Despite having a lower price tag than the RTX 3090, its price still does not make any sense and makes it harder for anyone to recommend. It is still a powerful graphics card nonetheless. Under the attractive, unique design is the same GA102 architecture, featuring 10240 CUDA Cores, 80 stream units, 80 2nd gen RT cores, and a whopping 28.3 billion transistors. These specs combined deliver around 40-50 percent uplift over the RTX 2080 Ti due to the 48 percent more memory bandwidth and 135 percent more CUDA Cores. Is the RTX 3080 Ti worth the price? I suggest you stick till the end of this article and it will surely help you in making the right decision.
Best RTX 3080 Ti – Comparison Chart
A Quick Look At The Best RTX 3080 Ti GPUs:
Best RTX 3080 Ti
It is hard to recommend the RTX 3080 Ti due to the bonkers scalper prices, and it is not worth spending a fortune. However, if you are desperate for your PC built to finish and need a GPU, or you are getting the GPU at a somewhat acceptable price, which version of the 3080 Ti should you get? To help you out with this query, I have done a lot of research and compiled a round-up that can help you decide which aftermarket version you should be getting. So, without wasting any precious time, let us get to the round-up.
#1 – ASUS ROG Strix Gaming GeForce RTX 3080 Ti OC
ASUS has a very vast catalog of products built for all sorts of people especially, games; whether they are casual, competitive, enthusiasts, or content creators, ASUS has a wide variety of products for everyone. One of the company’s more recognized brands of GPU is ROG STRIX that is aimed at people with an enormous budget.
2X HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a Triple-fan, 2.9-slot form factor ARGB lighting on the top 2nd gen Ray Tracing and 3rd gen Tensor cores 384-bit memory interface ASUS GPU Tweak II utility for easy overclocking 12.53 x 5.51 x 2.27 inches long 3x 8-pin power connectors
It is the fastest RTX 3080 Ti version out-of-the-box Premium, attractive design that looks fantastic on any gaming build Metallic, ARGB shroud, and backplate Excellent overclock headroom Fantastic cooling performance 8K capable graphics card with a playable framerate
Spacious GPU requires a hefty amount of extra space in the system High-power draw with 400+ watts of power consumption
Meet the ROG Strix Gaming GeForce RTX 3080 Ti OC. Featuring a triple, custom, and upgraded axial-tech fan design. These fans come with 13-blades on the center while 11-blades on the auxiliary fans. The 2.9-slot heatsink design ensures an unparalleled cooling performance for a peace of mind gaming experience. At a single glance, it has the ROG Strix aesthetics that ASUS is known for. It has two boost clocks that you can choose from. One is the Gaming mode profile, and the other one is the OC mode profile. It peaks to a boost clock speed of 1845 MHz, an 11 percent increase over the Founders Edition. Performance-wise it delivered decent results in gaming going neck and neck against the RTX 3090. At manual overclock, it did perform better than the latter, which is impressive.
#2 – MSI Gaming RTX 3080 Ti Gaming X Trio
MSI is no stranger to the GPU market and has a long history of manufacturing reliable, durable, and one of the fastest graphics cards by Nvidia and AMD alike. Like ASUS, MSI has multiple GPU brands, each targeted at a specific group of people. The ROG Strix RTX 3080 Ti does not need a review. ASUS products are premium, no doubt, but do not let you down when it comes to performance, be it gaming, professional performance. It is the fastest out-of-the-box 3080 Ti that is well equipped with features that help the GPU stay cool during high-end gaming and the ROG aesthetics if you decide to take a break and admire your PC. The new ROG STRIX RTX 3080 Ti OC Edition offers a 4K gaming experience that you have never experienced before. With the help of DLSS and a few graphical tweaks, achieving 4K gaming at 120 fps is no longer a dream.
