Guide
RTX 4080 vs RTX 3080 — Which to choose in 2026?
The RTX 4080 (900–1 050 €) and the RTX 3080 (300–400 € (occasion)) are two of the most popular GPUs in their price range. This comparison covers 1080p and 1440p performance, power draw, price, and helps you decide which card fits your build best.
Side-by-side specifications
| Specification | RTX 4080 | RTX 3080 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM | 16 GB | 10 GB |
| TDP (reference) | ~320 W | ~320 W |
| Architecture | Ada Lovelace (AD103) | Ampere (GA102) |
| Release year | 2022 | 2020 |
| Typical price (2026) | 900–1 050 € | 300–400 € (occasion) |
Indicative benchmarks (avg FPS, raster)
Rounded in-game averages (no DLSS Frame Generation). Useful to compare 1080p vs 1440p feel.
FPS (higher is better)
Cyberpunk 2077
1080p
1440p
Fortnite
1080p
1440p
Hogwarts Legacy
1080p
1440p
Call of Duty (Warzone)
1080p
1440p
Red Dead Redemption 2
1080p
1440p
Which GPU for your use case?
- Casual / single-playerBoth GPUs stay very playable at 1080p. The RTX 4080 has more headroom in recent AAA titles.
- 1080p competitive (high FPS)For competitive gaming both reach high FPS. The RTX 4080 is slightly faster.
- 1440p / light creationAt 1440p the gap widens in favour of the RTX 4080. The RTX 3080 still makes sense for older titles or medium settings.
Bottom line
Pick the RTX 4080 if buying new: better overall performance.
Choose the RTX 3080 if budget is tight.
FPS varies with CPU, drivers, and scene. Use the PC4Games comparator for picks tied to your games.
RTX 4080 or RTX 3080: quick summary
The RTX 4080 delivers better overall performance in our benchmarks. The RTX 3080 stays competitive, especially as a value option on the used market.
At 1080p: the RTX 4080 has more headroom in demanding titles. At 1440p: the gap widens — the RTX 4080 is more comfortable targeting 60+ FPS at high/ultra settings.
Power draw and PSU compatibility
The RTX 4080 has a TDP of 320W; the RTX 3080 draws 320W. Both cards have similar power requirements. A 650–750W PSU is recommended for most builds.
Price and value in 2026
In 2026, the RTX 4080 sells for around 900–1 050 € and the RTX 3080 for 300–400 € (occasion). The RTX 4080 justifies its premium with higher performance, particularly at 1440p.
Example PCs on Amazon related to this guide
Three desktops then three laptops from the PC4Games catalog in a range that fits the topic — each link opens Amazon (affiliate).
Desktop PCs — top picks
CyberpowerPC Luxe PC Gamer — AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D, NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti 16 Go, 32 Go RAM, 1 To NVMe SSD, Windows 11
RTX 5070 Ti · Ryzen 7 9800X3D · 32 GB RAM
CyberpowerPC Luxe PC Gamer — Intel Core i9-12900KF, NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti 16 Go, 32 Go RAM, 1 To NVMe SSD, Windows 11
RTX 5070 Ti · i9-12900KF · 32 GB RAM
CyberpowerPC Luxe PC Gamer — Intel Core i9, 32 Go RAM, 1 To NVMe SSD, Windows 11
RTX 5070 · i9-12900KF · 32 GB RAM
Gaming laptops
MSI Katana 15 HX B14WGK-018FR — Intel Core i7, GeForce RTX 5070, 16 Go RAM, 1 To SSD
RTX 5070 · i7-14650HX · 16 GB RAM
Lenovo Legion 5 15IRX10 — Intel Core i7, GeForce RTX 5060, 16 Go RAM, 1 To SSD
RTX 5060 · i7-14650HX · 16 GB RAM
Lenovo Legion Pro 5i — PC portable gamer 16" WQXGA, Intel Core i7, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, 16 Go RAM, 1 To SSD, Wi…
RTX 4060 · i7-14700 · 16 GB RAM
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PC4Games
Take action with the comparator: pick your games, budget, then compare PCs.
Other useful guides
- How to choose a gaming PC in 2026
- Desktop vs laptop for gaming
- Mistakes to avoid when buying a gaming PC
- Best gaming PC 2026: the budget-by-budget comparison
- Cheap gaming PC 2026: choosing right on a small budget
- 1440p gaming PC 2026: which configuration to choose?
- Gaming PC for streaming: recommended configuration 2026
- How much RAM for a gaming PC in 2026: 8, 16 or 32 GB?
