RTX 5080 vs 4080: What’s the difference?

The RTX 5090 is, of course, the jewel of the 50-Series lineup, and the object of desire for many PC gamers. However, it also costs $2,000, and no matter how much people may want it, that kind of price is just too high for many.

So, perhaps the RTX 5080, priced at half that, offers a better solution for the majority? To put it in some proper context, let’s compare it to its predecessor, the RTX 4080. It's worth noting that the RTX 4080 is becoming increasingly difficult getting to find, so if you’re on this page because you’ve been eyeing up an RTX 4080, you might struggle.

Ok, let’s take a look at the specs first.

Unsurprisingly, we see the same port layout with 3x DisplayPort and 1x HDMI. However, the specific standards of these ports have changed.

• RTX 5080 Outputs: 3x DisplayPort 2.1b, 1xHDMI 2.1b
• RTX 4080 Outputs: 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, 1x HDMI 2.1a

This basically amounts to an increase in potential refresh rate at specific resolution. However, there is always a trade-off. To hit the highest refresh rates, you won’t be able to max out the resolution. DSC (Display Stream Compression) can also help here. It is unlikely you’ll be hitting these maximums in most games anyway, so, this is of minimal concern to the majority.

The RTX 5080 compared to the RTX 4080 represents a small upgrade. The total VRAM capacity is identical at 16GB, which is underwhelming to some, however, the 5080 uses the significantly faster GDDR7 standard, which will increase performance to an extent.

We also see a moderate TGP increase from 320W on the 4080 to 360W on the 5080. While this could hint that it will only perform a little better, we can remember that a lot of the performance of the 50 Series is tied to DLSS 4 and the potential of AI-generated frames, which wouldn’t be represented in the wattage differences.

In short, unless the DLSS 4 features look to be a total game-changer for you, the fiscally responsible thing to do might be to wait for a few more years, as the 4080 is still a great GPU. Then again, since when have PC gamers been fiscally responsible?

Here we see a little bit of refreshing news. Given how close these GPUs are to each other in terms of power draw, if you’re upgrading from the 4080 to the 5080, you won’t need to upgrade your PSU.

If, however, you’re on this page because you’re a few generations behind and are trying to scope out which GPU to buy for the new build, then we’d recommend something like a RM850e or RM850x SHIFT. Both are fully capable of powering the 4080 or 5080 with the included 12V-2x6 cable, and both come in 1000W variants for those who want a larger buffer.

Check the infographics below if you're one of the many who have found 12V-2x6 / 12VHPWR confusing. We also detail the different ways of powering the newest NVIDIA GPUs with CORSAIR PSUs.