Nvidia's Ada Lovelace architecture is a game changer when it comes to the best gaming GPUs, with Nvidia pushing impressive figures as part of its DLSS 3.0/3.5-powered attempt to corner the high-end graphics card market. The initial set of RTX 4000 GPUs available in the last quarter of 2022 was limited to the RTX 4090 (October 12, 2022) and the RTX 4080 (November 16, 2022) with the RTX 4070TI following suit shortly after in early January 2023.

Since then, Nvidia has rolled out its RTX 4000 SUPER lineup that sees performance gains across the board for the RTX 4070 SUPER, the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER, and the RTX 4080 SUPER. While many disagree with the price point the RTX 4080 launched with, it happened to be the only other card from Nvidia that was a true next-generation performance upgrade that also benefited from DLSS 3.0 (and the new DLSS 3.5) completely. It is also the recommended GPU for the RT Overdrive preset in Cyberpunk 2077.

It also trades blows with AMD's highest-end GPU to date, the RX 7900XTX, winning important victories when it comes to Ray Tracing performance as it leverages DLSS to deliver consistent FPS in a multitude of visual presets and resolutions.

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The Best RTX 4080 SUPER GPUs in 2024

Nvidia is upping the ante by addressing some of the major complaints about the RTX 4080 with the Super. Here are the best models in 2024.

The Best RTX 4080 GPUs In 2024

The ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX® 4080 OC Edition happens to be positioned in just the right place at the right time as it is currently on sale on Amazon. At nearly $200 off currently on Amazon, it competes directly with Nvidia's Founders Edition (FE) RTX 4080 which it beats with ease in terms of durability, clock speeds, and significantly better cooling mechanism.

The ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX® 4080 OC Edition comes with a complete vapor chamber as part of its cooling mechanism. This means that the card will be one of the coolest-running RTX 4080s on the market while also sporting dual HDMI 2.1 ports. It does skip on the more elaborate RGB lighting effects that some of its direct competitors offer, but the small TUF logo still does work with ASUS's Aura Sync software, making it relatively easy to set up its limited take on RGB especially when compared it to its higher-end (and more costly) Strix alternative from ASUS.

With the TUF RTX 4080 already boosting to at least a very respectable 2625MHz out of the box, the vapor chamber might allow most users to push it quite a bit higher. It does trade performance gains for looks with the TUF not being the first choice for many gamers based on aesthetics alone. That is a fair trade-off, given the price point it currently commands as it contends for the crown of the best overall RTX 4080 SKU currently.

The ASUS TUF RTX 4080 has recently seen a large price uptick possibly thanks to limited availability for the SKU even as the RTX 4080 SUPER SKU has restocked with an OC model costing just under $1100 at retailers including Amazon. This makes the latter a no-brainer purchase versus the former given the better MSRP, slightly faster performance, and easier availability in play.

The MSI Suprim X GeForce RTX 4080 isn't a chip of the old block for MSI's older RTX 3000 series GPU lineup. It offers a massive cooler that incorporates a vapor chamber in a design that is identical to a desktop RTX 4090 Suprim X. With higher boost clocks allowing it to perform a bit better than the competition of the box even as it remains cooler than most if not all of its siblings, the Suprim X is an excellent and well-designed GPU that tends to remain considerably quieter than the competition in 2023.

With most overclockers able to push as much as 3 GHz on the Suprim X with a bit of tweaking and plenty of leeway under the hood, it offers an excellent, albeit costly alternative to most of the entry-level RTX 4080s on the list as it cruises into RTX 4090 FE pricing at the time of writing with ease on Amazon, making it an expensive, but somewhat justifiable purchase for users looking for a powerful, overclockable and well-built GPU in 2024.

Much like the ASUS TUF RTX 4080 above, the MSI RTX 4080 Suprim X saw a large price uptick thanks to the launch of Nvidia's newer RTX 4080 SUPER lineup putting further pressure on availability ahead of its release even as the latter has no available Suprim-tier models in stock at various retailers at MSRP.

