GeForce RTX 3080 vs. Radeon RX 6800 XT: 2023 Revisit

At the moment we’re revisiting the battle between probably the most affordable previous-gen high-end GPUs, the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 10GB, and we’ll be doing so in 50 video games at 1440p and 4K.

Earlier than we get into the blue bar graphs, a fast refresher on this GPU battle:

Again in early 2021, we in contrast them in a 30 sport benchmark and located that the Radeon 6800 XT was on common 5% sooner at 1080p, we noticed similar efficiency at 1440p, after which the Radeon was 6% slower at 4K. Then in 2022 we re-tested with 50 video games and located the GeForce RTX 3080 was 3% slower at 1080p, 1% sooner at 1440p and seven% sooner at 4K – so pretty related margins to the 2021 take a look at between the 2 GPUs.

Nonetheless, each comparisons have include just a few caveats. For instance, for those who’re fascinated with ray tracing efficiency, then the RTX 3080 is usually a lot sooner than the averages would counsel. The Nvidia GPU additionally enjoys assist for superior upscaling tech in DLSS.

However the Radeon 6800 XT packs extra VRAM, although so far the RTX 3080 has gotten away virtually unscathed with its 10GB buffer.

This 2023 comparability will nonetheless embrace 50 video games, however this time there are extra ray tracing configurations included, so that ought to swing issues extra in favor of the GeForce RTX 3080, although we’ll additionally make a comparability utilizing simply the rasterized knowledge, for these of you not fascinated with ray tracing efficiency. We have additionally accomplished some exploration into VRAM utilization on the RTX 3080 and we’ll get into that in the direction of the tip of this assessment.

We must also word that this assessment is not supposed to be a shopping for information. Relatively the purpose of the revisit is to see how nicely every product has aged.

In case you had been available in the market for both of those merchandise, the Radeon 6800 XT continues to be obtainable new at round $530, whereas the RTX 3080 is generally out of inventory or inexplicably costly new, and solely nearer to the Radeon’s pricing when shopping for second hand.

As a common reference, the MSRP for the RTX 3080 was once $700, whereas the Radeon 6800 XT’s MSRP was $650. It is loopy to notice that once we final in contrast these two GPUs in early 2022, each had been priced round $1,200, so issues have actually improved for the reason that cryptocurrency increase – although you may additionally argue that the GPU market by no means absolutely recovered and if AMD and Nvidia get their manner, it by no means will, so preserve that in thoughts players.

For testing at this time, we used a Ryzen 9 7950X3D however with the second CCD disabled to make sure most efficiency in all video games. This CPU has been examined on the Gigabyte X670E Aorus Grasp utilizing 32GB of DDR5-6000 CL30 reminiscence.

As ordinary we’ll go over the information for round a dozen titles earlier than leaping into the massive breakdown graphs. The resolutions of curiosity are 1440p and 4K, so let’s get into it…

Benchmarks

First up we’ve Cyberpunk 2077 utilizing the excessive preset with ray tracing disabled and as you may see efficiency between these two GPUs is principally similar. The RTX 3080 is 2% sooner at 1440p and 5% sooner at 4K, principally we’re only a few frames at every examined decision.

If we allow ray tracing, the RTX 3080 finds itself comfortably forward, rendering 47% extra frames at 1440p and 57% extra at 4K, each large wins. Nonetheless we might solely take into account the 1440p knowledge as related contemplating the RTX 3080 was good for 66 fps on common which is very playable. Additionally please word that whereas FSR 2 was used right here, scaling with DLSS is similar utilizing the RTX 3080.

Dying Gentle 2 is one other title that has been examined with and with out ray tracing enabled, and first up we’ve the prime quality preset which does not use ray tracing and forces the DX11 API. Right here we discover that efficiency between these two GPUs is similar, the 6800 XT was simply 2% sooner at 1440p after which each rendered 49 fps at 4K.

Then as we present in Cyberpunk 2077, enabling ray tracing arms the RTX 3080 an enormous efficiency benefit due to its extra mature RT assist. The RTX 3080 was 48% sooner at 1440p after which 52% sooner at 4K.

Solely the 1440p knowledge is value noting in our opinion because the RTX 3080 was good for 68 fps which is a playable body charge in comparison with 38 fps at 4K. Additionally, you would not allow RT on the Radeon 6800 XT on this title.

