NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB Review | 118 Data compared
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NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB Review | 118 Data compared

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  • Avg. price in UK: ~£970
  • Avg. price in US: ~$800
  • VRAM: 12 GB
  • Memory bus width: 192 bit
  • Thermal Design Power (TDP): 285 W

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB review. Compare 118 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Graphics cards category and whether it is worth buying.

7.9

Overall score

What it is: An overall evaluation of the graphics card's quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.

When it matters: When you need a quick reference to identify the best graphics cards on the market.

Score components:

90.0%

7.9

Technical Score

10.0%

?

User score

Very good
7.9

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of technical performance for products in the Graphics cards category across these key areas: Performance, Memory, Platform & Features, Connectivity & Media, Power & Cooling, Design.

When it matters: When you want to compare graphics cards based on technical performance and available features.

Score components:

44.0%

8.2

Performance

24.0%

6.5

Memory

12.0%

7.2

Power & Cooling

11.0%

9.8

Platform & Features

5.0%

7.1

Design

4.0%

9.5

Connectivity & Media

Very good
?

User score

What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the graphics card.

When it matters: When you want to understand how a graphics card performs in real use and how reliable it is in terms of performance, temperatures, noise, stability, and long-term ownership.

Score components:

70.0%

?

User reviews

30.0%

?

Popularity

  • 7.8
    Gaming

    Score components:

    45.0%

    7.8

    Floating-point performance

    25.0%

    7.4

    VRAM

    20.0%

    7.8

    Ray tracing cores / units

    10.0%

    8.8

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 8.6
    Video editing

    Score components:

    35.0%

    10

    AV1 encode

    30.0%

    7.4

    VRAM

    20.0%

    7.8

    Floating-point performance

    15.0%

    8.8

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 7.8
    1080p

    Score components:

    55.0%

    7.8

    Floating-point performance

    25.0%

    7.4

    VRAM

    10.0%

    7.8

    Ray tracing cores / units

    10.0%

    8.8

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 7.7
    1440p

    Score components:

    50.0%

    7.8

    Floating-point performance

    30.0%

    7.4

    VRAM

    15.0%

    7.8

    Ray tracing cores / units

    5.0%

    8.8

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 7.7
    4K

    Score components:

    40.0%

    7.8

    Floating-point performance

    35.0%

    7.4

    VRAM

    20.0%

    7.8

    Ray tracing cores / units

    5.0%

    8.8

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • No image
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Best prices in UK

    N/A~ £970

Best rankings

?

Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).
All: ranking among all products in the database.

Verdict

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 12GB was a high-performance graphics card built on the Ada Lovelace architecture, featuring 7,680 CUDA cores, a 192-bit memory interface, and 12GB of GDDR6X VRAM. It delivered impressive 1440p and entry-level 4K gaming performance with a base clock of 2.31 GHz (boosting to 2.61 GHz) and support for advanced features like DLSS 3 Frame Generation and third-generation RT cores for enhanced ray tracing. Main pros included exceptional power efficiency for its performance class and access to the latest AI-driven upscaling technologies. However, it was famously 'unlaunched' by Nvidia shortly after its announcement due to significant backlash regarding its confusing branding and high $899 price tag, as it was significantly less powerful than the 16GB version; it was subsequently rebranded and released as the RTX 4070 Ti.

Technical Specifications of graphics card NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of technical performance for products in the Graphics cards category across these key areas: Performance, Memory, Platform & Features, Connectivity & Media, Power & Cooling, Design.

When it matters: When you want to compare graphics cards based on technical performance and available features.

Score components:

44.0%

?

Performance

24.0%

?

Memory

12.0%

?

Power & Cooling

11.0%

?

Platform & Features

5.0%

?

Design

4.0%

?

Connectivity & Media

7.9
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a technical score of 7.86 points, which is higher than that of 65.3% of products in this category.
User score

What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the graphics card.

When it matters: When you want to understand how a graphics card performs in real use and how reliable it is in terms of performance, temperatures, noise, stability, and long-term ownership.

Score components:

70.0%

0.0

User reviews

30.0%

1.0

Popularity

?
Popularity
What it is: An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the graphics card.
When it matters: When you prefer a graphics card that has already been chosen and reviewed by many other users.
1.0
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a popularity of 1 points, which is lower than 57.7% of products in this category.
Ratio quality/price

What it is: An indicator that combines the graphics card's overall rating with its cost.

When it matters: When you are looking for a graphics card that offers a strong balance of performance, features, and price.

