Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super review: The 4K graphics card you want

Price When Reviewed

$799

Nvidia certain has been fixing the most important issues in its high-end GeForce RTX 40-series graphics card lineup with the newly introduced “Super” collection of refreshes. First, the RTX 4070 Super added 15 to 20 % extra efficiency to raised battle AMD’s Radeon RX 7800 XT rival. Then, the RTX 4070 Ti Super upgraded the unique’s reminiscence system to raised run video games at 4K. Better but, these playing cards nonetheless price the identical as their non-Super predecessors.

The largest drawback with the original RTX 4080? Its value. There was no denying its efficiency, however the 4080 debuted at $1,200, a staggering $500 extra than final era’s RTX 3080 — a 71 % value improve for a mere 30 % efficiency improve. Ick.

While the brand new GeForce RTX 4080 Super certainly affords some small pace will increase, Nvidia as soon as once more aimed to plug the unique’s weak spot. The RTX 4080 Super prices $999, a $200 enchancment over the vanilla model (which is being discontinued).

Is it sufficient to make GeForce RTX 4080 Super aggressive with AMD’s Radeon RX 7900 XTX, our present choose for the best 4K gaming GPU? Let’s take Nvidia’s personal Founders Edition mannequin for a spin and discover out.

Further studying: The best graphics cards for PC gaming

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super specs and options

The GeForce RTX 4080 Super nonetheless makes use of the identical AD103 graphics die that powered the unique 4080, however the full-fat model.

• Graphics processing clusters: 7
• Texture processing clusters: 40
• Streaming multiprocessors: 80
• CUDA cores: 10,240
• Tensor cores: 320 (4th era)
• RT cores: 80 (third era)
• Texture models: 320
• ROP models: 112
• Base clock: 2,295 MHz
• Boost clock: 2,550 MHz
• Memory clock: 11,500 MHz
• Memory knowledge fee: 23 Gbps
• L1 knowledge cache/shared reminiscence: 10,240 Okay
• L2 cache dimension: 65,536 Okay
• Total video reminiscence: 16GB GDDR6X
• Memory interface: 256-bit
• Connectors: 3x DisplayPort, 1x HDMI
• Form issue: Triple slot
• Power connectors: 3x PCIe 8-pin cables (adapter in field) OR 450W or larger PCIe Gen 5 cable
• Required system energy provide: 750 Watts
• Video engines: 2xNVENC (eighth Gen) with AV1, 1xNVDEC (fifth Gen)
• Power: 15W Idle, 22W AV1 Video Playback, 246W Average Gaming Power (AGP), 320W Total Graphics Power (TGP)
• Max GPU temperature: 90° C

The vanilla 4080 disabled two “streaming multiprocessors” filled with graphics, ray tracing, and tensor cores; the Super restores these, bringing the CUDA depend complete from 9,728 within the 4080 to 10,240 within the Super, a modest 5 % improve. Nvidia additionally elevated the Boost Clock pace from 2.51GHz to 2.55GHz, and nudged the reminiscence clock pace upwards as properly.

All informed, Nvidia says the Super ought to be roughly 2 to 3 % sooner than the vanilla 4080 on common, and our personal benchmark testing backs that up. The actual draw right here is the value reduce — although contemplating the unique RTX 4080 was a beastly performer for play and work alike, that’s not essentially a foul factor.

Adam Patrick Murray / IDG

With 16GB of ultra-fast GDDR6X reminiscence throughout a 256-bit bus, the RTX 4080 Super has no drawback blowing via video games at excessive element settings even at 4K decision (as you’d hope in a $1,000 graphics card). Impressively, Nvidia managed to eke out the additional efficiency with out rising the GPU’s energy necessities.

The GeForce RTX 4080 Super helps all the trendy Nvidia options that may push efficiency even greater, comparable to DLSS 3.5, Frame Generation, the latency-reducing Nvidia Reflex, G-Sync screens, and extra. Creative varieties will recognize the twin AV1 encoders, non-compulsory Studio driver assist, and (in the event you’re a streamer) glorious Nvidia Broadcast instruments.

Nvidia’s Founders Edition design largely mirrors that of the unique, from the (girthy) dimensions to the 16-pin 12VHPWR cable to the output setup: one HDMI 2.1, three DisplayPort 1.4a connections. The most notable change right here is the colour scheme, because the Super variants embrace a beautiful blacked-out aesthetic with sturdy Darth Vader vibes. Nvidia’s {custom} cooler at all times impressed — visually, and virtually — and it’s no totally different this time round.

But how does it deal with? Let’s get to the benchmarks.

Our take a look at system

Adam Patrick Murray, the smiling face of PCWorld on YouTube, carried out all the next benchmarks on a custom-built system, utilizing the most recent publicly out there drivers for all GPUs besides the RTX 4080 Super itself, which used early 551.22 drivers equipped to the press.

Each benchmark run was performed a minimal of 3 times, with the typical worth taken. We’re evaluating the brand new $999 RTX 4080 Super in opposition to the unique $1,200 RTX 4080 Super, the $999 Radeon RX 7900 XTX, and Nvidia’s step-down RTX 4070 Ti. Ideally, we’d have RTX 4070 Ti Super benchmarks right here, however we’re nonetheless within the means of testing that card. It ought to be about 10 % sooner than the vanilla 4070 Ti outcomes proven under.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super efficiency benchmarks

Let’s begin at 4K decision, as that’s essentially the most demanding widespread state of affairs for these ultra-high-end graphics playing cards, then look individually at 1440p efficiency.

