It’s a god-tier GPU battle for the ages. The mighty RTX 3090 welcomes its RTX 3080 Ti brethren to lock horns with the AMD RX 6900 XT. These bruisers are giant, costly, and gloriously spectacular. These are all a few of the best graphics cards round, however what do you have to anticipate to pay, and which one is most deserving of a spot in your rig? We break down all the things it’s worthwhile to know.
Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti vs. RTX 3090 vs. AMD 6900 XT: Price
You could wish to sit down for this pricing synopsis, as these monsters don’t come low-cost. The RTX 3090 brings an MSRP of $1,499 to the desk, which has shortly climbed to close or over $2,000 resulting from GPU shortages. The RTX 3080 Ti is barely a discount, nonetheless. Coming in a $1,199 MSRP, it is also repeatedly discovered for a whole lot above this already lofty worth.
The AMD RX 6900 XT initially got here in at $999 MSRP, however the true market worth is usually nearer to above the $1,500 mark. Due to greater third-party AIB pricing, some have even gone properly above the $2,000 mark for MSRP.
Clearly the above GPUs are already costly, however the huge GPU scarcity and insane demand have made them exorbitantly priced. A silver lining is that you just’ll have a greater likelihood of discovering these in inventory in comparison with extra moderately priced GPUs such because the RTX 3060 Ti and RX 6800. The catch-22 right here is that you just’ll additionally need to pay the piper. Handsomely.
AMD’s Radeon RX 6900 XT
Thiago Trevisan/IDG
Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti vs. RTX 3090 vs. AMD 6900 XT: Performance
We by no means imagined the AMD 6900 XT would include such power to problem the Nvidia huge brutes. Alas, right here we’re! First, let’s break down the VRAM variations, beginning with 24GB of GDDR6X on the RTX 3090. This is overkill for many gaming, however extremely potent for content material creators and use instances the place VRAM is important. The 3080 Ti drops to 12GB of the identical class VRAM, which is at the moment ample for 4K gaming. (A number of uncommon instances can trickle this up greater, nonetheless.) The AMD 6900 XT lands smack dab within the center with 16GB, albeit the slower GDDR6 variant.
As all are at the moment ample for 4K gaming, the importance of the RTX 3090’s reminiscence edge is variable. If you’re a gamer and content material creator, essentially the most highly effective selection is the RTX 3090, which is able to excel at skilled duties. If you simply plan to recreation, nonetheless, the scenario is much less clear minimize. You can study extra concerning the efficiency comparability’s from Brad Chacos’s review of the RX 6900 XT.
Brad Chacos/IDG
In Watch Dogs Legion at 4K, as an illustration, you’ll be able to see how intently these sparring companions actually are. The 6900 XT surprisingly pulls forward at 4K, and barely trails behind at 1440p. The RTX 3080 Ti and RTX 3090 are just about neck and neck.
With conventional rasterization, it’s clear the 6900 XT is extremely aggressive. Nvidia’s DLSS coupled with ray tracing, in case your recreation helps it, will nonetheless be an enormous benefit in favor of workforce inexperienced.
The RTX 3090 can be the one GPU right here able to NVlink/SLI efficiency, grouping two GPUs collectively. This is outdated, with very minimal assist by way of video games, nonetheless.
Note: The RTX 3080 Ti is omitted right here as a result of it performs nearly identically to the RTX 3090.
Brad Chacos/IDG
In Metro Exodus at 4K and ray tracing enabled, DLSS is an absolute boon to Nvidia efficiency. This shall be comparatively constant all through many titles. While AMD Smart Access Memory will also be an enormous assist to the 6900 XT, it actually shines in conventional non-ray traced video games. Until optimizations enhance on AMD’s FSR know-how to compete with DLSS, Nvidia will nonetheless preserve the lead right here.
Power draw and different issues to know
The RTX 3090 comes with a 350W TDP, however some fashions such because the EVGA Kingpin can go close to 500W! The 3080 Ti can be comparatively energy hungry, coming in on the identical 350W. AMD has managed to maintain the 6900 XT at 300W, a powerful feat contemplating its efficiency.
A customized liquid-cooled gaming PC with a GeForce RTX 3090 inside.
Thiago Trevisan/IDG
What does this all imply? These dangerous boys will run highly regarded, particularly the RTX 3080 Ti and 3090 with their smokin’ GDDR6X VRAM. The RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition comes geared up with the identical smaller two-slot cooler because the RTX 3080, making it lower than best in comparison with the bigger RTX 3090 cooler. You’ll probably desire a third-party AIB cooler right here, or to water cool the RTX 3080 Ti to greatest handle warmth.
The AMD 6900 XT is similar cooler design because the 6800 XT for the reference mannequin, which does an excellent job at protecting temps below management.
The RTX 3080 Ti is the one GPU on this lineup that’s LHR, or lite hash price (which means much less appropriate for crypto-mining). The RTX 3090 is unaffected, and AMD doesn’t provide any such limitations on the 6900 XT. This usually has translated into extra 3080 Ti fashions being obtainable for players, in comparison with the non-LHR fashions such because the RTX 3080, which appear to have vanished into skinny air.
Which is the god-tier GPU for you?
EVGA’s customized GeForce RTX 3080 Ti FTW3 Ultra.
Thiago Trevisan/IDG
Yes, they’re all prohibitively costly given the GPU shortages. But the excessive price makes them a bit simpler to search out in inventory than their cheaper counterparts. Which do you have to purchase? First, in the event you’re strictly a gamer, you’ll be able to scratch off the RTX 3090. The RTX 3080 Ti provides you with almost the identical gaming efficiency for a whole lot of {dollars} cheaper, even at 4K.
Who can buy the RTX 3090? Aside from ballers, those that have a necessity for the 24GB of VRAM such a content material creator who additionally video games. Otherwise, follow the 3080 Ti—or higher but, an RTX 3080 if you could find it, for a greater “bang for your buck.”
That leaves us with the 6900 XT—who’s this for? It definitely makes a extremely spectacular displaying in opposition to the Nvidia GPUs. At present inflated worth ranges, nonetheless, it falls barely wanting the 3080 Ti for many players. This is contemplating the Nvidia benefits with ray tracing and DLSS. After all, in the event you’re spending this sort of cash on a GPU, you wish to flip all the things on to 4K extremely with all of the ray tracing eye sweet. The RTX 3080 Ti is the GPU that may greatest assist you to do this whereas saving a couple of bucks versus the RTX 3090.