Score components:

60.0%

7.9

Overall score

40.0%

5.4

Price

7.1
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a quality-to-price ratio of 7.1 points, which is lower than 52% of products in this category.
3DMark Time Spy benchmark score
What it is: Benchmark result from 3DMark Time Spy, a synthetic DirectX 12 test often used as a quick gaming-performance reference.
When it matters: When you need a fast rough performance sort before digging into game-specific reviews and frame-rate data.

Importance: LOW

?
3DMark Port Royal score
What it is: Benchmark result from 3DMark Port Royal, a synthetic test focused on ray tracing performance.
When it matters: When ray tracing matters in the games you actually play and you want one quick way to separate stronger and weaker RT cards.

Importance: LOW

18,194 points
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB scores 18,194 points in 3DMark Port Royal, which is higher than 80.9% of graphics cards.
PassMark (G3D) result
What it is: Overall GPU performance score in PassMark G3D benchmark
When it matters: When you need one broad score to sort cards into rough performance tiers.

Importance: LOW

34,456 points
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB scores 34,456 points in PassMark G3D, which is higher than 85.5% of graphics cards and equal to 0.1% of graphics cards.
PassMark (DirectCompute) result
What it is: PassMark score for DirectCompute performance tests
When it matters: When compute workloads matter alongside gaming performance.

Importance: LOW

20,389 points
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB scores 20,389 points in PassMark DirectCompute, which is higher than 80.8% of graphics cards and equal to 0.1% of graphics cards.
Floating-point performance
What it is: Theoretical floating-point compute performance of the GPU.
When it matters: When rendering, AI, or heavy compute work needs strong single-precision throughput.

Importance: LOW

40.09 TFLOPS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB delivers 40.09 TFLOPS floating-point performance, which is higher than that of 71% of graphics cards and equal to that of 0.3% of graphics cards.
Show more
VRAM
What it is: Total video memory available on the graphics card
When it matters: When you play at high settings, use texture mods, or work with large creative projects.

Importance: HIGH

12 GB
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has 12 GB of VRAM, which is more than 45.5% of graphics cards and equal to 16% of graphics cards.
Memory type
What it is: Type of graphics memory used (GDDR6, HBM2e, etc.)
When it matters: When memory technology is part of the buying decision because it affects bandwidth class, power use, and product positioning.

Importance: LOW

GDDR6X
GDDR version
What it is: Generation of GDDR memory used by the graphics card.
When it matters: When you want to separate older memory generations from newer ones before comparing bandwidth, power behavior, and market tier.

Importance: LOW

GDDR6X
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB uses GDDR6X memory, which is newer than on 56.7% of graphics cards and equal to 22.7% of graphics cards.
Memory bus width
What it is: Width of the memory interface bus in bits
When it matters: When you care about steadier performance at higher resolutions, heavier texture settings, or ray-traced workloads that stress memory traffic.

Importance: HIGH

192 bit
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB uses a 192 bit memory bus, which is narrower than that of 50.3% of graphics cards and equal to that of 18.8% of graphics cards.
Maximum memory bandwidth
What it is: Maximum data transfer rate between GPU and its memory
When it matters: When 4K gaming, ray tracing, or creator work can choke a slower memory subsystem.

Importance: HIGH

503.8 GB/s
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB reaches 503.8 GB/s memory bandwidth, which is higher than that of 53.7% of graphics cards.
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PCI Express (PCIe) version
What it is: Version of PCI Express interface supported
When it matters: When you are pairing the card with an older motherboard and want to avoid leaving bandwidth or future compatibility on the table.

Importance: LOW

4.0
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB supports PCIe 4.0, which is newer than on 22.3% of graphics cards and equal to 52.1% of graphics cards.
PCIe lanes
What it is: Number of PCI Express lanes used for communication
When it matters: When limited lane width could bottleneck the card in some systems.

Importance: LOW

x16
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB uses x16 PCIe lanes, which is more than 23.4% of graphics cards and equal to 76.6% of graphics cards.
DirectX version
What it is: Highest supported DirectX API version
When it matters: When you play newer Windows games that depend on the latest graphics features.

Importance: LOW

12 Ultimate
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, which is more advanced than on 22.6% of graphics cards and equal to 77.4% of graphics cards.
Vulkan version
What it is: Highest supported Vulkan API version
When it matters: When modern games, emulators, or creative apps lean on Vulkan support.

