The RTX 4080 is one of the most powerful graphics cards on the market, striving to offer strong performance at 4K, with Ray-Tracing enabled. The blazing fast AD103 chip and 16GB of GDDR6X VRAM make it an excellent choice for gamers looking to maximise performance across their favourite titles. This GPU reviewed well in our testing, and this has been consistent across alternative RTX 4080 models too. However, finding the right RTX 4080 can be a challenging decision at times.
In this article, we’ve tested and analysed a plethora of RTX 4080 options, to recommend a variety of models that we believe are best suited to a range of different buyers and use-cases.
Our Top Pick: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Founders Edition
The RTX 4080 Founders Edition is the best graphics card within the 4080 range. This is one of the few cards that comes in at the all-important MSRP price point, which is what makes the RTX 4080 a solid value for money option compared to the competition. And while the aesthetic of this card is a little bland contrasting to some of the alternative models on the market, it should blend in relatively well with most darker-themed systems.
The Best RTX 4080 GPUs to Buy
1. NVIDIA RTX 4080 Founders Edition
The Founders Edition RTX 4080 is a well-rounded option that excels when it comes to performance. The traditional three-fan cooling approach found on most GPUs of this class is swapped for an innovative, dual-chamber, dual fan solution, which can compete directly with alternative units.
This segments the GPU into two distinct sides, with a fan on the bottom left, and top right hand sides. This design is tremendously efficient, which helps to keep a lid on the higher temperatures the RTX 4080 serves up over it’s lower powered alternatives.
| Key Specs | NVIDIA RTX 4080 Founders Edition |
|---|---|
| Video Memory Capacity | 16GB GDDR6X |
| Bus Width | 256-Bit |
| Base Clock Speed | 2.21GHz |
| Boost Clock Speed | 2.51GHz |
| CUDA Cores | 9728 |
| RT Cores | 76 |
| Length | 304mm |
| Power Draw | 320W |
One of the main strengths of the Founders Edition RTX 4080 is it’s market price point. Usually sitting at MSRP, even with its out of box boost clock speeds, it is a relative bargain when compared to most RTX 4080 options out there. This makes the RTX 4080 Founders Edition a worthwhile option for more price conscious buyers.
Much like other Founders Edition cards, the aesthetic of this GPU is little too restrained, offering a more simplistic design compared to other options on the market. Some might argue that spending this much on a GPU should come with some more bells and whistles, like customisable RGB lighting, or perhaps an LCD screen, which we’ve seen crop up on similarly higher priced options.
Pros
- Competitive pricing
- Solid thermals
- Smaller size
Cons
- Minimalist design
- Power draw
Suggested Article: Best Power Supplies to Buy for the Nvidia RTX 4080
2. Gigabyte AORUS RTX 4080 Master
Those looking to spice up their PC build should look no further than Gigabyte’s AORUS RTX 4080 Master. This card offers up an LCD screen, along with plenty of RGB, further lighting up the inside of your system. When mounted traditionally, you’ll be able to get a full view of the LCD screen on the AORUS Master, which can be fully customised with various animations or GIFs using Gigabyte’s Control Centre.
The RGB lighting primarily located on the front of the card also looks excellent, highlighting the heatsink located behind the fans, along with the brushed metal look on the shrouding too.
| Key Specs | Gigabyte AORUS Master RTX 4080 |
|---|---|
| Video Memory Capacity | 16GB GDDR6X |
| Bus Width | 256-Bit |
| Base Clock Speed | 2.21GHz |
| Boost Clock Speed | 2.55GHz |
| CUDA Cores | 9728 |
| RT Cores | 76 |
| Length | 357mm |
| Power Draw | 320W |
The triple-fan design of the AORUS RTX 4080 Master is able to provide high efficiency heat dissipation, pushing air around the GPU in a bid to keep temperatures nice and low. If you’re looking for good thermals, the AORUS Master is a great choice.
Case space is the biggest concern for us, as the AORUS RTX 4080 Master is one of the larger cards on the market, coming in at 357mm in length. This means radiator and fan clearance can be a problem at times leading to a more compact system that may result in weakened airflow.
Pros
- Awesome design
- Solid thermals
- LCD screen
Cons
- Expensive
- Potential clearance issues
3. MSI Suprim X RTX 4080
MSI’s Suprim X RTX 4080 offers a great middle-ground when compared to the small, sleek Founders Edition, and the bulky RTX 4080 AORUS Master. The design takes the aesthetic up a notch with an angular and sophisticated aesthetic clearly aimed at the gaming market.
The strong Suprim X cooler also does a great job thermally, allowing for a slight overclock on the boost speed from the factory. As such, prospective buyers can certainly enjoy a few more frames in their favourite titles with the increased boost speed, alongside a great thermal output. The Suprim X cards are the sleek alternative in a particular GPU range, and I must admit, I’m an admirer of the RTX 4000 variants.
| Key Specs | MSI Suprim X RTX 4080 |
|---|---|
| Video Memory Capacity | 16GB GDDR6X |
| Bus Width | 256-Bit |
| Base Clock Speed | 2.21GHz |
| Boost Clock Speed | 2.64GHz |
| CUDA Cores | 9728 |
| RT Cores | 76 |
| Length | 336mm |
| Power Draw | 320W |
I’m a big fan of the chevron design, and minimalist RGB. The angular accents and silvery-grey tones on the card contribute to an over-arching flashy and premium look that will blend in nicely with other lighter-themed components. There’s also plenty of custom lighting options which can be configured through MSI’s Mystic Lighting application, allowing you to configure any RGB lighting.
However, the price of the Suprim X model will be difficult to swallow for some buyers. MSI charge a significant premium for their Suprim cards, so the already pricey RTX 4080 comes in with a price tag that some may not be too comfortable with.
Pros
- Sleek aesthetic
- Thermals
- RGB lighting
Cons
- Pricey
- Limited case choices
How We Test GPUs
To inform all of our product recommendations, we test a myriad of graphics cards at a range of resolutions with differing settings in a vast number of popular games and triple A titles. In order to ensure our testing is fair and repeatable, we publish all of the settings that we’ve used within our benchmarks. You can read in full detail about how we test graphics cards for an in-depth run down on our testing methodologies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the RTX 4080 Worth It?
While expensive, the RTX 4080 is undoubtedly a very good graphics card for playing the latest AAA titles at 1440p and 4K, making it a worthwhile choice for high end gamers.
How Much Power Foes the RTX 4080 Need?
The RTX 4080 requires around 250W of power, with NVIDIA recommending a 750W power supply or above for an RTX 4080-based system.
Is the RTX 4080 Better than RTX 3090?
Yes – the RTX 4080 excels when compared to the last generation of RTX 3000 series graphics cards, including the RTX 3090.
