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Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB Review | 118 Data compared

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  • Avg. price in UK: ~£60
  • Avg. price in US: ~$60
  • VRAM: 8 GB
  • Memory bus width: 256 bit
  • Thermal Design Power (TDP): 150 W

Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB review. Compare 118 technical specifications and user reviews to see how it ranks among graphics cards and if it is worth buying.

5.0

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%

4.6

Technical Score

10.0%

8.1

User score

Good
4.6

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of the graphics card's technical performance, covering key areas such as gaming and rendering performance, ray tracing, memory configuration, power efficiency, cooling, connectivity, features, and build quality.

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

Score components:

44.0%

2.3

Performance

24.0%

4.2

Memory

12.0%

8.8

Power & Cooling

11.0%

6.6

Platform & Features

5.0%

9.7

Design

4.0%

8.1

Connectivity & Media

Poor
8.1

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%

8.6

User reviews

30.0%

7.0

Popularity

User score:
United Kingdom
amazon
4.3
(136)

(Reviews last updated: June 2026)

Excellent
  • 6.7
    Gaming

    Score components:

    45.0%

    ?

    Floating-point performance

    25.0%

    2.8

    VRAM

    20.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    10.0%

    7.6

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 6.0
    Video editing

    Score components:

    35.0%

    7.0

    AV1 encode

    30.0%

    2.8

    VRAM

    20.0%

    ?

    Floating-point performance

    15.0%

    7.6

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 6.7
    1080p

    Score components:

    55.0%

    ?

    Floating-point performance

    25.0%

    2.8

    VRAM

    10.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    10.0%

    7.6

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 6.4
    1440p

    Score components:

    50.0%

    ?

    Floating-point performance

    30.0%

    2.8

    VRAM

    15.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    5.0%

    7.6

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 6.2
    4K

    Score components:

    40.0%

    ?

    Floating-point performance

    35.0%

    2.8

    VRAM

    20.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    5.0%

    7.6

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

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

Verdict

The Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB is a mid-range graphics card featuring the Polaris 10 XT GPU architecture built on a 14nm FinFET process, equipped with 2,304 stream processors and a 256-bit memory interface. The Nitro+ variant typically offers a factory-overclocked boost clock up to 1342 MHz and utilizes 8GB of GDDR5 VRAM running at 8 Gbps for a total bandwidth of 256 GB/s. Main characteristics include support for DirectX 12, Vulkan, and VR Premium, alongside a dual-slot cooling solution with either a blower-style fan or dual-fan Nitro+ design requiring a single 8-pin or 6-pin power connector at a 150W-225W TDP. Major pros include excellent 1080p and 1440p gaming performance for its value, robust build quality with attractive RGB LED features on custom models, and future-proofed video outputs including HDMI 2.0b and DisplayPort 1.4. Cons involve the reference blower design running significantly warmer and louder under load, limited overclocking headroom beyond factory settings, and high power consumption that can occasionally exceed official TDP ratings.

Technical Specifications of Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of the graphics card's technical performance, covering key areas such as gaming and rendering performance, ray tracing, memory configuration, power efficiency, cooling, connectivity, features, and build quality.

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

Score components:

44.0%

2.3

Performance

24.0%

4.2

Memory

12.0%

8.8

Power & Cooling

11.0%

6.6

Platform & Features

5.0%

9.7

Design

4.0%

8.1

Connectivity & Media

4.6
Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a technical score of 4.63 points, which is lower than that of 82.6% 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%

8.6

User reviews

30.0%

7.0

Popularity

User score:
United Kingdom
amazon
4.3
(136)

(Reviews last updated: June 2026)

8.1
Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a user score of 8.12 points, which is higher than that of 66.8% of products in this category.
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.
7.0
Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a popularity of 7 points, which is higher than 69% 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%

5.0

Overall score

40.0%

10

Price

6.5
Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a quality-to-price ratio of 6.5 points, which is lower than 61.8% 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

N/A
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

?
PassMark (DirectCompute) result
What it is: PassMark score for DirectCompute performance tests
When it matters: When compute workloads matter alongside gaming performance.