Importance: LOW

1.3
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB supports Vulkan 1.3, which is older than on 79.4% of graphics cards and equal to 15.7% of graphics cards.
OpenGL version
What it is: Highest supported OpenGL API version
When it matters: When older games or pro apps still depend on OpenGL compatibility.

Importance: LOW

4.6
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB supports OpenGL 4.6, which is more advanced than on 1.9% of graphics cards and equal to 98.1% of graphics cards.
Show more
Max displays supported
What it is: Total number of external displays supported simultaneously
When it matters: When you run a multi-monitor desk for sim racing, trading, or editing.

Importance: LOW

4
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB supports up to 4 displays, which is more than 8.3% of graphics cards and equal to 88.9% of graphics cards.
Max digital resolution
What it is: Maximum supported digital display resolution
When it matters: When you plan to drive 4K or 8K panels at their native resolution.

Importance: LOW

7680x4320
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB supports a maximum digital resolution of 7680x4320, which is higher than that of 9% of graphics cards and equal to that of 91% of graphics cards.
DisplayPort outputs
What it is: Number of DisplayPort video outputs
When it matters: When your setup needs several high-refresh monitors without adapters.

Importance: LOW

3
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB offers 3 DisplayPort outputs, which is more than 21% of graphics cards and equal to 76.8% of graphics cards.
DisplayPort version
What it is: Version of DisplayPort standard supported
When it matters: When your monitor setup depends on newer DisplayPort features for higher refresh rates, higher resolution, or better cable flexibility.

Importance: LOW

1.4a
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB supports DisplayPort 1.4a, which is more advanced than on 19.5% of graphics cards and equal to 47.1% of graphics cards.
DisplayPort link rates
What it is: Supported data link rates for DisplayPort connections
When it matters: When you are pushing high resolution and refresh rate over DisplayPort.

Importance: LOW

1.4 Gbps
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB supports DisplayPort link rates up to 1.4 Gbps, which is slower than on 96.4% of graphics cards and equal to 3.7% of graphics cards.
Show more
Thermal Design Power (TDP)
What it is: Typical power consumption under full load (TDP)
When it matters: When you need a realistic idea of power draw before choosing a PSU or case.

Importance: MEDIUM

285 W
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a TDP of 285 W, which is higher than that of 66.8% of graphics cards and equal to that of 3.6% of graphics cards.
Power consumption while under peak load
What it is: Peak power draw of the graphics card under maximum load.
When it matters: When transient-heavy gaming loads could stress your power supply.

Importance: LOW

285 W
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB draws 285 W under peak load, which is higher than 64.9% of graphics cards and equal to 3.5% of graphics cards.
Recommended PSU wattage
What it is: Recommended wattage of the system power supply
When it matters: When you are checking whether your current power supply is enough.

Importance: LOW

700 W
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB recommends a 700 W PSU, which is higher than that of 59.7% of graphics cards and equal to that of 4.7% of graphics cards.
Board power limit
What it is: Maximum configurable power limit for the GPU board
When it matters: When you care about how far the card can be pushed through tuning or factory power settings.

Importance: LOW

285 W
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a board power limit of 285 W, which is higher than that of 63.5% of graphics cards and equal to that of 3% of graphics cards.
PCIe power spec
What it is: PCIe power delivery specification followed
When it matters: When you are checking whether the slot and external cables match the card's intended power-delivery standard.

Importance: LOW

285 W
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Size
What it is: Physical size of the GPU card
When it matters: When you need the card to fit a compact case without blocking nearby hardware.

Importance: LOW

?
Length
What it is: Physical length of the GPU card
When it matters: When front radiators or drive cages leave only limited GPU clearance.

Importance: LOW

310 mm
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB is 310 mm long, which is longer than 67.5% of graphics cards and equal in length to 0.5% of graphics cards.
Height
What it is: Physical height of the GPU card
When it matters: When side panels, brackets, or tight case layouts reduce vertical clearance.

Importance: LOW

112 mm
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB is 112 mm tall, which is shorter than 76.5% of graphics cards and equal in height to 3.1% of graphics cards.
Slot width
What it is: Number of PCIe slots occupied by the card
When it matters: When you need room for another PCIe card or better airflow under the GPU.

Importance: LOW

3 slot/s
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB occupies 3 slot/s, which is wider than 69.8% of graphics cards and equal in width to 17.3% of graphics cards.
Weight
What it is: Total weight of the graphics card
When it matters: When sag, bracket support, or shipping stress matters in your build.