Support bracket included for additional GPU reinforcement TRI FROZR 2.0 technology 12.75 x 5.51 x 2.2 inches long 350 watts of power consumption 3x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x HDMI 2.1 port 1572 grams heavy 1770 MHz of boost clock RGB Mystic Light support
Beautiful graphic card design and aesthetics wise RTX 3090 level performance at a cheaper price tag Rigid, metallic, built-in anti-bending strap to prevent GPU sag Next-gen RT and Tensor cores for next-level gaming performance TRI FROZR 2.0 cooler to keep the temps under control Outstanding 4K or lower gaming performance
Bulky graphic card requires a spacious PC One of the rarest 3080 Ti variant
The Gaming X Trio is their premium, high-end aftermarket GPU brand offering a faster boost overclock out-of-the-box, custom-built PCB that is cooled by their TRI FROZR 2 technology. MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Gaming X Trio is one of the most popular and one of the rarest versions of the 3080 Ti, which is hard to get your hands on, even with a jaw-dropping price tag. In gaming, the GPU delivers and offers impressive performance in demanding titles. In some titles, it even managed to outclass the RTX 3090 Founders Edition and the RTX 3080 by a convincing margin at 4K, the highest graphics setting preset. At current market prices, I do not recommend getting this GPU, but if you somehow got lucky and managed to grab it at MSRP or closer, go ahead and buy it without thinking twice.
#3 – EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti FTW3 Ultra Gaming
Next up, we have the RTX 3080 Ti FTW3 Ultra a premium graphics card by EVGA. Through the past few years, EVGA has been cementing its name among the most reliable and popular aftermarket GPU brands in the world. The GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Gaming X Trio is the latest iteration of the MSI’s iconic Gaming X Trio lineup of GPU, bringing a performance that rivals the RTX 3090 and AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT. It is the perfect graphics card for gaming right now, and when compared with the RTX 3090, it is cheaper, draws less power and heat. Is the card worth getting? Yes, if the price is closer to MSRP, then it is a no-brainer. Gaming, cooling, and aesthetics are here on the RTX 3080 Ti Gaming X Trio, and if it is at its MSRP and available for you to purchase, you might not get a better deal than this for a while now.
PCIe 4.0 Interface 12 GB GDDR6X memory @19000 MHz Up to 1800 MHz of boost clock speed ARGB LED embedded shroud and backplate iCX3 cooing technology 2nd gen RT cores and 3rd gen Tensor cores Smart cuts-out PCB and backplate 3x DisplayPort 1.4 and 1x HDMI 2.1 port
Ray tracing and DLSS support for a fluid 4K gaming experience up to 120 fps 0dB gaming with fan stop technology One of the fastest out-of-the-box GPUs Solid build quality Decent acoustics and thermal performance3 Dual BIOS
Big GPU will have trouble fitting inside compact PCs Not a power-efficient GPU
It features the distinct EVGA wave-like design featuring triple iCX3 fans with a 2.7 slot form factor and just the right amount of RGB, which can be adjusted using the EVGA Precision X1 software. You can also tweak your GPU as per your needs with the help of the utility. This Ampere architecture GPU is cooled by the specially designed iCX3 Interactive Cooling technology. At idle, the GPU hangs around the 36 degrees mark, while it peaks at 77 degrees under load. In demanding games like Metro Exodus and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the GPU managed to deliver over 60 fps with maxed-out settings at native 4K. Since the card broke no sweat to deliver a consistent 60 fps frame rate at 4K, you can expect it to render around 75-90 fps in most games, which is pretty exciting.
#4 – GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Gaming OC
Meet the Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Gaming OC, the premium version of the RTX 3080 Ti by Gigabyte. It is one of the multiple SKUs released by Gigabyte that was released and instantly got sold out from websites, as well as from PC hardware selling shops. What makes the EVGA RTX 3080 Ti FTW3 Ultra different than other aftermarket versions? Nothing, performance-wise, but if you are in for the looks and like the aesthetics of EVGA GPUs, then it is the GPU that you should check out. It is one of the best RTX 3080 Ti versions that are unavailable for most of the parts. There are a few pros of getting this beast over the Founders Edition, like the bulky heat design, 3x fans, iCX3 cooler, ARGB lit LED and logo, and the boost clock speed. Unless you have successfully found this GPU at an acceptable price tag, or you cannot wait for the prices to drop, purchasing the FTW3 Ultra will not let you down.