Importance: LOW

?
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

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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

8 GB
Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has 8 GB of VRAM, which is less than 57.6% of graphics cards and equal to 25.1% 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

GDDR5
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

GDDR5
Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB uses GDDR5 memory, which is older than on 85% of graphics cards and equal to 13.2% 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

256 bit
Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB uses a 256 bit memory bus, which is wider than that of 49.5% of graphics cards and equal to that of 36.1% 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

256 GB/s
Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB reaches 256 GB/s memory bandwidth, which is lower than that of 80.5% of graphics cards and equal to that of 2.7% 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

3.0
Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB supports PCIe 3.0, which is older than on 77.6% of graphics cards and equal to 20.3% 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
Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB uses x16 PCIe lanes, which is more than 31.5% of graphics cards and equal to 68.6% 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

?
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
Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB supports Vulkan 1.3, which is older than on 73.5% of graphics cards and equal to 22.5% 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
Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB supports OpenGL 4.6, which is more advanced than on 4.8% of graphics cards and equal to 95.2% of graphics cards.
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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
Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB supports up to 4 displays, which is more than 7.8% of graphics cards and equal to 89.2% 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

3840x2160
Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB supports a maximum digital resolution of 3840x2160, which is lower than that of 58.8% of graphics cards and equal to that of 0.4% 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
Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB offers 3 DisplayPort outputs, which is more than 20.9% of graphics cards and equal to 77.3% 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

1.4
Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB supports DisplayPort 1.4, which is older than on 77.3% of graphics cards and equal to 16.2% 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

8.1 Gbps
Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB supports DisplayPort link rates up to 8.1 Gbps, which is slower than on 50.4% of graphics cards and equal to 40.5% of graphics cards.
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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

150 W
Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a TDP of 150 W, which is lower than that of 73% of graphics cards and equal to that of 2.5% 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

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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

500 W
Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB recommends a 500 W PSU, which is lower than that of 76.2% of graphics cards and equal to that of 9.6% 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

150 W
Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a board power limit of 150 W, which is lower than that of 74.5% of graphics cards and equal to that of 1.4% 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

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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

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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

240 mm
Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB is 240 mm long, which is shorter than 76.8% of graphics cards and equal in length to 1.4% 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

111 mm
Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB is 111 mm tall, which is shorter than 89.6% of graphics cards and equal in height to 5.6% 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

2 slot/s
Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB occupies 2 slot/s, which is slimmer than 49.2% of graphics cards and equal in width to 47.3% 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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Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB vs the average graphics card

  • Includes dual BIOS
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB includes dual BIOS, the average graphics card does not.
    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

    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB includes dual BIOS, the average graphics card does not.
  • 23.1% lower PSU requirement
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a lower PSU requirement than the average graphics card (500 W vs 650 W). The average graphics card has a PSU requirement of 650 W.
    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

    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a lower PSU requirement than the average graphics card (500 W vs 650 W). The average graphics card has a PSU requirement of 650 W.500 W vs 650 W
  • 16 mm lower card height
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB is shorter than the average graphics card (111 mm vs 127 mm). The average graphics card has a height of 127 mm.
    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

    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB is shorter than the average graphics card (111 mm vs 127 mm). The average graphics card has a height of 127 mm.111 mm vs 127 mm
  • 30.2% lower TDP
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a lower TDP than the average graphics card (150 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

    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a lower TDP than the average graphics card (150 W vs 215 W). The average graphics card has a TDP of 215 W.150 W vs 215 W
  • 45.37 mm shorter card length
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB is shorter than the average graphics card (240 mm vs 285.37 mm). The average graphics card has a length of 285.37 mm.
    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

    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB is shorter than the average graphics card (240 mm vs 285.37 mm). The average graphics card has a length of 285.37 mm.240 mm vs 285.37 mm
  • 14.3% faster VRAM clock
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a higher VRAM clock than the average graphics card (2,000 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