Importance: LOW

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NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB vs the average graphics card

  • 4.2% higher boost clock speed
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a higher boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (2,610 MHz vs 2,505 MHz). The average graphics card has a boost GPU clock of 2,505 MHz.
    What it is: Maximum boost frequency the GPU can reach under load
    When it matters: When you want a rough idea of peak advertised frequency, while knowing real sustained clocks still depend on cooling and power limits.

    Importance: HIGH

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a higher boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (2,610 MHz vs 2,505 MHz). The average graphics card has a boost GPU clock of 2,505 MHz.2610 MHz vs 2505 MHz
  • 20.3% higher base clock speed
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a higher base GPU clock than the average graphics card (2,310 MHz vs 1920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1920 MHz.
    What it is: Base operating frequency of the GPU core under standard conditions
    When it matters: When you want to understand the card's guaranteed starting frequency instead of looking only at optimistic boost figures.

    Importance: HIGH

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a higher base GPU clock than the average graphics card (2,310 MHz vs 1920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1920 MHz.2310 MHz vs 1920 MHz
  • 20 more compute units
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has more compute units than the average graphics card (60 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.
    What it is: Total number of shader multiprocessors or compute units
    When it matters: When you want a better sense of the GPU's overall parallel hardware resources before relying on game benchmarks alone.

    Importance: HIGH

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has more compute units than the average graphics card (60 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.60 vs 40
  • Supports ECC memory
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB supports ECC memory, the average graphics card does not.
    What it is: Supports error-correcting code memory for higher reliability
    When it matters: When stability and error correction matter more than pure gaming value.

    Importance: LOW

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB supports ECC memory, the average graphics card does not.
  • 64.3% higher texture rate
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a higher texture rate than the average graphics card (626.4 GTexel/s vs 381.2 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 381.2 GTexel/s.
    What it is: Number of textured pixels the GPU can process per second
    When it matters: When fast texture handling matters in high-refresh gaming workloads.

    Importance: HIGH

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a higher texture rate than the average graphics card (626.4 GTexel/s vs 381.2 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 381.2 GTexel/s.626.4 GTexel/s vs 381.2 GTexel/s
  • 20 more ray tracing cores
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has more ray tracing cores than the average graphics card (60 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 ray tracing cores.
    What it is: Number of dedicated ray tracing processing cores or units
    When it matters: When you care about ray-traced lighting, reflections, and shadows in newer games.

