vs 285mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 75.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 3080
TDP
220W-31%
320W
Recommended PSU
650W-13%
750W
Power Connector
8-pin
2x 8-pin
Length
242mm
285mm
Height
112mm
112mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
75
Perf/Watt
100.8+29%
78.3
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3070 came in at $499, while the GeForce RTX 3080 launched at $699. On MSRP, GeForce RTX 3070 was 28.6% cheaper ($200 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.4 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 35.9 (GeForce RTX 3080) — the GeForce RTX 3070 offers 23.7% better value.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070GeForce RTX 3080
MSRP
$499-29%
$699
Performance per Dollar
44.4+24%
35.9
Codename
GA104
GA102
Release
September 1 2020
September 1 2020
Ranking
#63
#41

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