    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a higher VRAM clock than the average graphics card (2,000 MHz vs 1,750 MHz). The average graphics card runs its VRAM at 1,750 MHz.2000 MHz vs 1750 MHz
  • 8.83x cheaper
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB is cheaper than the average graphics card (£60 vs £530).
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB is cheaper than the average graphics card (£60 vs £530).£60 vs £530
  • 31.8% lower board power limit
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a lower board power limit than the average graphics card (150 W vs 220 W). The average graphics card has a board power limit of 220 W.
    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

    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a lower board power limit than the average graphics card (150 W vs 220 W). The average graphics card has a board power limit of 220 W.150 W vs 220 W
  • Better FP64 ratio
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a better FP64 ratio than the average graphics card (1:16 vs 1:64).
  • 14.3% faster VRAM clock
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a higher VRAM clock than the average graphics card (2,000 MHz vs 1,750 MHz). The average graphics card runs its VRAM at 1,750 MHz.
  • Supports multi-GPU linking
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB supports multi-GPU linking, the average graphics card does not.
  • Includes dual BIOS
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB includes dual BIOS, the average graphics card does not.
  • 23.1% lower PSU requirement
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a lower PSU requirement than the average graphics card (500 W vs 650 W). The average graphics card has a PSU requirement of 650 W.
  • 30.2% lower TDP
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a lower TDP than the average graphics card (150 W vs 215 W). The average graphics card has a TDP of 215 W.
  • 31.8% lower board power limit
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a lower board power limit than the average graphics card (150 W vs 220 W). The average graphics card has a board power limit of 220 W.
  • 16 mm lower card height
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB is shorter than the average graphics card (111 mm vs 127 mm). The average graphics card has a height of 127 mm.
  • 45.37 mm shorter card length
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB is shorter than the average graphics card (240 mm vs 285.37 mm). The average graphics card has a length of 285.37 mm.

Total
Overall
Performance
Memory
Platform & Features
Power & Cooling
Design
  • 49.4% lower boost clock speed
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a lower boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,266 MHz vs 2,500 MHz). The average graphics card has a boost GPU clock of 2,500 MHz.
  • 41.7% lower base clock speed
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a lower base GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,120 MHz vs 1,920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1,920 MHz.
  • 32 fewer ROPs
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has fewer ROPs than the average graphics card (32 vs 64). The average graphics card has 64 ROPs.
  • 40 fewer TMUs
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has fewer TMUs than the average graphics card (144 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.
  • 4 fewer compute units
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has fewer compute units than the average graphics card (36 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.
  • 80.2% lower FP16 performance
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a lower FP16 performance than the average graphics card (5.8 TFLOPS vs 29.5 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has FP16 performance of 29.5 TFLOPS.
  • 2,048 fewer FP32 units
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has fewer FP32 units than the average graphics card (2,304 vs 4,352). The average graphics card has 4,352 FP32 units.
  • 57.9% slower memory speed
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a lower effective memory speed than the average graphics card (8,000 MHz vs 19,000 MHz). The average graphics card reaches an effective memory speed of 19,000 MHz.
  • 4 GB less VRAM
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has fewer VRAM than the average graphics card (8 GB vs 12 GB). The average graphics card has 12 GB VRAM.
  • 42.9% lower memory bandwidth
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a lower memory bandwidth than the average graphics card (256 GB/s vs 448 GB/s). The average graphics card has a memory bandwidth of 448 GB/s.
  • 93.8% smaller L2 cache
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has fewer L2 cache than the average graphics card (2 MB vs 32 MB). The average graphics card has 32 MB L2 cache.
  • 87.5% smaller L1 cache
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has fewer L1 cache than the average graphics card (16 vs 128). The average graphics card has 128 L1 cache.
  • 2.8x larger process node
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a higher process node than the average graphics card (14 nm vs 5 nm). The average graphics card uses a process node of 5 nm.
  • No ray tracing
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB does not support ray tracing, the average graphics card does.
  • Older PCIe version
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB supports an older PCIe version than the average graphics card (3 vs 4.0).
  • 7 older
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB was released earlier than the average graphics card (2,016 vs 2,023).
  • No XeSS support
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB does not support XeSS, the average graphics card does.
  • No mesh shaders
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB does not support mesh shaders, the average graphics card does.
  • Older Vulkan version
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB supports an older Vulkan version than the average graphics card (1.3 vs 1.4).
  • Older encoder generation
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB uses an older encoder generation than the average graphics card (3 vs 8). The average graphics card uses encoder generation 8.
  • Older OpenCL version
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB supports an older OpenCL version than the average graphics card (2.2 vs 3.0).
  • 74% fewer transistors
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has fewer transistors than the average graphics card (5,700 million vs 21,900 million). The average graphics card has 21,900 million transistors.
  • Older shader model
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB supports an older shader model than the average graphics card (6.7 vs 6.8).
  • No AV1 encoding
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB does not support AV1 encoding, the average graphics card does.
  • No AV1 decoding
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB does not support AV1 decoding, the average graphics card does.
  • No DSC support
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB does not support DSC, the average graphics card does.
  • Older DisplayPort version
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB supports an older DisplayPort version than the average graphics card (1.4 vs 1.4a).
  • Older HDMI version
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB supports an older HDMI version than the average graphics card (2.0b vs 2.1).
  • Older HDCP version
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB supports an older HDCP version than the average graphics card (2.2 vs 2.3).
  • Narrower decode codec support
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB supports narrower hardware decode codec support than the average graphics card (H.264 vs H.264/H.265/AV1/VP9).
  • Lower display resolution
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB supports a lower maximum digital resolution than the average graphics card (3840x2160 vs 7680x4320). The average graphics card supports a maximum digital resolution of 7680x4320.
  • 1 fewer fans
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has fewer fans than the average graphics card (2 vs 3).
  • 8 °C higher load temperature
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a higher load temperature than the average graphics card (75 °C vs 67 °C). The average graphics card has a load temperature of 67 °C.
  • 36.4% higher idle power draw
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a higher idle power draw than the average graphics card (15 W vs 11 W). The average graphics card has an idle power draw of 11 W.
  • 49.4% lower boost clock speed
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a lower boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,266 MHz vs 2,500 MHz). The average graphics card has a boost GPU clock of 2,500 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

