GeForce RTX 3070
Ampere · 8 GB GDDR6 · 220 W
GeForce RTX 5080
Blackwell · 16 GB GDDR7 · 360 W
GeForce RTX 5080 takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, GeForce RTX 3070 lands at 82 and GeForce RTX 5080 at 93. That puts GeForce RTX 5080 ahead by 11 points — a decisive margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick GeForce RTX 3070 if…
- ✓NVIDIA driver stack
- ✓DLSS support on RTX
- ✓Strong resale value
Pick GeForce RTX 5080 if…
- ✓Excellent 4K performance
- ✓DLSS 4 support
- ✓Cooler and quieter than 5090
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate test4K & rasterization
GeForce RTX 5080Traditional rendering throughput at high resolution
GeForce RTX 5080 leads on raster (94 vs 82).
Ray tracing
GeForce RTX 5080RT-heavy titles with path-traced lighting
GeForce RTX 5080 leads on rt (95 vs 77).
AI workloads
GeForce RTX 5080Local inference, upscaling, generative tools
GeForce RTX 5080 leads on ai (94 vs 79).
Power efficiency
GeForce RTX 5080Frames per watt — heat, noise, and PSU sizing
GeForce RTX 5080 leads on efficiency (85 vs 71).
Value for money
GeForce RTX 3070Specdex score per dollar at MSRP
GeForce RTX 3070 more score per dollar ($499 vs $999).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | GeForce RTX 3070 | GeForce RTX 5080 |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Ampere | Blackwell |
| VRAM | 8 GB GDDR6 | ▲ 16 GB GDDR7 |
| TBP | 220 W | 360 W |
| Release year | 2020 | — |
| CUDA cores | — | 10,752 |
| Memory bus | — | 256-bit |
| PCIe | — | PCIe 5.0 x16 |
GeForce RTX 3070
- +NVIDIA driver stack
- +DLSS support on RTX
- +Strong resale value
- −Power draw scales with tier
- −Gen-over-gen price creep
- −VRAM gated per tier
GeForce RTX 5080
- +Excellent 4K performance
- +DLSS 4 support
- +Cooler and quieter than 5090
- −Only 16 GB VRAM
- −Price creep vs 4080
- −Gap to 5090 is large
FAQ: GeForce RTX 3070 vs GeForce RTX 5080
Which is better, GeForce RTX 3070 or GeForce RTX 5080? +
GeForce RTX 5080 scores 93 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 11. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is GeForce RTX 3070 worth the price? +
At $499, GeForce RTX 3070 delivers a Specdex score of 82 — strongest in raster.
Is GeForce RTX 5080 worth the price? +
At $999, GeForce RTX 5080 delivers a Specdex score of 93 — strongest in rt.
Does GeForce RTX 3070 or GeForce RTX 5080 last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.
Which is better for 4K gaming, GeForce RTX 3070 or GeForce RTX 5080? +
GeForce RTX 5080 — leads on raster (94 vs 82). Traditional rendering throughput at high resolution.
Which is better for ray tracing, GeForce RTX 3070 or GeForce RTX 5080? +
GeForce RTX 5080 — leads on rt (95 vs 77). RT-heavy titles with path-traced lighting.