RGB Fusion 2.0 support WindForce cooler for keeping the thermal under control Metallic backplate with cutouts for additional cooling Friendly PCB design without sharp solder connection protrusions Next-gen Tensor and Ray Tracing cores Graphene nano lubricant for an extended lifespan of fans WindForce 3X cooler 3x DisplayPort 1.4a and 2x HDMI 2.1 ports
Minimal, attractive design Impressive cooling performance coming out of the WindForce cooler Overclocked out-of-the-box Up to 4 years of warranty Idle fan stop Dual BIOS
Limited overclocking headroom due to power-limit Fans at their maximum RPM are noisy
It is a good thing to research before purchasing any hardware in general. Now, for the RTX 3080 Ti alone, Gigabyte has several variants, and all of them can easily confuse people and require them to check each of the cards individually. To save you from that hassle, I went through the majority of them, and the only difference that I could find is the cooler is different, and they all have different clock speeds. The GPU underneath the shroud is the same. Whichever version that you will go with, you can expect all of them to perform similarly except a few fps here and there. Next is the aesthetics; whichever GPU fits best in your case and is available for purchase, go for it and purchase it at a price that is closer to the MSRP.
#5 – ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Trinity
Moving on, we have the ZOTAC GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Trinity. Zotac has gone all out in terms of design with their RTX 3080 TI. Not to forget the RGB embedded metallic backplate that can fit inside almost any PC case. Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is a solid graphics card that is well-rounded. Offering many pros with little to no cons. It comes faster than the Founders Edition out of the box, but sadly due to the power limit by Gigabyte, the card has little headroom for overclocking. After careful tweaking, we are looking at roughly 5 percent performance uplift. Gigabyte has sacrificed acoustics for lower thermals. The fans can be heard all of the time, but the noise is not something that will ruin your gaming experience. It checks all crucial checkboxes like gaming performance, solid cooling, design, and aesthetics that you would like to have on a premium product. This GPU is recommended. If pricing is not an issue for you, it is a perfect upgrade partner for your PC.
12 GB GDDR6X memory 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, 1x HDMI 2.1 port IceStorm 2.0 cooler 3-Slot cooler to keep thermals under check 2X 8-pin power connectors Supports up to 4 displays SPECTRA 2.0 RGB lighting FireStorm Utility for GPU tweaking
Playable 8K HDR gaming experience DLSS and raytracing for next-level gameplay immersion 4K gaming at 120 fps is possible Bulky heatsink for optimal thermals Fan stop technology Metallic frontplate and RGB backplate
Bigger GPU than the reference card, will not fit in compact systems Similar performance as the RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition at a higher price
Zotac features a 3-slot design instead of the 2-slot design of the Founders Edition version. The bulky heatsink is joined by the triple fan design built on the IceStorm 2.0 cooler, which as per Zotac, is better, more refined, and has wider coverage than its predecessor. It comes with a fan stop technology at idle, enabling 0dB gaming while increasing the fan longevity. The shroud features an RGB LED on the top, which along with the fans, can be adjusted with the help of Zotac’s FireStorm software. It comes with the same boost clock speed as the reference card. Performance-wise, at the stock clocks, the GPU will have a similar performance as the Founders Edition, but due to the custom-built cooler and triple fan design, the performance can be pushed further by careful tweaking.
#6 – ASUS TUF Gaming NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti OC
Any list of computer hardware feels incomplete, especially if we are talking about PC gaming hardware without ASUS. ASUS had several brands for their PC hardware that mostly covers mid to high and enthusiastic groups of people. Zotac has another solid product in their arsenal here with the release of the ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Trinity. It might not have a faster boost clock speed than the Founders Edition, but hey, it has everything else that you should look for in a premium, high-end graphics card like the 3080 Ti. The bulky design might not fit well with compact cases, but that is a good thing. The Ampere series of GPUs are powerful and require a decent cooler, and Zotac has got your back for this one. There is little to talk about performance, as you can expect similar performance as the Founders Edition due to the same boost clock, but due to the custom cooler, there is headroom for overclocking, and you can squeeze out an extra 4-5 percent of performance after overclocking.