This has changed considerably with users able to pick up the MSI RTX 4080 SUPER Suprim X at a variety of retailers including Amazon with ease at a price tag that is nearly $300 lower than the older non-SUPER SKU. Unless one is shopping for an RTX 4080 SKU in particular for testing, there is no reason to pay the higher ask for what is arguably one of Nvidia's most premium 3rd party RTX 4080 models when the SUPER offers better performance at a price that could allow users to grab a new CPU for gaming or productivity.

The team at Gamerant has a detailed set of CPU recommendations, many of which can be had for the difference in cost (and the small upgrade the SUPER offers) in 2024.

The PNY GeForce RTX 4080 16GB XLR8 OC Gaming GPU is an excellent, well-priced RTX 4080 SKU that doesn't win many performance awards within the RTX 4080 target audience but does offer much better value for an RTX 4080 chip that is $80 cheaper than the founder's edition MSRP while delivering good-looking ARGB lighting, decent boost clocks with potential for more and an excellent vapor chamber based air-cooled thermal solution that makes it distinctly better than most of its competition.

At the same time, users could argue that the PNY offering is but the start of unofficial price cuts by Nvidia and its AIB partners for a relatively slow RTX 4000 series market even as AMD posted guidance indicating that it was expected slower semiconductor sales across the board, a theme that seemingly also affects Nvidia, where the RTX 4080 is trapped between a much more competent RTX 4070TI in terms of price: performance and downwards pricing pressure from the RTX 4090 itself that sees SKUs trading close to or slightly below their MSRP levels for the first time since their launch.

The PNY RTX 4080 sees limited availability and a higher price, much like its peers above with used units available on Newegg at $100 below MSRP for an RTX 4080 SUPER. The team at Game ZXC recommends opting for the upgraded and more readily available PNY RTX 4080 SUPER XLR8 instead which is cheaper than a brand-new SKU at most retailers currently.

The ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 4080 16GB Trinity OC is an excellent alternative RTX 4080 for those of us who aren't sold on the MSI offering we recommended. With a beefy cooler, somewhat limited boost clocks in tow, and an excellent power delivery mechanism, the Zotac Trinity SKU of the RTX 4080 comes with outstanding RGB lighting with extensive control of as many as 5 zones while being priced at the same MSRP tier that the founders edition is.

As with most RTX 4080/4090 GPUs, size can be an issue for an upgrade to the RTX 4080 and the ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 4080 16GB Trinity OC is no exception in this regard, with a large profile that could struggle to fit in some smaller cases. The Zotac offering isn't the fastest kid on the block. However, it is still a full RTX 4080 with excellent pricing, great RGB lighting, and build quality that makes it an easy recommendation, given its price-to-performance ratio relative to other RTX 4080 SKUs.

The ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 4080 16GB Trinity OC is an excellent take on the RTX 4080 that still happens to trade just below the MSRP for a founder's edition. It offers decent RGB lighting on offer along with decent clocks, thermals, and great power delivery on offer, making it an excellent RTX 4080 SKU to get currently.

Much like the options above it, the ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 4080 16GB Trinity OC has been supplanted by cheaper, yet faster SUPER lineup options including those from Zotac. Users can grab the ZOTAC GeForce RTX 4080 Super Trinity Black Edition for a sub-$200 discount which offers a similar design but slightly better performance than its predecessor in 2024.

The ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX® 4080 OC Edition by its name alone can be assumed to be ASUS's most premium offering in any segment and the same rings true for the RTX 4080 Strix OC that follows the same design philosophy of its higher-end RTX 4090 variant for the most part. With 24+4 phase power delivery, stable power delivery is never a question when it comes to the Strix OC that tops the benchmarks for pretty much every game it runs versus the competition when it comes to comparable RTX 4080s.

This has partly to do with the excellent vapor chamber-centric cooling that has been a mainstay for ASUS's Strix lineup for the RTX 4000 launch cards which sees the 4080 Strix OC easily push past the 3GHz barrier routinely on multiple titles and staying there with relative ease. As it nears the sub $1500 mark, it wades gingerly into RTX 4090 territory quite fast, but if users want a premium RTX 4080 with performance and looks to match, it doesn't get much better than the ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX® 4080 OC Edition.

The ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX® 4080 OC Edition is arguably one of the most premium RTX 4080 offerings, and it trades blows with MSI's competitive and similarly priced premium Suprim X offerings but offers a slightly better PCB design, making it unchanged as Game ZXC's best performance-grade RTX 4080 pick for gaming and productivity alike.

The RTX 4080 Strix is not immune to the uptick of RTX 4080 prices across the board, even as the RTX 4080 SUPER is on the horizon, taking a large hit in terms of availability. This arguably sends the most premium RTX 4080 SKU currently available within the sub-RTX 4090 price range with ease to retailers with inventory on hand.

Users adamant on getting more value can turn to Newegg where the ROG Strix SKU of the RTX 4080 SUPER trades at a similar price point while offering better performance than the older non-SUPER model.

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The Best CPUs to Pair with the RTX 4080 SUPER

Here are some of the best CPUs to pair with Nvidia's penultimate RTX 4000 Series GPU in 2024.

The Gigabyte AORUS GeForce RTX 4080 Master 16G is a mouthful to say, but it does deliver on its promise to provide one of the best-looking RTX 4080s in the market with mild factory overclocks in tow. Gigabyte's AORUS Master lineup generally tends to be premium, focused on build quality and looks, and its current RTX 4080 offering checks both boxes with ease.

With a comprehensive warranty that covers players for 4 years and a well-utilized LCD edge view function, the Gigabyte AORUS GeForce RTX 4080 Master 16G does offer decent value for money for the sub-$150 premium it asks for when compared to the RTX 4080 Founders Edition (FE). However, users may question Gigabyte's reasons for clocking down their well-cooled GPU significantly below the competition, especially considering that the card can easily tackle custom overclock modes.

Gigabyte's LCD touting AORUS GeForce RTX 4080 Master 16G has seen limited availability recently, affecting its pricing significantly. This makes its water-cooling-based RTX 4080 Waterforce option a much more viable option, if aesthetics are a primary concern when picking up what is currently one of the most expensive RTX 4080s.

The Gigabyte AORUS GeForce RTX 4080 Master 16G commands a significantly higher price tag for what it offers, overlapping into RTX 4090 territory with ease, much like the Strix 4090. It remains the only option for many NA-based customers who like an LCD infused on their GPU in 2024, but does make for a somewhat prohibitively expensive affair otherwise.

The same advantage however is offered for a sub-$400 discount and better availability when it comes to the Gigabyte AORUS GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER Master 16G, which makes it a no-brainer purchase for most, if not all consumers looking for an upgrade this year at a sub-$1200 price tag with aesthetics in focus.

The Nvidia RTX 4080: Should You Buy One In 2024?

A lot has changed since November 2022 when Nvidia first released the RTX 4080. Both Nvidia and AMD have bolstered their RTX 4000 series and RX 7000 series lineups with current-generation contenders at various price points. This is even as the truly next-generation options in terms of raw performance (RTX 4080/4090 and RX 7900XT/7900XTX) remain relatively unchanged in terms of initial pricing as Nvidia's RTX 4080 SUPER suffers from limited stock availability at the time of writing.

The pricing gaps versus the RTX 3000 lineup at the lower end might have gamers divided on which generation of Nvidia GPUs to consider when on a budget. The large performance at the high end alone is enough to warrant taking a second look at the penultimate Nvidia RTX 4000 series GPU, which beats all its predecessors comprehensively, though it comes with a price tag to match this feat.

The RTX 4080 is based on Nvidia's AD103, versus the current supremo's AD102, and it has a sizable performance gap compared to the RTX 4090, which leads to the latter being consistently in demand. This means that while it does command a premium for some variants, it is much more readily available, despite Nvidia (and to a lesser extent AMD) controlling & limiting supplies of its higher-end GPUs religiously to keep price points in line with their MSRP.

At the same time, thanks to an export-induced AI-related ban on China causing a run on RTX 4090 chips across the board at retailers and AIB partners alike, the RTX 4080 (or SUPER) seems to be the only high-end Ada Lovelace-based GPU choice available to many users looking for an upgrade close to the already-high advertised MSRPs from Team Green and its partners.

The RTX 4080 might not be the value upgrade that most gamers are looking for, but it does make for a compelling choice for those looking to get a new GPU either for a new PC or a necessary upgrade down the line.

