The RTX 5080 is faster on gaming and AI and has far more bandwidth, but the RTX 4080 is cheaper and slightly more power-efficient. Buy the 5080 for the newer architecture and DLSS 4; buy the 4080 to save money at near-identical VRAM.
Quick answer. Both cards carry 16 GB of VRAM, so the choice is about speed, features, and price. The 5080 pulls ahead on gaming and AI scores and offers much higher memory bandwidth plus DLSS 4 multi-frame generation. The 4080 is the value pick, usually cheaper new and notably cheaper used.
Quick answer: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 leads on both gaming and AI workloads. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 gives the best performance per dollar of the group. Look at VRAM and memory bandwidth for capability, TDP for power and heat, and separate gaming vs AI performance scores. Then weigh new and used prices, and cloud rental cost if you only need the card occasionally. Not necessarily. TDP measures power draw, not performance. A newer architecture can deliver more frames or tokens per watt, so always compare performance scores alongside power, not power alone. Used cards can offer far better value, especially previous-generation flagships. Factor in the lack of warranty and unknown wear. This tool lists both new and used reference prices so you can judge the gap. Head-to-head comparison
Spec
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080
VRAM
16 GB (winner)
16 GB
Bandwidth
960 GB/s (winner)
717 GB/s
TDP (power)
360 W
320 W (winner)
Gaming score
88/100 (winner)
85/100
AI score
82/100 (winner)
80/100
Price (new)
$1,200
$1,100 (winner)
Price (used)
$1,050
$850 (winner)
Cloud rent $/hr
$0.40
$0.28 (winner)
Best for
Gaming, AI / LLMs
Best value, Efficiency
Get it
GPU reference specs
GPU
VRAM
TDP
Bandwidth
Street price
Cloud $/hr
Released
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
32 GB
575 W
1792 GB/s
$2,500
$0.69
2025
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080
16 GB
360 W
960 GB/s
$1,200
$0.40
2025
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070
12 GB
250 W
672 GB/s
$650
$0.25
2025
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
24 GB
450 W
1008 GB/s
$1,900
$0.34
2022
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080
16 GB
320 W
717 GB/s
$1,100
$0.28
2022
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070
12 GB
200 W
504 GB/s
$550
$0.20
2023
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
24 GB
350 W
936 GB/s
$900
$0.22
2020
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB
12 GB
170 W
360 GB/s
$280
$0.12
2021
NVIDIA A100 80GB
80 GB
400 W
2039 GB/s
$8,000
$1.10
2020
NVIDIA H100 80GB
80 GB
700 W
3350 GB/s
$25,000
$2.49
2022
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX
24 GB
355 W
960 GB/s
$850
$0.30
2022
Intel Arc B580
12 GB
190 W
456 GB/s
$250
N/A
2024
Frequently asked questions
How do I compare two GPUs?
Is a higher TDP GPU always faster?
Should I buy new or used when comparing GPUs?
Which should you buy?
- Gaming: the 5080 is faster and adds DLSS 4; pick it for high-refresh 1440p/4K. The 4080 is close behind for less.
- AI: same 16 GB ceiling on both, but the 5080’s higher bandwidth speeds up inference. If a model fits in 16 GB, either works.
- Budget: the 4080 wins on value, especially used.
Key differences
- VRAM: both 16 GB — no capacity difference.
- Bandwidth: ~960 vs ~717 GB/s in the 5080’s favor.
- Features: the 5080 supports DLSS 4 multi-frame generation.
- Price & efficiency: the 4080 is cheaper and draws a little less power.
New, used, or cloud
With equal VRAM, a used 4080 is a strong value. For occasional heavy use, renting either card sidesteps the purchase — see cloud rates.
People also ask
Is the RTX 5080 a big upgrade over the 4080? It’s a solid step up in bandwidth and adds DLSS 4, but with the same 16 GB VRAM it’s an evolution, not a revolution — worth it mainly for the newer features and higher refresh gaming. Should I buy a used 4080 or a new 5080? If you want the lowest cost per frame and features aren’t a priority, a used 4080 is excellent value. For DLSS 4 and the newest architecture, choose the 5080.
Related: RTX 5080 vs RTX 4090 · RTX 5090 vs RTX 4090 · All GPU comparisons