Boost clock speed of up to 1785 MHz GPU Tweak II for GPU for easy GPU tweaking and monitoring ASUS AURA SYNC support PCIe 4.0 bus standard 2x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a 2x 8-pin power connectors Recommended PSU: 850W Maximum number of displays supported: 4
Attractive, industrial look with a grayscale finish Metallic backplate cutout for additional cooling Faster than the Founders Edition out of the box 2.7-slot heatsink for excellent cooling Impressive cooling profile Additional HDMI slot rather than one
Requires decent room in the PC casing Expensive than the Founders Edition at minimal gains
We have the ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 3080 Ti OC, it is a beast 3080 Ti made by ASUS TUF. It features a classic, matte, grayscale finish metallic front plate with a small RBG LED on the front plate. It has axial-tech fans cooling the 2.7-slot heatsink with a VRAM heatsink for the first time. ASUS cards are known for their durability and high-quality components that justifies why their cards are the most expensive. It comes at a boost clock speed of 1785 MHz, 7 percent faster than the Founders Edition. Overall, it is better than FE from every perspective but comes at a higher price. Making it one of the expensive options to get into 4K gaming.
#7 – MSI Gaming RTX 3080 Ti Ventus 3X OC
The RTX 3080 Ti Ventus 3X is the MSI’s killer version of the 3080 Ti, which offers an industrial, sharp-edged design paired with a triple axial-tech built fan arrangement that can fit inside any build. ASUS knows how to make a solid product and leaves no stone unturned to include as many features as possible in their products which often makes their cards one of the expensive aftermarket versions. Their TUF brand of GPU is aimed at people with a medium to high-end budget. In this case, we have the TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 3080 Ti which is a solid graphics card that ticks all checkboxes for an ultimate gaming experience. It can play any game at 4K with a consistent 60 fps frame rate without breaking a sweat. Not only that, if you have a lower resolutions screen with a high refresh rate, getting this GPU will get you more than covered.
TORX Fan 3.0 ZERO FROZR 2.0 cooler Brushed aluminum backplate Ports: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a Boost Clock: 1695 MHz CUDA Cores: 10240 Memory Interface: 384-bit Card weight: 1379 g
Sturdy build quality Bulky, triple-fan design Extra support bracket for additional reinforcement Excellent 4K gaming performance at 60 fps ZERO FROZR cooler for splendid cooling
No RGB lighting might not be for every Bigger GPU require spacious chassis
This graphics card is for people looking for a GPU that can perform according to the expectations or better, but aesthetics like RGB is not a priority. I have said that if these GPUs are available in abundance and people can choose from different versions of their choice. It is going to take a while till we see some GPUs in stock at a decent price tag, but for now, if you are getting it at a price closer to the MSRP, you can grab it before someone else get their hands on it. It is a well-rounded product generally minus the RGB and is too good to skip if there is a good deal going on.
#8 – PNY GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 12GB XLR8
Moving on, we have the PNY GeForce RTX 3080 Ti XLR8 graphics card. It is the company’s take on the flagship GA102 architecture GPU cooled by PNY’s custom cooler. It comes with a triple axial-fan arrangement for ultimate gaming pleasure with peace of mind cooling performance. The RTX 3080 Ti Ventus 3X is a solid GPU that offers an amazing gaming experience whether it is 4K, 1440p or 1080p. The GPU is ideal for 4K gaming, and with the help of DLSS, it can deliver a solid 120 fps framerate at 4K, and if you have a high refresh rate, then you are in for a treat. It comes with overclocked speeds out of the box, but the gains are not to get excited for. A minimal 25 MHz increase is not something exciting. After tweaking, the GPU can be pushed for an additional 4-5 percent of performance uplift. With triple fans arrangement, the fans can be noisy under a silent environment, but if you are not looking forward to pushing your GPU at its limit, you can always run the GPU in silent BIOS mode.