The Nvidia RTX 4080 Super Versus the RTX 4080

The Nvidia RTX 4080 SUPER is the successor to the RTX 4080 above. Given it is a relatively recent launch and one that currently is highly in demand, even more so than the mid-rate RTX 4070 SUPER in some cases, it seems considerably reduced availability. The RTX 4080 SUPER offers a 5% increase to its CUDA core count, higher core clocks, and slightly faster memory that sees it command a 3 to 5% lead over its predecessor.

Given that most RTX 4080 SUPER GPUs tend to be cheaper in terms of MSRP than their costly predecessors by about $200, the general rule of thumb is to go for the former if availability is not an issue.

What GPU Should Users Get For Gaming?

Choosing a GPU to go in a PC is not a straightforward answer. Users also might want to consider options beyond just the RTX 4080s. Game ZXC has players covered here via a comprehensive Nvidia GPU guide for 2024 that should help with making an informed choice for a new PC GPU, an upgrade, or simply a budget card that gets the job done until users can splurge on something better. If users are dead set on an RTX 4080, there are no bad choices, however.

If users are looking for the most powerful Nvidia GPUs possible, it is worth checking out Game ZXC's curated list of RTX 4090 GPUs instead. These offer considerably more performance, and more memory and are currently the fastest consumer-grade graphics processors money can buy.

Alternatively, if gamers are on a budget or want better value for money, the RTX 4070TI offers the best value for money out of all the RTX 4000 series (Ada Lovelace) based GPUs, offering a true next-generation experience that also happens to clock in less than $1000 for an upgrade that outperforms the last generation's top-end RTX 3090TI.

For gamers looking to secure their next-generation upgrade closer to the sub-$500 price bracket from Nvidia, the RTX 4070 seems to be both the best and only option that they can opt for. The 4070 offers RTX 3080-esque performance in 2024, turbocharged by better DLSS 3/3.5 performance under the hood.

If the RTX 4080 or the faster RTX 4080 SUPER is already on its way, the team at Game ZXC recommends checking out its current list of the best PSUs to buy to power and safeguard any GPU investment while ensuring long hours to game or work for long hours without issues on a PC or Workbench.

MORE:
RTX 4080 vs RTX 4090 - Which Should You Buy?

Nvidia's Flagship RTX 4090 and its lower-end sibling, the RTX 4080 have captured the high end GPU market with relative ease but how do they compare?

The Nvidia RTX 4080 SUPER: Why It Is A Game Changer

Unlike the RTX 4070 Super, which offers a substantial performance boost, the RTX 4070 Ti Super offers a modest performance boost and a bump up in the VRAM offering from 12GB to 16GB for Nvidia's 3rd most powerful GPU offering in 2024. The RTX 4080 SUPER, on the other hand, offers a much milder performance gain versus the RTX 4080 compared to its lower-end siblings. It, however, might be the most impactful of the entire series of GPUs, even exceeding the RTX 4070 SUPER's importance to consumers going forward simply because of how it has been repositioned at a sub-$1000 price point.

The RTX 4080 SUPER sees a price cut from Nvidia as it offers essentially RTX 4080-tier performance for $200 less. This means that one of the main qualms users had with the RTX 4080, which was its astronomical price coupled with its MRSP being considerably closer than expected to the RTX 4090 has been more or less fixed since.

Why Does This Matter For Prospective RTX 4080 Owners?

The RTX 4080 SUPER is a relatively new product. It will, over time, replace the outgoing RTX 4080 completely. It is currently limited, however, in terms of availability across multiple retailers, especially for higher-end variants. This means that the RTX 4080, which many retailers and AIBs now discount, makes for a much better and readily available option, often at a deep discount over its successor, even as it offers the same amount of VRAM in play and relatively similar performance.

The RTX 4080 (and users in the market for one) in essence benefits from a virtual price cut in the making for Nvidia's penultimate consumer-grade GPU since its inception. It does, however, mean availability will be an issue going forward for the RTX 4080 in the future, as the RTX 4080 SUPER looks to replace it across the board with similar, but lower MSRP SKUs from many of Nvidia's partners, such as ASUS, MSI, and Gigabyte as well as the RTX 4080 FE from Nvidia itself.