Subsequent up we’ve Name of Responsibility Fashionable Warfare II and this title favors the Radeon GPU, permitting the 6800 XT to ship 17% extra frames at 1440p and eight% extra at 4K when utilizing the extremely excessive preset, and as we have discovered previously scaling is far the identical utilizing the decrease high quality presets.

A Plague Story: Requiem was additionally examined utilizing the extremely high quality preset and efficiency is far the identical between these two GPUs, the RTX 3080 was just a few frames sooner at every examined decision, however general efficiency and the gaming expertise was the identical.

We went again and checked out ray tracing efficiency to see if it labored on the RTX 3080’s 10GB VRAM buffer and located the sport used 9.6 GB at 1440p and performed at 60-70 fps, however 4K was an excessive amount of requiring 13 GB and this resulted in stuttering on the 3080.

That mentioned, this was of no actual consequence for this matchup because the Radeon 6800 XT did not have sufficient energy to render playable body charges anyway, regardless of having sufficient VRAM.

Subsequent up we’ve Whole Struggle: Warhammer III and this has by no means been a great title for Radeon GPUs. Right here the GeForce RTX 3080 was 14% sooner at 1440p and 23% sooner at 4K, each of that are substantial margins and clear wins for the Nvidia GPU.

The 4K efficiency can be significantly noticeable because the RTX 3080 delivers an affordable expertise right here, whereas the 44 fps on common from the Radeon 6800 XT will really feel very laggy.

The Callisto Protocol at 1440p sees the GeForce RTX 3080 performing 7% sooner than the Radeon 6800 XT and 9% sooner at 4K. Not a large margin, however the GeForce was clearly sooner at each examined resolutions.

One of many latest video games included in our 50 sport benchmark is Atomic Coronary heart and right here the Radeon 6800 XT and GeForce RTX 3080 are evenly matched, with the GeForce nudging forward by only a body or two.

Subsequent we’ve Fortnite and we’ll begin with the DirectX 11 mode, which usually delivers the perfect outcomes for those who’re not closely CPU restricted, the sport’s efficiency mode additionally makes use of the DX11 API.

Underneath these circumstances the Radeon 6800 XT was 10% sooner at 1440p after which 6% sooner at 4K, although 1% lows had been virtually 30% higher.

Switching to DX12 reduces efficiency and now the GeForce RTX 3080 is 10% sooner at 1440p and 15% sooner at 4K.

Utilizing {hardware} ray tracing, Nanite and Lumen enabled, the GeForce RTX 3080 was 9% sooner at 1440p and 38% sooner at 4K. Each had been affordable at 1440p, whereas solely the GeForce is usable at 4K.

Transferring on to Hogwarts Legacy we discover related efficiency between the 2 GPUs at 1440p utilizing the extremely high quality preset. The GeForce RTX 3080 was constantly just a few frames sooner when evaluating the common body charge, however slower when wanting on the 1% lows.

Then with ray tracing enabled, the GeForce RTX 3080 was 32% sooner on common and but regardless of that the 6800 XT delivered a smoother expertise with much less body stutters, whereas at 4K the RTX 3080 was fully damaged and though the 6800 XT did undergo from body stuttering, efficiency general was poor, resulting in an unplayable gaming expertise with sub-30 fps.

The GeForce RTX 3080 managed to return out comfortably on high in our Halo Infinite testing, delivering 12% sooner efficiency at 1440p and 16% at 4K.

To be honest, each GPUs are exceptionally quick on this title utilizing extremely settings, however for those who’re after most efficiency then the 3080 has it over the 6800 XT on this title.

Forza Horizon 5 offers the nod to the 6800 XT at 1440p, the place the Radeon was 15% sooner, although the 1% lows had been very related. Then at 4K we’re very comparable efficiency, 5% better common body charge for the 6800 XT, whereas 1% lows had been 3% higher for the RTX 3080.

AMD enjoys a win in Loss of life Stranding, however like Halo, body charges are excessively excessive utilizing both of those two GPUs, so the Radeon 6800 XT’s 9% victory at 1440p is not as important. Then at 4K we discover the 6800 XT to be simply 3% sooner, so you would say efficiency is similar.

In Struggle Thunder the RTX 3080 was 6% sooner at 1440p however then oddly 10% slower at 4K. Some unusual scaling right here, however general with each GPUs pushing nicely previous 200 fps, it would not actually matter.

