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RTX 3080 vs RTX 3070: Gaming Performance & Bottleneck (2026)

The RTX 3080 sits in a higher performance class: 88 FPS at 1440p High against 59 for the RTX 3070 with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D, and a 54% lead at 4K. The order holds at 1080p (37% apart), so the RTX 3080 is the quicker card at every resolution. With ray tracing on at 1440p they manage 46 and 30 FPS respectively, so plan on DLSS, FSR or XeSS upscaling. In esports games like CS2 or Valorant at 1080p they reach 398 and 294 FPS, enough for a 240 Hz monitor. At 4K the RTX 3070 manages 33 FPS native, and DLSS Quality lifts that to about 48. The RTX 3080 also has more memory (10 GB vs 8 GB), and 8 GB is already tight at 1440p High in new games. To stay under a 10% CPU bottleneck at 1440p, both need only a Ryzen 5 3600-class CPU.

Relative performance

Faster card = 100%. Average FPS at High settings with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D.

1440p, AAA games

RTX 3080100%
RTX 307067%

88 vs 59 FPS · RTX 3080 +49%

4K, AAA games

RTX 3080100%
RTX 307065%

51 vs 33 FPS · RTX 3080 +54%

1440p, ray tracing

RTX 3080100%
RTX 307065%

46 vs 30 FPS · RTX 3080 +54%

FPS with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Average FPS in AAA games, no upscaling. A fast CPU, so the graphics card sets the pace.

SettingRTX 3080RTX 3070Lead
1080p High126923080 +37%
1440p High88593080 +49%
4K High51333080 +54%
1440p ray tracing46303080 +54%

Specifications

Raster index: RTX 4090 = 100.

SpecRTX 3080RTX 3070
VRAM10 GB8 GB
Ray tracingYes, 95% efficiencyYes, 95% efficiency
Released20202020
Raster index5540

Which CPU do you need?

Slowest common CPU that keeps each card under a 10% bottleneck at 1440p High.

Graphics cardSlowest CPUFPS
RTX 3080Ryzen 5 3600 or faster76
RTX 3070Ryzen 5 3600 or faster59

Which should you buy?

Buy the RTX 3080 if you want the faster card: it's 54% ahead at 4K. The RTX 3070 is the better buy only if it costs at least 49% less, the gap at 1440p, because then it delivers more frames per dollar. Already own the RTX 3070? Going to the RTX 3080 gains 49% at 1440p, which is a worthwhile upgrade.

Buy the RTX 3080 if…

  • you want the most FPS: it's 54% faster at 4K and 49% at 1440p.
  • you play with ray tracing: 46 vs 30 FPS at 1440p.
  • you play at 4K or use high-resolution texture packs: 10 GB of VRAM vs 8 GB.

Buy the RTX 3070 if…

  • it costs at least 49% less than the RTX 3080, which makes it the better value per frame.
  • it's the cheaper of the two where you shop: performance is close enough that price decides.

Check your build

These numbers use a Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate the graphics card. Your own CPU, resolution and settings change the result, so run your exact parts through the calculator.

Check Ryzen 5 3600 + RTX 3080 Check Ryzen 5 3600 + RTX 3070

Popular builds with these cards

Ryzen 7 9800X3D + RTX 30801440p · GPU-limited 56% · ≈88 FPSRyzen 7 7800X3D + RTX 30801440p · GPU-limited 50% · ≈88 FPSRyzen 5 7600 + RTX 30801440p · GPU-limited 35% · ≈88 FPSRyzen 5 7600 + RTX 30701440p · GPU-limited 56% · ≈59 FPSCore i5-14600K + RTX 30701440p · GPU-limited 60% · ≈59 FPSRyzen 7 5700X3D + RTX 30701440p · GPU-limited 55% · ≈59 FPS

RTX 3080 vs RTX 3070: quick answers

Is the RTX 3080 faster than the RTX 3070?

Yes. The RTX 3080 is about 54% faster at 4K and 49% faster at 1440p in AAA games at High settings. With ray tracing on at 1440p the RTX 3080 gets about 46 FPS and the RTX 3070 30 FPS.

How many FPS do the RTX 3080 and RTX 3070 get?

With a Ryzen 7 9800X3D at High settings in AAA games, the RTX 3080 averages about 126 FPS at 1080p, 88 at 1440p and 51 at 4K. The RTX 3070 averages 92, 59 and 33 FPS. DLSS, FSR or XeSS upscaling adds roughly 40% where the graphics card is the limit.

What CPU do I need for the RTX 3080 or RTX 3070?

To keep the CPU bottleneck under 10% at 1440p, the RTX 3080 needs a Ryzen 5 3600 or faster and the RTX 3070 needs a Ryzen 5 3600 or faster. At 1080p you need a faster CPU for the same result, and at 4K a slower one is fine. A slower CPU narrows the gap between the RTX 3080 and the RTX 3070.