GeForce RTX 5080
Blackwell · 16 GB GDDR7 · 360 W
GeForce RTX 4090
Ada · 24 GB GDDR6X · 450 W
GeForce RTX 4090 takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, GeForce RTX 5080 lands at 93 and GeForce RTX 4090 at 97. That puts GeForce RTX 4090 ahead by 4 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick GeForce RTX 5080 if…
- ✓Excellent 4K performance
- ✓DLSS 4 support
- ✓Cooler and quieter than 5090
Pick GeForce RTX 4090 if…
- ✓NVIDIA driver stack
- ✓DLSS support on RTX
- ✓Strong resale value
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate test4K & rasterization
GeForce RTX 4090Traditional rendering throughput at high resolution
GeForce RTX 4090 leads on raster (97 vs 94).
Ray tracing
GeForce RTX 5080RT-heavy titles with path-traced lighting
GeForce RTX 5080 leads on rt (95 vs 92).
AI workloads
TieLocal inference, upscaling, generative tools
Effectively tied — neither pulls a 2-point weighted lead.
Power efficiency
GeForce RTX 5080Frames per watt — heat, noise, and PSU sizing
GeForce RTX 5080 leads on efficiency (85 vs 73).
Value for money
GeForce RTX 5080Specdex score per dollar at MSRP
GeForce RTX 5080 more score per dollar ($999 vs $1,599).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | GeForce RTX 5080 | GeForce RTX 4090 |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Blackwell | Ada |
| CUDA cores | 10,752 | — |
| VRAM | 16 GB GDDR7 | ▲ 24 GB GDDR6X |
| Memory bus | 256-bit | — |
| TBP | 360 W | 450 W |
| PCIe | PCIe 5.0 x16 | — |
| Release year | — | 2022 |
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
GeForce RTX 4090
- +NVIDIA driver stack
- +DLSS support on RTX
- +Strong resale value
- −Power draw scales with tier
- −Gen-over-gen price creep
- −VRAM gated per tier
FAQ: GeForce RTX 5080 vs GeForce RTX 4090
Which is better, GeForce RTX 5080 or GeForce RTX 4090? +
GeForce RTX 4090 scores 97 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 4. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is GeForce RTX 5080 worth the price? +
At $999, GeForce RTX 5080 delivers a Specdex score of 93 — strongest in rt.
Is GeForce RTX 4090 worth the price? +
At $1,599, GeForce RTX 4090 delivers a Specdex score of 97 — strongest in raster.
Does GeForce RTX 5080 or GeForce RTX 4090 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 5080 or GeForce RTX 4090? +
GeForce RTX 4090 — leads on raster (97 vs 94). Traditional rendering throughput at high resolution.
Which is better for ray tracing, GeForce RTX 5080 or GeForce RTX 4090? +
GeForce RTX 5080 — leads on rt (95 vs 92). RT-heavy titles with path-traced lighting.