Adam Patrick Murray / IDG

Adam Patrick Murray / IDG

The RTX 4080 Super and Radeon RX 7900 XTX commerce blows at each resolutions; Nvidia wins huge in some titles, AMD wins huge in some others, and so they’re neck-and-neck in the remainder. In common, Nvidia’s structure runs a bit higher at 4K decision, whereas the Radeon has a slight edge at 1440p.

Adam Patrick Murray / IDG

To gauge the effectivity of the ray tracing cores, we additionally examined Cyberpunk 2077 on the RT medium setting, with each AMD and Nvidia GPUs utilizing AMD’s open FSR 2.0 upscaling function within the recreation. In addition, we flipped ray tracing on in Returnal.

AMD has made big strides in ray tracing, however it stays a bastion for Nvidia GPUs. The RTX 4080 Super tromps the Radeon RX 7900 XTX at Medium RT, and as you ramp up the rays, Nvidia GPUs solely widen the hole. You’ll want a high-end Nvidia graphics card just like the RTX 4080 Super to run Cyberpunk’s wonderful, absolutely path-traced Overdrive mode at something above slide-show body charges, and you may solely do this by leveraging Nvidia’s full function arsenal of DLSS 3.5, Frame Gen, and Reflex.

Adam Patrick Murray / IDG

We additionally examined the ability draw and most GPU temperature of those graphics playing cards. Adam examined these by working a loop of F1 22’s Miami observe at 1440p/Ultra High preset, with no ray tracing or upscaling enabled, and noting the utmost consequence for every take a look at.

Hot rattling does the Radeon RX 7900 XTX suck down some juice. Impressively, Nvidia made the RTX 4080 Super much more energy environment friendly than its namesake, regardless of delivering a smidge extra efficiency.

Should you purchase the GeForce RTX 4080 Super?

While I couldn’t advocate the unique RTX 4080 over the Radeon RX 7900 XTX at its chest-clutching $1,200 value, the GeForce RTX 4080 Super’s $999 price ticket makes it far more aggressive. In truth, I’d go for Nvidia’s refreshed penultimate GPU over AMD’s champion now.

Adam Patrick Murray / IDG

The efficiency upgrades within the 4080 Super are perfunctory and negligible; it’s the value drop that issues. The Super and the 7900 XTX each ship screaming-fast body charges in conventional video games, buying and selling blows left and proper. That’s what made the Radeon so interesting versus the unique 4080, particularly with Nvidia’s card having such an exorbitant markup. But by matching the 7900 XTX’s $1,000 MSRP, Nvidia’s extras assist the 4080 Super declare dominance.

The GeForce RTX 4080 attracts massively much less energy than its AMD rival to ship related body charges in conventional video games. Flip on ray tracing and Nvidia holds a gargantuan lead, with stellar AI-powered options like DLSS, Frame Generation, and Ray Reconstruction pushing each pace and efficiency benefits to 11. Features like Nvidia Broadcast and Reflex maintain deep sensible attraction; RTX Video Super Resolution makes use of AI to make ugly movies lovely. And Nvidia maintains a powerful lead in most inventive and machine studying/AI workloads in the event you prefer to put your GPU to work once you’re not taking part in — witness the twin AV1 encoders within the 4080 Super.

AMD has options to a few of these options (FSR, Radeon Anti-Lag+) and a few key software program wins of its personal, like Smart Access Memory and the driver-level AMD Fluid Motion Frames. In common, nevertheless, Nvidia’s software program options are extra polished and performant. When you’re spending borderline 4 figures on a graphics card, the extras matter.

Taken as a complete package deal — efficiency, ray tracing, energy effectivity, options, even prosumer duties — Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 4080 Super is the clear selection in its value vary. This is the graphics card you need for 4K gaming with out going over $1,000. You can typically discover the Radeon 7900 XTX on sale for $950 or so, however I’d nonetheless choose up the 4080 Super with out hesitation provided that possibility. At the high-end, the place the whole lot issues, I wouldn’t contemplate the AMD possibility except it was on sale for $900 or (ideally) much less, regardless of it being a nice 4K GPU in its personal proper.

Adam Patrick Murray / IDG

That stated, whereas the RTX 4080 Super’s $200 value drop helps this ferocious graphics card lastly compete in opposition to its rival, I’d nonetheless prefer to see each of these playing cards dip much more. Remember that the RTX 3080 launched at $699; the 4080 Super can be spectacular if it price $800, and far simpler to advocate at $900. A thousand bucks is a complete heap of money.

If you need 4K gaming, glorious ray tracing, and Nvidia options at a barely lesser value, the $799 GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super can be value contemplating now that it has 16GB of reminiscence and a wider reminiscence bus. It isn’t as quick because the 4080, clearly, however ought to nonetheless get the job achieved. Or if you would like the last word gaming expertise, there’s at all times the GeForce RTX 4090, although it’s priced at $1,600 and going for nearer to $2,000 on the road.

Unless you have got super-deep pockets or can justify a 4090 buy through the use of it for work, too, the GeForce RTX 4080 Super is essentially the most highly effective Nvidia GPU out there in the present day. While we’d prefer it to fall in price fairly a bit extra in a super world, with a $200 decrease beginning value, it’s lastly time to truly contemplate the RTX 4080 household for the primary time this era.