    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a lower boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,266 MHz vs 2,500 MHz). The average graphics card has a boost GPU clock of 2,500 MHz.1266 MHz vs 2500 MHz
  • 2.8x larger process node
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a higher process node than the average graphics card (14 nm vs 5 nm). The average graphics card uses a process node of 5 nm.
    What it is: Size of the manufacturing process in nanometers
    When it matters: When process node differences may affect power, heat, and overall efficiency.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a higher process node than the average graphics card (14 nm vs 5 nm). The average graphics card uses a process node of 5 nm.14 nm vs 5 nm
  • 41.7% lower base clock speed
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a lower base GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,120 MHz vs 1,920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1,920 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

    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a lower base GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,120 MHz vs 1,920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1,920 MHz.1120 MHz vs 1920 MHz
  • 1 fewer fans
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB 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

    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has fewer fans than the average graphics card (2 vs 3).2 vs 3
  • 57.9% slower memory speed
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a lower effective memory speed than the average graphics card (8,000 MHz vs 19,000 MHz). The average graphics card reaches an effective memory speed of 19,000 MHz.
    What it is: Effective memory data rate combining clock and bus width
    When it matters: When you compare how quickly each card can push data through its memory subsystem.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has a lower effective memory speed than the average graphics card (8,000 MHz vs 19,000 MHz). The average graphics card reaches an effective memory speed of 19,000 MHz.8000 MHz vs 19000 MHz
  • No ray tracing
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB does not support ray tracing, the average graphics card does.
    What it is: Hardware support for real-time ray tracing effects
    When it matters: When you care about ray-traced lighting, reflections, and shadows and want to avoid buying a card that only handles traditional raster graphics well.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB does not support ray tracing, the average graphics card does.No vs yes
  • 4 GB less VRAM
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has fewer VRAM than the average graphics card (8 GB vs 12 GB). The average graphics card has 12 GB 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

    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has fewer VRAM than the average graphics card (8 GB vs 12 GB). The average graphics card has 12 GB VRAM.8 GB vs 12 GB
  • 32 fewer ROPs
    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has fewer ROPs than the average graphics card (32 vs 64). The average graphics card has 64 ROPs.
    What it is: Total number of render output units on the GPU
    When it matters: When you want more context on pixel output capacity, especially for high-resolution play and older raster-heavy engines.