Memory size: 12 GB GDDR6X TDP: 350W Ports: 3x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x HDMI 2.1 Card dimensions: 11.57 x 4.41 x 2.20 inches Next-gen RT and Tensor cores 2x 8-pin power connector Boost clock: 1665 MHz Processors: 10240
Killer 4K gaming performance Next-gen components for a better ray-tracing and DLSS experience Triple fan arrangement for optimal thermals RGB embedded front shroud Unique, eye-catching design
2.7-slot bulky GPU requires a roomy PC Slower than the Founders Edition
It features similar clock speeds to the Founders Edition, and performance is similar, as well. The cooler on the XLR8 is beefy, offering better thermal performance than the Founders Edition. Aesthetics are present, and PNY did a great job with the design. With the ample amount of RGB lighting on the front shroud, it can fit any PC case, implying there is sufficient room for the GPU installation. It has an attractive metallic backplate, but unlike multiple variants of the RTX 3080 Ti, the backplate does not feature any RGB lighting.
#9 – GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Xtreme WATERFORCE WB
The last card on my list is special, and I have saved it till the very last though getting your hands on this GPU may still be closer to zero, but you may never know what the future holds, right? With that said, meet the eccentric AORUS GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Xtreme WaterForce. The PNY RTX 3080 Ti XLR8 is an overall decent product that will offer an amazing gaming experience with next-gen ray-tracing and Tensor cores. Achieving 120 fps at 4K is not achievable and is no longer an unachievable dream. Pricing and availability remain one of the biggest issues at large, and unless you find an attractive price for this GPU, it is not recommended to go for the graphics card at current market rates. But if you have no issues spending a lot of money on the RTX 3080 Ti XLR8, you will be pleased with the GPU performance.
WaterForce all-in-one cooling system Ports: 3x DisplayPort 1.4a 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x HDMI 2.0 Radiator: Aluminum 240 mm Boost clock: 1770 MHz RGB Fusion 2.0 support 8 RGB, fully customizable modes Memory Interface: 12 GB GDDR6X 384-bit Braided FEP tubes
Amazing 4K gaming performance Cutting-edge, futuristic cyberpunk design Up to 4 years of warranty (requires online registration) Unparalleled cooling performance from WaterForce cooling solution Metallic, RGB integrated backplate Sturdy, durable, and premium finish build quality
Radiator takes extra space AIO cooler can prone to leakage if not handled carefully Requires extra care while moving PC from one place to another
It features the same Ampere architecture underneath the breathtaking liquid cooler and dual ARG fan radiator. This product is perfect for people that would like to push their PC components to their limits and want the best possible performance. It is hard to push air-cooled graphics cards to their limit due to thermal issues, but things are different when there is liquid cooling involved. It is a work of beauty and can easily fit inside any case. Since the GPU is cooled by a custom liquid cooler, it can be overclocked further than generic air-cooled GPUs, which can push the general 4-5 percent yield up to 5-7 percent, which matters a lot when we consider higher resolutions.
How Does The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti GPU Perform?