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The Best RTX 4090 GPUs

When it comes to RTX 4090 GPUs, these are the best options available!

Which RTX 4080 GPU Should Users Get?

Most AIB RTX 4080 SKUs meet or exceed the minimum specs offered by the Founder's Edition, but users can easily push for better custom units based on their needs. Given the price tag these come with, users tend to benefit from picking a unit that meets all their criteria in the following categories:

Performance: While most RTX 4080 SKUs offer excellent cooling, some are more equal than others. When pushed to the maximum in certain settings such as render workloads or benchmarks, these differences are much more easily visible between the more premium, performance-centric SKUs that can push higher sustained boost clocks and the more baseline models that offer clocks and relative performance close to the FE model.

Aesthetic: There are many beautiful and well-designed RTX 4080 GPUs out there, and they come in all shapes and sizes. From Dual-fan liquid-cooled option to tri-fan air-cooled vapor chamber-based units, the RTX 4080 has different SKUs for most use cases including smaller PC cases and/or monolithic E-ATX offerings for users looking to build around their GPU.

Pricing: When picking an RTX 4080 unit, gamers and enthusiasts should be mindful of the fact that most SKUs cost well north of $1000, and it does make sense at times for enthusiasts to spend extra to get an SKU with better lighting, build quality, or cooling. Some of these advantages can easily extend to raw performance gains, while others might have to do with longevity for the GPU in question.

Warranty and After-Sales Service: While most GPU partners offer warranties for their RTX 4080 GPUs, not all of them have the same duration, terms of service, or even the same tier of service should users run into issues down the line. Finding options with extensive coverage, well-defined service terms, and better after-sales service can make or break one's gaming experience with what is arguably the most important component of a gaming PC currently.

Are you interested in a GPU other than the RTX 4080? Check out Game ZXC's rankings of the best gaming GPUs for 2024!

Here's Why You Should Buy An RTX 4080 SUPER Instead In 2024

Nvidia's RTX 4080 has been supplanted by the RTX 4080 SUPER in 2024 by Nvidia and users can find it confusing to choose between the two given that most models continue to cost more when it comes to the older RTX 4080 versus the SUPER that comes with newer pricing. The reasons to go for the RTX 4080 SUPER can be broken down into 3 key factors:

Price: The Nvidia RTX 4080 SUPER corrects the RTX 4080's biggest problem that kept it out of focus for gamers, many of which leaned towards the sub-$800 RTX 4070Ti or the higher-end RTX 4090 instead. With a $200 price adjustment to the only RTX 4000 series SUPER GPU to get one, Nvidia upped the ante both against AMD's competing RX 7900 XTX models while making the RTX 4080 SUPER a much more viable option than its predecessor.

Availability: The RTX 4080 is being phased out, which means most of the stock available to end users when it comes to the older GPU is often priced higher than the newer SUPER GPUs, even as availability remains a hit-or-miss factor in general. Users benefit from having prices closer to their respective MSRP and having a much larger set of choices available to them when opting for a newer RTX 4080 SUPER GPU instead.

Performance: The RTX 4080 SUPER packs an additional ~5% CUDA cores than its predecessor. That results in performance gains of 2-4% in most game titles and productivity workloads. If the RTX 4080 SUPER traded at a premium versus the older GPU, it wouldn't make sense, but at a discount, it is a no-brainer consideration, albeit not an upgrade for existing RTX 4080 users in 2024.

FAQ

Q: What is the minimum power supply I should get for an RTX 4080?

The RTX 4080 is a highly power-efficient GPU but is also an investment you want to protect. We suggest a high-end Gold-rated PSU that can handle 850W of load. If an RTX 4090 upgrade is on the horizon later, you might want to consider a 1000W PSU as a future-proof purchase.

Q: Should I get the RTX 4080 or wait?

The RTX 4080 is an expensive GPU to purchase right now, but it does deliver stellar gaming performance and RT at 4K for most titles making it an excellent contender for your next GPU upgrade. It is the 2nd fastest GPU chip on the market right now and that is not a bad place to be at a time when AMD and Nvidia are releasing their mid-range RTX 4000 and RX 7000 series GPUs in a bid to capture more market share.