GeForce RTX 5070 vs GeForce RTX 3080

Speed and memory

The GeForce RTX 5070 and the GeForce RTX 3080 are within a few percent of each other for gaming in our model, so you will not see a difference in play.

The GeForce RTX 5070 has 12 GB of video memory and the GeForce RTX 3080 has 10 GB. That is a small difference and unlikely to decide anything.

In our estimates for popular games at 1080p on High, the biggest gap is in Red Dead Redemption 2 (171 against 168 fps), and the smallest is in Cyberpunk 2077 (132 against 130 fps). Games that are light enough to run above 200 fps on both cards show little difference at all.

Power and value

The GeForce RTX 5070 is rated at 250 W and the GeForce RTX 3080 at 320 W. With a mid-range processor that means a power supply of about 650 W for the first and 750 W for the second. A gap of 70 W shows up in heat and fan noise, and in your electricity use over a few years.

At launch the GeForce RTX 5070 cost $549 and the GeForce RTX 3080 $699. Per dollar, the GeForce RTX 5070 gave more performance (9.7 points per $100 against 7.4). Current prices differ, so run the same sum on what you can actually buy today.

Which one to buy

Choose the GeForce RTX 5070 if you want the faster card, and it also has at least as much memory. It makes the most sense at 1440p and above, or on a monitor with a high refresh rate.

Choose the GeForce RTX 3080 if the price gap matters more than the small speed difference. Whichever you pick, check reviews for the games you play, because two cards with similar scores can differ in individual titles.