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NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080 vs AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT: Comparison

What is the difference between NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080 and AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT?

Start with vram, because it is the widest measured gap between them: NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080 10 GB against AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT 16 GB, 38% in favour of AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT. The benchmark result agrees. Blender Cycles (GPU) puts NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080 47% ahead, 4,529 against 2,406 over 579 runs.

NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080 vs AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT: which one fits your build

The NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080 suits gamers targeting the resolution this high-end tier is built for, though it is not built for 4K/high-refresh gamers if this card's tier sits below High-End. The same goes for builders who want 10GB of VRAM without moving up a tier. It is not the one for buyers who need the absolute best price-to-performance and should compare street prices first. The AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT is the one to take for gamers targeting the resolution this high-end tier is built for, though it is the wrong buy for 4K/high-refresh gamers if this card's tier sits below High-End. It also earns its place with builders who want 16GB of VRAM without moving up a tier. Avoid it for buyers who need the absolute best price-to-performance and should compare street prices first.

NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080 vs AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT price

At the last price check the AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT was $649 and the NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080 $699, a 8% premium.

Frequently asked questions

Do the NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080 and AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT differ on boost clock?

Yes. Boost Clock reads 1740 MHz on the NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080 versus 2310 MHz on the AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT.

Is the Ray Tracing Support the same on the NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080 and AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT?

It is. Both are listed at Yes, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.

Specs and benchmarks

  • GPU Brand

    NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080
    NVIDIA
    AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT
    AMD
  • Series

    NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080
    GeForce RTX 30
    AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT
    Radeon RX 6000
  • Board Partner

    NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080
    Gainward
    AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT
    Sapphire
  • VRAM

    NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080
    10 GB-37%
    AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT
    16 GBBest
  • Tier

    NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080
    High-End
    AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT
    High-End
  • Memory Type

    NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080
    GDDR6X
    AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT
    GDDR6
  • Boost Clock

    NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080
    1740 MHz-25%
    AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT
    2310 MHzBest
  • Ray Tracing Support

    NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080
    Yes
    AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT
    Yes
  • TDP

    NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080
    320 W-7%
    AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT
    300 WBest
  • Architecture

    NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080
    Ampere (GA102)
    AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT
    RDNA 2 (Navi 21)
  • Card Length

    NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080
    305 mm-7%
    AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT
    286 mmBest
  • Slot Width

    NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080
    2.5
    AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT
    2.5
  • Shader Units

    NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080
    8704
    AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT
    4608
  • MSRP

    NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080
    $699
    AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT
    $649

Benchmarks

  • 3D Rendering
  • Blender Cycles (GPU)

    NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080
    4,529Best
    AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT
    2,406-47%

    Blender 4.5, Blender Open Data (CC0). Median of monster + junkshop + classroom, combined samples/min.

    Renders a 3D scene on the graphics card. Shows speed in Blender and similar 3D apps, not in games.

Which one should you pick?

Choose NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080 if you want the lower slot width (2.5 vs 2.5) and the higher blender cycles (GPU) (4,529 vs 2,406).

Choose AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT if you want the higher VRAM (16 GB vs 10 GB), the higher boost clock (2310 MHz vs 1740 MHz) and the lower TDP (300 W vs 320 W).

Price comparison

RetailerNVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT
Consumercarts listing

$699.00

View on Consumercarts listing
Amazon

$649.00

View on Amazon
NeweggView on Newegg

Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.

Verdict

NVIDIA Gainward Phantom+ GeForce RTX 3080

8 / 10 Expert Rating

A solid high-end pick if its price and 10GB VRAM allocation match your target resolution.

AMD Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6800 XT

8 / 10 Expert Rating

A solid high-end pick if its price and 16GB VRAM allocation match your target resolution.