The RTX 3080 Ti is a gaming beast, and when compared to the previous generation of GPU, the RTX 2000 series, there is no competition. The gains are just that impressive. The RTX 3080 Ti is released to replace the RTX 2080 Ti, but the RTX 3070 does that job instead. Gigabyte has gone all out and released a product that can flabbergast any PC owner. It comes at a premium price and is possibly one of the most expensive versions of the RTX 3080 Ti, even at MSRP. You can play with the GPU tweaking to your heart’s content with the help of AORUS Engine or MSI Afterburner utility and push the GPU to its maximum limits. Though, it may be impossible to find the product in stock. If you find it in stock and with a price tag that does not bother you, this will be the best investment for your PC and will be set for solid 3-4 years. I personally think that the RTX 3080 Ti is a card worth spending money on (not the scalper price). You are free to do your own research and judge whether you should get the GPU or not. To help you out, I have compiled the results of the performance of the 3080 Ti. Without further ado, let us get to the results. Fact: The RTX 3080 Ti is one of the best graphics cards manufactured by Nvidia. It is the flagship gaming GPU ideal for 4K gaming at 60 fps. Before proceeding any further, the system specifications used for 1080p and 4K testing are given down below:
CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 5900X Motherboard: MSI B550 Tomahawk RAM: G.Sill Flare X 16GB @3200 MHz CL 14 PSU: CORSAIR HXi Series, HX850i
1080p Testing: The 3080 TI is a waste of money for 1080p or 1440p gaming unless the monitor has a high refresh rate. But still, people ask about the 1080p benchmarks so here are the results. Cyberpunk 2077 Starting with Cyberpunk 2077, we are looking at a solid average of 141 fps and 106 fps as 1 percent low at ultra-quality preset. The 3080 Ti holds its ground against the RTX 3090, only being 2 percent slower and was 8 percent faster than the RTX 3080. Red Dead Redemption 2 In Red Dead Redemption 2, the RTX 3080 Ti delivered over 166 fps on average, a similar frame rate was delivered by the RTX 3080, and the RTX 3090 was only 2 percent faster than both of the cards. Decent performance by all of these cards, minimal gains at 1080p, but the gap widens as we move on to higher resolutions. Fortnite Fortnite is a less demanding title, and the RTX 3080 Ti blew in this title, delivering 347 fps on average at Epic Settings preset. The 247 fps were recorded as 1 percent low. The RTX 3080 Ti was 4 percent slower than the RTX 3090 and 8 percent faster than the RTX 3080. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla In Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the performance of the RTX 3080 Ti is not the most impressive. We are looking at 108 fps on average, dropping to 78 fps as 1 percent lowest. Making it 2 percent slower than the RTX 3090 and 4 percent faster than the base 3080. Microsoft Flight Simulator Microsoft Flight Simulator is one of the most graphic-intensive games, or rather a simulator. The RTX 3080 Ti managed to deliver 62 fps on average which is a similar performance as the RTX 3090 while having a 3 percent performance advantage over the 3080. 4K Testing: You can check out the results of 4K gaming right down below Cyberpunk 2077 Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the most demanding titles released a while ago, and despite several patches, it is still not an ideally optimized game. At 4K and High Setting preset, the 3080 Ti delivered 51 fps on average, making it 6 percent slower than the RTX 3090 and was 13 percent faster than the RTX 3080. Red Dead Redemption 2 The RTX 3080 Ti delivered satisfactory results in Red Dead Redemption 2 at 4K native resolution and High Settings preset the average was 103 fps. The GPU was only 4 percent slower than the RTX 3090 and had a 10 percent performance uplift over the RTX 3080. Fortnite Moving on, we have Fortnite at Epic Settings preset. Their results are rather underwhelming, as we can see the fps jump from 347 on average to 122 fps. It was 4 percent lower than the RTX 3090 while maintaining an 11 percent lead over the 3080. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is the next title we will be looking at. At 4K, the 3080 Ti offers a solid 63-64 fps frame rate dropping to 47 fps as 1 percent lowest. Compared to the 3090, the RTX 3080 Ti was 3 percent slower, while it maintained a 7 percent lead over the RTX 3080. Microsoft Flight Simulator At last, the RTX 3080 Ti and RTX 3090 had roughly similar performance with an average of 53 fps. The RTX 3080 was 8 percent slower than both of these GPUs.
Best Power Supply For The RTX 3080 Ti Card?