    Importance: HIGH

    Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB has fewer ROPs than the average graphics card (32 vs 64). The average graphics card has 64 ROPs.32 vs 64
Total
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Power & Cooling

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Third-party reviews

United Kingdom
amazon
4.3
136 Reviews

(Reviews last updated: June 2026)

What customers like about Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB?

  • Excellent value for money, frequently cited as a 'value king' for budget builders.
  • Strong performance in DirectX 12 and Vulkan APIs.
  • 8GB of VRAM provides better longevity for modern games compared to the 4GB variant.
  • The Sapphire Nitro+ cooler is quieter and more efficient than the AMD reference blower.
  • Includes features like RGB lighting, a backplate, and dual HDMI ports on custom models.
  • Capable of running most games at 1080p with high settings and even some titles at 1440p.

What customers dislike about Sapphire Radeon RX 480 8GB?

  • Reference cooler designs can be very noisy and run hot under heavy load.
  • Limited overclocking headroom compared to newer generations or high-end Nvidia cards.
  • Performance in older DirectX 11 games sometimes lags behind competitors like the GTX 1060.
  • Higher power consumption than some similarly performing Nvidia alternatives.
  • The 8GB version carries a price premium that may not always yield significant performance gains over the 4GB model in every title.

Expert reviews

O
overclock3d.net
20/08/2016
Sapphire RX 480 Nitro OC+ Review - OC3D

The Overclock3D review of the Sapphire RX 480 Nitro OC+ highlights it as a visually striking card with a significant 1342 MHz factory overclock that holds steady in gaming. Pros include a neutral-colored backplate, an 8-pin power input, and high performance, though the tight shroud and lack of ventilation result in high temperatures. Conversely, the aggressive tuning leads to cons...Read more

T
tomshardware.com
04/04/2017
Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 480 Review Would you like me to find more reviews from specific publication regions, or perhaps compile the benchmark perfor...

The Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 480 is a highly factory-overclocked graphics card featuring a maximum clock rate of 1342 MHz, customizable RGB lighting, dual-BIOS functionality, and highly compact physical dimensions that make it a great fit for smaller PC cases. Its display output configuration is exceptionally diverse, offering a DVI-I port, two DisplayPort 1.4-ready interfaces, and...Read more

P
pcworld.com
22/07/2016
Sapphire Nitro+ RX 480Go to product viewer dialogue for this item. review: Polaris rethought and refined

The PCWorld review of the Sapphire Nitro+ RX 480 4GB highlights the card as a refined, aftermarket solution addressing AMD's reference design flaws, specifically through its custom Dual-X cooling, improved 8-pin power connector, and dual HDMI ports for VR. Pros include a sleek design with RGB lighting, silent operation under 52°C, and lower operating temperatures, though the card...Read more

C
computerbase.de
25/07/2016
Sapphire RX 480 Nitro+ OC im Test

The Sapphire Radeon RX 480 Nitro+ OC is a highly customized and innovative take on AMD’s Polaris architecture, offering strong out-of-the-box factory overclocking across both its 4GB and 8GB variants. A major pro of this graphics card is its physical design; at 24 cm long, it matches the compact length of AMD's reference card while upgrading the power delivery with an 8-pin...Read more

(Translated)Show original
T
tweakers.net
22/11/2016
RX 480 en GTX 1060 Round-up

This hardware review evaluates nine custom AMD Radeon RX 480 and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 graphics cards from prominent manufacturers like Asus, MSI, Gigabyte, EVGA, and Zotac. Tested on a high-end Intel X99 platform, the benchmarks show that the cards perform closely in the mid-range segment. The GTX 1060 cards generally hold a 10% to 20% performance lead in DirectX 11 titles such...Read more

(Translated)Show original

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