Lastly, we’ve the ever in style Counter-Strike the place each GPUs delivered close to similar efficiency at each resolutions. Do word we’re not utilizing the workshop benchmark for this testing, as an alternative we’re utilizing a replay from knowledgeable match because it represents precise gameplay efficiency extra precisely.

Efficiency Abstract

That was a preliminary take a look at 14 of the 50 video games we examined, some with ray tracing results enabled and a few with out. Now it is time to see how these two GPUs examine throughout all of the video games examined. Beginning with the 1440p knowledge…

In earlier exams we have discovered efficiency between these two GPUs to be comparatively the identical, and that actually nonetheless holds true, however with extra ray tracing exams in our 50 sport suite, the Radeon 6800 XT is now 6% slower on common at 1440p.

You’ll be able to see the 8 worst titles for AMD all had ray tracing enabled. In the meantime, there have been simply 4 video games the place the 6800 XT was sooner than the RTX 3080 by a ten% margin or extra.

As you’ll anticipate based mostly on the earlier knowledge, growing the decision to 4K additional favors the GeForce RTX 3080, and now the Radeon 6800 XT is 8% slower on common. The one actual outlier right here is Hogwarts Legacy the place the RTX 3080 runs out of VRAM, however the 6800 XT wasn’t capable of present playable efficiency right here both, so technically that result’s void, and if we take away it the 6800 XT turns into 10% slower on common.

Now, if we take away the ray tracing knowledge from our 1440p outcomes we see that the Radeon 6800 XT is simply 2% slower than the RTX 3080, lowering the variety of take a look at configurations from 57 to 42.

Then at 4K, we discover that the Radeon 6800 XT is 6% slower than the RTX 3080 with the one actual outlier being Fortnite DX12. This aligns completely with our 2021 knowledge which additionally discovered the Radeon 6800 XT to be 6% slower at 4K and that knowledge set included only a few ray tracing enabled configurations.

What We Discovered

So there you might have it. For normal rasterization efficiency, the Radeon RX 6800 XT and GeForce RTX 3080 preserve buying and selling blows. Nonetheless, as we have additionally concluded since day one, for those who care in any respect about ray tracing efficiency, then the RTX 3080 stays the plain alternative.

As issues stand at this time, the 10GB buffer of the RTX 3080 continues to be simply sufficient to get away with enabling ray tracing in all the newest video games, you may probably break efficiency in some cases, however some small tweaks can get it working.

Video games the place the 8GB RTX 3070 is totally damaged akin to The Callisto Protocol at 1440p with ray tracing enabled labored simply tremendous with the RTX 3080 as simply shy of 9GB is required, and we discovered all textures loaded in Forspoken, even at 4K utilizing the extremely excessive preset which permits ray tracing by default. So the 10GB buffer is at the moment proper on the sting with at this time’s video games.

Meaning the RTX 3080 stays a better option for ray tracing, and in that sense it is aged fairly nicely and it is actually worlds higher than the 3070/3070 Ti.

One other characteristic that has aged nicely, rather well in actual fact, is DLSS. The present state of DLSS assist and high quality is great, this really is the important thing good thing about GeForce GPUs and we have been certain to make this recognized for a while now – principally ever since DLSS acquired good with its second iteration.

Thus, not lots has modified from our earlier two revisits. Final time we concluded that we felt it was very simple to argue in favor of the RTX 3080 given these options. We would solely go for the Radeon 6800 XT if we weren’t fascinated with ray tracing and if it was extra inexpensive.

Efficiency abstract graph from our current RTX 4070 assessment

Because it occurs to be the case now although, if you need a brand new graphics card, the Radeon RX 6800 XT continues to be obtainable in some areas at round $530, whereas the GeForce RTX 3080 is generally out of inventory or promoting for absurdly excessive pricing new. Trying on the second hand market, the RTX 3080 10GB is at the moment round $500 on eBay, however that comes with all of the caveats of an used GPU.

With the launch of the same performing GeForce RTX 4070 (try our full assessment), it brings attention-grabbing worth at $600 in comparison with different launches this technology that had been all very costly as compared, plus it additionally presents a 12GB VRAM buffer, so it is no less than worthy of consideration if you have not upgraded your GPU within the final two generations.