Guide

RTX 4090 vs RTX 4080 — Which to choose in 2026?

The RTX 4090 (1 700–2 100 €) and the RTX 4080 (900–1 050 €) 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 4090	RTX 4080
VRAM	24 GB	16 GB
TDP (reference)	~450 W	~320 W
Architecture	Ada Lovelace (AD102)	Ada Lovelace (AD103)
Release year	2022	2022
Typical price (2026)	1 700–2 100 €	900–1 050 €

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

RTX 4090185 FPS

RTX 4080154 FPS

1440p

RTX 4090148 FPS

RTX 4080122 FPS

Fortnite

1080p

RTX 4090346 FPS

RTX 4080289 FPS

1440p

RTX 4090250 FPS

RTX 4080206 FPS

Hogwarts Legacy

1080p

RTX 4090160 FPS

RTX 4080133 FPS

1440p

RTX 4090133 FPS

RTX 4080109 FPS

Call of Duty (Warzone)

1080p

RTX 4090298 FPS

RTX 4080249 FPS

1440p

RTX 4090252 FPS

RTX 4080202 FPS

Red Dead Redemption 2

1080p

RTX 4090193 FPS

RTX 4080161 FPS

1440p

RTX 4090174 FPS

RTX 4080143 FPS

Which GPU for your use case?

Casual / single-playerBoth GPUs stay very playable at 1080p. The RTX 4090 has more headroom in recent AAA titles.
1080p competitive (high FPS)For competitive gaming both reach high FPS. The RTX 4090 is slightly faster.
1440p / light creationAt 1440p the gap widens in favour of the RTX 4090. The RTX 4080 still makes sense for older titles or medium settings.

Bottom line

Pick the RTX 4090 if buying new: better overall performance.

Choose the RTX 4080 if budget is tight.

RTX 4090 build →RTX 4080 build →

FPS varies with CPU, drivers, and scene. Use the PC4Games comparator for picks tied to your games.

RTX 4090 or RTX 4080: quick summary

The RTX 4090 delivers better overall performance in our benchmarks. The RTX 4080 stays competitive, especially as a value option on the used market.

At 1080p: the RTX 4090 has more headroom in demanding titles. At 1440p: the gap widens — the RTX 4090 is more comfortable targeting 60+ FPS at high/ultra settings.

Power draw and PSU compatibility

The RTX 4090 has a TDP of 450W; the RTX 4080 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 4090 sells for around 1 700–2 100 € and the RTX 4080 for 900–1 050 €. The RTX 4090 justifies its premium with higher performance, particularly at 1440p.