Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 vs RTX 4070 Graphics Card

If you are not sure which graphics card to choose between the RTX 4070 and the RTX 3080, or if you want to replace your RTX 3080 with an RTX 4070, you have come to the right place. In this guide, I have compiled the main specs and gaming performance of each video card to help you make the best possible choice. Check out this comparison guide between Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 vs RTX 4070 graphics card below.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 vs RTX 4070

In this tutorial, I will give you my opinion on the best choice to make between Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 vs RTX 4070 graphics cards according to your use and the performance you are looking for. Of course, I will also explain when it is better to choose the RTX 4070 over the 3080, and vice versa.

RTX 4070 and RTX 3080 Specifications

Features	GeForce RTX 4070	GeForce RTX 3080 (10GB)
Chip	AD104-250-A1	GA102
CUDA Cores	5888	8704
Frequency (base–boost)	1920– 2475 MHz	1.44 – 1.71
VRAM	12GB GDDR6X	10GB GDDR6X
Architecture	Lovelace	Ampere
Memory bus width	192 bit	320 bit
RT cores	3rd generation	2nd generation
Tensor cores	4th generation	3rd generation
Maximum resolution	7260×4320	7260×4320
Connectors	1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a	HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort
TDP(W)	200	320
Manufacturing process	TSMC 5nm	Samsung 8nm

 

The 10GB RTX 3080 has 8704 CUDA cores compared to 5888 for the RTX 4070. Additionally, the 3080 has a 320-bit memory bus, compared to just 192-bit for the 4070, which means the bandwidth between GPU and memory is greater on the 3080.

The 3080 uses a high-end chip from Nvidia, ending in “02”, hence its better memory interface. On the other hand, the 4070 uses a chip ending in “04”, which classifies it in the mid-range and gives it a smaller memory interface.

Gaming Performance in 4K

To be more specific, let’s compare these two RTX 4070 vs RTX 3080 graphics cards in terms of in-game performance at 4K resolution. The RTX 3080 was marketed as a graphics card designed to deliver exceptional performance at this resolution while supporting raytracing. Today, it’s considered more of a performance card for 1440p, but it’s still capable of delivering a smooth 4K gaming experience.

• In The Last of Us Part 1 game, at 4K and Ultra settings, the Nvidia RTX 4070 gives an average FPS of 27, whereas the Nvidia RTX 3080 gives an output of 26 FPS.
• In the Resident Evil 4 game, at 4K and Ultra settings, the Nvidia RTX 4070 gives an average FPS of 51, whereas the Nvidia RTX 3080 gives an output of 49 FPS.
• In the Hogwarts Legacy game, at 4K and Ultra settings, the Nvidia RTX 4070 gives an average FPS of 38, whereas the Nvidia RTX 3080 gives an output of 40 FPS.
• In the Hogwarts Legacy game, at 4K and Ultra settings, the Nvidia RTX 4070 gives an average FPS of 38, whereas the Nvidia RTX 3080 gives an output of 40 FPS.
• In the Dead Space Remake game, at 4K and Ultra settings, the Nvidia RTX 4070 gives an average FPS of 28, whereas the Nvidia RTX 3080 gives an output of 27 FPS.
• In The Callisto Protocol game, at 4K and Ultra settings, the Nvidia RTX 4070 gives an average FPS of 75, whereas the Nvidia RTX 3080 gives an output of 69 FPS.

Price

The Nvidia RTX 4070 starting price is $599 USD for the Founders Edition, and it is one the cheapest graphics card in the Nvidia 4000 Series. On the other hand, the starting price of the Nvidia RTX 3080 is $699 for the Founders Edition.

That is all you need to know about the key differences between Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 vs RTX 4070 graphics cards. While you are here, you might be also interested to know Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 vs RTX 2080 Super Comparison Guide.