The RTX 3080 Ti is a gaming beast. Without a beefy power supply unit, it is as good as an entry-level graphics card. The power supply is the most crucial component of the PC, and it is necessary to do research. You should be looking into PSUs manufactured by popular and highly rated brands only. Power efficiency is what you should check in your power supply. There are five tiers of power efficiency: Basic with 80 percent power efficiency, 80 plus Bronze is 82 percent efficient at 100 percent load, 80 plus Silver is 85 percent efficient at 100 percent load, 80 plus Gold is 87 percent efficient at 100 percent load, and lastly, 80 plus Platinum is at least 89 percent efficient at 100 percent load. You can choose from 80 plus Gold and 80 plus Platinum. Some of the most popular companies that you can purchase the power supply of are EVGA, Corsair, Antec, ASUS, MSI, NZXT. If you are not sure which PSU you should get, decide how many watts your whole system will consume and then find the highest-rated unit on Newegg or other popular hardware websites. Now for the important part, how many watts should I get for my RTX 3080 Ti? Nvidia recommends at least 750 watts with 350 watts of power consumption of their RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition. For any aftermarket graphics card that has a higher boost clock speed and power consumption, companies like ASUS and MSI recommend using 850 watts for their high-end versions of the RTX 3080 Ti. A 750 watts PSU is sufficient for the whole system, in my honest opinion. Note: While looking for a power supply unit for your rig, make sure it has the power connectors that your GPU requires. For instance, the RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition has 2x 8-pin power connectors.
What To Consider When Buying A Best RTX 3080 Ti?
When a new series of PC hardware is launched, it is important to consider before buying your desired product. The RTX 3080 Ti has its own merits and demerits that you should know about as it might not be the GPU that you are looking for. Below are some of the few important factors of the RTX 3080 Ti that you should be familiar with.
Size, Price, And Cooling
The RTX 3080 Ti is a flagship graphics card and is one of the most powerful GPUs right below the RTX 3090. The Founders Edition is a two-slot GPU that features a two fan arrangement that is not the biggest in the size, considering it is a flagship GPU. Almost all of the aftermarket versions of the RTX 3080 Ti comes in a three-fan arrangement that ranges from 2.5-3-slot form factor. Unless you found the Founders Edition version, make sure you have enough room for a triple-fan design GPU that can be installed with ease. Fact: In performance, it is on par with RTX 3090 but with 2 percent fewer CUDA Cores, half VRAM, and an inferior cooler. Pricing is another crucial factor that can decide whether you should be purchasing the RTX 3080 Ti. The current market value is completely bonkers, and the GPU is not worth spending that large sum of money. Surprisingly, even at these ridiculous prices, the cards are still out-of-stock. So, if you have money to spare and found an RTX 3080 Ti in stock, you might as well get it before others do. The 3080 Ti versions by third-party manufacturers have all decent cooling solutions, and if there is ample space in the PC, the RTX 3080 Ti will run at lower temps. However, if you are looking forward to overclocking your GPU, some of the 3080 Ti versions can reach up to 80 degrees Celsius of temperatures.
Clock Speeds – Fastest Out Of The Box?
There is not much big of an improvement in clock speeds in the RTX 3000 series compared to the RTX 2000 series. But, judging from the performance of this GPU, it is clear that having a high clock speed does not equate to high performance. Nvidia rated their version of the RTX 3080 Ti for a boost clock speed of up to 1670 MHz. On the contrary, AMD’s flagship graphics card features a boost clock speed of up to 2250 MHz on their 6800 XT. Some people successfully pushed their 3080 Tis up to 2000 MHz of clock speed which sounds impressive but is only a 3-5 percent performance boost, which is crucial when we are talking about higher resolutions like 4K. There are several aftermarket versions of the RTX 3080 Ti that are faster than the Founders Edition out-of-the-box. Two 3080 Ti variants are the fastest out-of-the-box. The first is the ASUS ROG STRIX RTX 3080 Ti, and the second is the MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Suprim X. These two GPUs are factory tweaked to run at their fastest clock speeds and perform the best out of any other versions of the RTX 3080 Ti. These cards are also pricy and are only for enthusiasts that are looking for the best GPU that money can get.