    Importance: HIGH

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has more ray tracing cores than the average graphics card (60 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 ray tracing cores.60 vs 40
  • 77.7% higher FP32 performance
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a higher FP32 performance than the average graphics card (40.1 TFLOPS vs 22.57 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has FP32 performance of 22.57 TFLOPS.
    What it is: Single-precision floating-point performance in TFLOPs
    When it matters: When rendering, AI, or heavy compute work needs strong single-precision throughput.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a higher FP32 performance than the average graphics card (40.1 TFLOPS vs 22.57 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has FP32 performance of 22.57 TFLOPS.40.1 TFLOPS vs 22.57 TFLOPS
  • 96 more AI cores
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has more AI cores than the average graphics card (240 vs 144). The average graphics card has 144 AI cores.
    What it is: Number of tensor or AI processing cores
    When it matters: When AI features, frame generation, or creator tools use dedicated matrix hardware.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has more AI cores than the average graphics card (240 vs 144). The average graphics card has 144 AI cores.240 vs 144
  • 4.2% higher boost clock speed
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a higher boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (2,610 MHz vs 2,505 MHz). The average graphics card has a boost GPU clock of 2,505 MHz.
  • 20.3% higher base clock speed
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a higher base GPU clock than the average graphics card (2,310 MHz vs 1920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1920 MHz.
  • 20 more compute units
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has more compute units than the average graphics card (60 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.
  • 64.3% higher texture rate
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a higher texture rate than the average graphics card (626.4 GTexel/s vs 381.2 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 381.2 GTexel/s.
  • 20 more ray tracing cores
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has more ray tracing cores than the average graphics card (60 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 ray tracing cores.
  • 77.7% higher FP32 performance
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a higher FP32 performance than the average graphics card (40.1 TFLOPS vs 22.57 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has FP32 performance of 22.57 TFLOPS.
  • 96 more AI cores
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has more AI cores than the average graphics card (240 vs 144). The average graphics card has 144 AI cores.
  • 56 more TMUs
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has more TMUs than the average graphics card (240 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.
  • 52.1% higher PassMark score
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a higher PassMark score than the average graphics card (34,456 points vs 22,653 points). The average graphics card has a PassMark score of 22,653 points.
  • 27.9% higher pixel rate
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a higher pixel rate than the average graphics card (208.8 GPixel/s vs 163.2 GPixel/s). The average graphics card has a pixel rate of 163.2 GPixel/s.
  • 98.5% higher ray tracing score
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a higher ray tracing score than the average graphics card (18,194 points vs 9,166 points). The average graphics card has a ray tracing score of 9,166 points.
  • 16 more ROPs
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has more ROPs than the average graphics card (80 vs 64). The average graphics card has 64 ROPs.
  • 2.6x higher FP64 performance
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a higher FP64 performance than the average graphics card (1.3 TFLOPS vs 0.48 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has FP64 performance of 0.48 TFLOPS.
  • Supports ECC memory
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB supports ECC memory, the average graphics card does not.
  • 2x larger L2 cache
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has more L2 cache than the average graphics card (48 MB vs 24 MB). The average graphics card has 24 MB L2 cache.
  • 12x more Infinity Cache
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has more Infinity Cache than the average graphics card (48 MB vs 4 MB). The average graphics card has 4 MB Infinity Cache.
  • 10.5% faster memory speed
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a higher effective memory speed than the average graphics card (21,000 MHz vs 19,000 MHz). The average graphics card reaches an effective memory speed of 19,000 MHz.
  • 12.5% higher memory bandwidth
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a higher memory bandwidth than the average graphics card (503.8 GB/s vs 448 GB/s). The average graphics card has a memory bandwidth of 448 GB/s.
  • More NVENC sessions
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has more concurrent NVENC sessions than the average graphics card (12 vs 8). The average graphics card has 8 concurrent NVENC sessions.
  • 7 °C lower idle temperature
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a lower idle temperature than the average graphics card (30 °C vs 37 °C). The average graphics card has an idle temperature of 37 °C.
  • 13 mm lower card height
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB is shorter than the average graphics card (112 mm vs 125 mm). The average graphics card has a height of 125 mm.

Total
Performance
Memory
Connectivity & Media
Power & Cooling
Design
  • 64 bit narrower memory bus
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a narrower memory bus than the average graphics card (192 bit vs 256 bit). The average graphics card has a memory bus width of 256 bit.
  • 25% slower VRAM clock
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a lower VRAM clock than the average graphics card (1,313 MHz vs 1,750 MHz). The average graphics card runs its VRAM at 1,750 MHz.
  • 92.4% smaller L1 cache
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has fewer L1 cache than the average graphics card (9.7 vs 128). The average graphics card has 128 L1 cache.
  • Older Vulkan version
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB supports an older Vulkan version than the average graphics card (1.3 vs 1.4).
  • 1 older
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB was released earlier than the average graphics card (2022 vs 2023).
    September 2022
  • Older HDCP version
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB supports an older HDCP version than the average graphics card (2.2 vs 2.3).
  • 2 fewer monitors per output type
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB supports fewer monitors per output type than the average graphics card (1 vs 3). The average graphics card supports 3 monitors per output type.
  • 93% lower DisplayPort bandwidth
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a lower DisplayPort bandwidth than the average graphics card (1.4 Gbps vs 20 Gbps). The average graphics card has DisplayPort bandwidth of 20 Gbps.
  • Older NVDEC generation
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a lower NVDEC generation than the average graphics card (5 vs 6). The average graphics card offers NVDEC generation 6.
  • 1 fewer fans
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has fewer fans than the average graphics card (2 vs 3).
  • No dual BIOS
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB does not include dual BIOS, the average graphics card does.
  • 32.6% higher TDP
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a higher TDP than the average graphics card (285 W vs 215 W). The average graphics card has a TDP of 215 W.
  • 15 °C lower thermal ceiling
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a lower thermal ceiling than the average graphics card (110 °C vs 95 °C). The average graphics card has a thermal ceiling of 95 °C.
  • 26.7% higher board power limit
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a higher board power limit than the average graphics card (285 W vs 225 W). The average graphics card has a board power limit of 225 W.
  • 7.7% higher PSU requirement
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a higher PSU requirement than the average graphics card (700 W vs 650 W). The average graphics card has a PSU requirement of 650 W.
  • 0.5 slot/s wider design
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB occupies more slots than the average graphics card (3 slot/s vs 2.5 slot/s). The average graphics card occupies 2.5 slot/s.
  • 25 mm longer card length
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB is longer than the average graphics card (310 mm vs 285 mm). The average graphics card has a length of 285 mm.
  • 64 bit narrower memory bus
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a narrower memory bus than the average graphics card (192 bit vs 256 bit). The average graphics card has a memory bus width of 256 bit.
    What it is: Width of the memory interface bus in bits
    When it matters: When you care about steadier performance at higher resolutions, heavier texture settings, or ray-traced workloads that stress memory traffic.

