NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080
Expert rating8.5 / 10
- Architecture:
- Ampere (GA102)
- CUDA Cores:
- 8704
- Memory:
- 10GB GDDR6X
- TDP:
- 320W
- Launch Price:
- $699
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Manufacturer: NVIDIA Last updated: September 11, 2026
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (Graphics Card/Ampere GA102/8704 CUDA Cores/10GB GDDR6X/Ampere Breakout Card) Review
The RTX 3080 was the breakout card of the Ampere generation, delivering a dramatic generational leap over the RTX 2080 Ti at launch and becoming one of the most sought-after (and hardest to actually buy) GPUs of its era due to severe pandemic-era shortages.
8704 CUDA cores gave the RTX 3080 a substantial performance jump over the previous generation's flagship, setting a new bar for 4K gaming at a price that, at launch, undercut the outgoing RTX 2080 Ti significantly.
The Generational Leap That Defined Ampere
8704 CUDA cores gave the RTX 3080 a substantial performance jump over the previous generation's flagship, setting a new bar for 4K gaming at a price that, at launch, undercut the outgoing RTX 2080 Ti significantly.
A Card Remembered for Its Launch Chaos
Beyond its specs, the RTX 3080 is remembered almost as much for the extreme scalping and stock shortages that plagued its 2020 launch during a broader chip shortage, a story that still comes up in buyer research today.
Comparison to Alternatives
Against AMD's RX 6800 XT covered in this batch, the RTX 3080 generally offers stronger ray tracing and DLSS support at a similar rasterization performance level. Against the RTX 3090 covered in this batch, the 3080 gives up VRAM capacity (10GB vs 24GB) and some CUDA cores for a significantly lower price.
Specifications
Performance
| VRAM | 10 GB |
|---|---|
| Memory Type | GDDR6X |
| Boost Clock | 1710 MHz |
Physical & Power
| TDP | 320 W |
|---|
Silicon
| Architecture | Ampere (GA102) |
|---|---|
| Shader Units | 8704 |
Memory
| Memory Bus Width | 320 bit |
|---|
Market and workstation
| MSRP | 699 USD |
|---|
Expert Review
Reviewed by Burooj Alam. Rated by us, not by users.
Expert rating8.5 / 10
The generational leap that defined Ampere, still strong outside its 10GB memory limit.
Best for
- Buyers who want flagship-tier Ampere performance without RTX 3090 pricing.
Not for
- Anyone who specifically needs more than 10GB of VRAM.
FAQs
What are the key specifications of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (Graphics Card/Ampere GA102/8704 CUDA Cores/10GB GDDR6X/Ampere Breakout Card)?
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (Graphics Card/Ampere GA102/8704 CUDA Cores/10GB GDDR6X/Ampere Breakout Card) is a graphics card from NVIDIA. Key specs: Architecture Ampere (GA102), CUDA Cores 8704, Boost Clock 1710, Memory 10GB GDDR6X, Memory Bus 320-bit.
Who is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (Graphics Card/Ampere GA102/8704 CUDA Cores/10GB GDDR6X/Ampere Breakout Card) best suited to?
It suits buyers who want flagship-tier ampere performance without rtx 3090 pricing..
What are the drawbacks of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (Graphics Card/Ampere GA102/8704 CUDA Cores/10GB GDDR6X/Ampere Breakout Card)?
It is a poor fit for anyone who specifically needs more than 10gb of vram..
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