Power Connectors & Number Of Ports
Professionals and content creators or people that run multiple monitor setups will be looking for the best version of the RTX 3080 Ti with a decent number of output ports and power connectors. The RTX 3080 Ti is a power-hungry beast that is rated for 350 watts of power consumption during intensive gaming sessions but can cross up to 400+ watts. The Founders Edition comes with a 12-pin power connector, and if you are getting the Founders Edition, make sure your PSU has the connector. As far as the aftermarket versions are concerned, these GPUs either have 2x 8-pin power connectors or 3x 8-pin power connectors or simply have the 12-pin power connector. The standard number of output ports on the Founders Edition is 4. 1x HDMI 2.1 port and 3x DisplayPort 1.4. A similar number of ports are on almost every aftermarket variant, with a few exceptions that feature up to 5 output slots. Though, in the end, the majority of these GPUs will support only 4 displays, at max.
Overclocking Capabilities And Thermals
People who are getting the RTX 3080 Ti will likely overclock their graphics card for that extra little performance uplift during gaming. Luckily, the 3080 Ti features decent headroom for overclocking, and the results can vary from 4 to 8 percent of performance boost from the stock clocks to overclocked speeds. Fact: The RTX 3080 Ti features a two-slot design cooler compared to the triple slot RTX 3090 Founders Edition, and yet, it still managed to deliver closer thermal results to the RTX 3090. The RTX 3080 Ti can reach up to 1670 MHz at boost right out of the box, which can be tweaked and can be pushed further. The extra overclocked speeds consume extra power, which will generate equal amounts of heat for the extra power consumed, hence the TDP. At very high clock speeds, the GPU can tend to thermal throttle, which can hurt performance as well as on thermals. In such cases, it is advisable to run the GPU at stock clock speeds or simply by undervolting the graphics card. At idle, the 3080 Ti sticks around the 35 degrees Celsius mark, while under stress, the temps can range from 65 degrees up to 78 degrees depending on which version of the 3080 Ti that we are talking about. It is one of the best performing graphics cards that trade blows with the flagship RTX 3090. It is a solid GPU, but the price is something that prevents me from recommending it to the general audience. It is only a little bit cheaper than the RTX 3090, but if you are willing to spend that large sum of money, you might as well spend extra bucks to grab the RTX 3090, which makes more sense. For gaming, the 3080 Ti is a beast and can deliver a fluid 4K gaming experience. Not only it has a new generation of Ray Tracing Cores, but the improved, new version of the DLSS can also make 4K gaming at 120 fps a delightful reality.
Question 1: Is it worth it to buy an expensive RTX 3080 Ti graphics card?
No, the current market value of the RTX 3080 Ti is not worth purchasing. The RTX 3080 or the RX 6800 XT are better value options at this point. However, if you have the money to spare and are desperately want a high-end graphics card for your rig, the RTX 3080 Ti will not be a disappointment.
Question 2: What’s the best CPU for the RTX 3080 Ti?
The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X or Intel Core i9-10900K are the two best CPUs that you can pair with the RTX 3080 Ti to use the GPU at its full potential. You can also go for a slower CPU like the Ryzen 7 5800X or the Intel Core i7-10700K.
Question 3: Which brand of 3080 Ti is best?
Every brand of the RTX 3080 Ti comes with a unique boost clock, design, aesthetics, fans, and features. Choosing the best brand differs from person to person. However, if we are talking about the most luxurious and premium versions, it will be either the MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Suprim X or the ASUS ROG RTX 3080 Ti.
Question 4: What do I need to run a 3080 TI?
Firstly, you need ample space on your PC so that the 3080 Ti can easily be installed. Secondly, you will need an equally powerful power supply. The PSU should be at least 600-650 watts. Lastly, you will also need a powerful CPU to avoid a bottleneck. If you have a slower PC, your PC will not be able to utilize the true potential of the RTX 3080 TI.
Question 5: What is the best 3080 Ti to buy?
If you have the money to spare, you can go with liquid-cooled, AIO GPUs like the Gigabyte AORUS GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Xtreme. For air-cooled GPUs, you can go for MSI Suprim RTX 3080 ti, RTX 3080 Ti Gaming X Trio, or the ROG STRIX RTX 3080 Ti.