    Importance: HIGH

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a narrower memory bus than the average graphics card (192 bit vs 256 bit). The average graphics card has a memory bus width of 256 bit.192 bit vs 256 bit
  • 1 fewer fans
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has fewer fans than the average graphics card (2 vs 3).
    What it is: Total number of cooling fans
    When it matters: When you compare cooler designs and want one more clue about thermal potential.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has fewer fans than the average graphics card (2 vs 3).2 vs 3
  • No dual BIOS
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB does not include dual BIOS, the average graphics card does.
    What it is: Includes dual BIOS for redundancy or overclocking profiles
    When it matters: When you want a safer recovery path after tweaking fan curves or overclock settings, or you need separate quiet and performance profiles.

    Importance: LOW

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB does not include dual BIOS, the average graphics card does.
  • 32.6% higher TDP
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a higher TDP than the average graphics card (285 W vs 215 W). The average graphics card has a TDP of 215 W.
    What it is: Typical power consumption under full load (TDP)
    When it matters: When you need a realistic idea of power draw before choosing a PSU or case.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a higher TDP than the average graphics card (285 W vs 215 W). The average graphics card has a TDP of 215 W.285 W vs 215 W
  • 25% slower VRAM clock
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a lower VRAM clock than the average graphics card (1,313 MHz vs 1,750 MHz). The average graphics card runs its VRAM at 1,750 MHz.
    What it is: Speed at which the GPU memory operates
    When it matters: When you want more context on how quickly the card's VRAM can move data.

    Importance: LOW

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a lower VRAM clock than the average graphics card (1,313 MHz vs 1,750 MHz). The average graphics card runs its VRAM at 1,750 MHz.1313 MHz vs 1750 MHz
  • 0.5 slot/s wider design
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB occupies more slots than the average graphics card (3 slot/s vs 2.5 slot/s). The average graphics card occupies 2.5 slot/s.
    What it is: Number of PCIe slots occupied by the card
    When it matters: When you need room for another PCIe card or better airflow under the GPU.

    Importance: LOW

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB occupies more slots than the average graphics card (3 slot/s vs 2.5 slot/s). The average graphics card occupies 2.5 slot/s.3 slot/s vs 2.5 slot/s
  • Older Vulkan version
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB supports an older Vulkan version than the average graphics card (1.3 vs 1.4).
    What it is: Highest supported Vulkan API version
    When it matters: When modern games, emulators, or creative apps lean on Vulkan support.

    Importance: LOW

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB supports an older Vulkan version than the average graphics card (1.3 vs 1.4).1.3 vs 1.4
  • 15 °C lower thermal ceiling
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a lower thermal ceiling than the average graphics card (110 °C vs 95 °C). The average graphics card has a thermal ceiling of 95 °C.
    What it is: Maximum safe junction temperature of the GPU die
    When it matters: When you are evaluating thermal headroom and want to know how close the GPU can run to its official ceiling before throttling behavior becomes a concern.

    Importance: LOW

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB has a lower thermal ceiling than the average graphics card (110 °C vs 95 °C). The average graphics card has a thermal ceiling of 95 °C.110 °C vs 95 °C
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What customers like about NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB?

  • Significantly better efficiency and performance-per-watt than the previous 30-series generation
  • Strong performance in DLSS 3.0 and Ray Tracing tasks compared to older cards
  • Considered a massive upgrade for users coming from 10 or 20-series GPUs
  • Excellent for 1440p gaming at high refresh rates

What customers dislike about NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB?

  • Highly confusing and misleading branding, as its specs were significantly lower than the 4080 16GB
  • Poor value for money at its original proposed $899 price tag
  • Performance actually trailed behind the previous flagship RTX 3090 Ti in raw rasterization
  • Smaller 192-bit memory bus and fewer CUDA cores compared to the 'true' 4080 model
  • 12GB of VRAM considered insufficient for a high-end '80-class' card in 4K scenarios

Video reviews

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