NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080
Head-to-head comparison: specs, benchmarks, ray tracing, and value. Which is right for your build?
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
Still a beast in 2026. The RTX 4090 remains a genuine 4K monster, especially with DLSS 3 frame generation. It misses out on DLSS 4's multi-frame gen exclusive features, but raw rasterization is still elite. With prices fluctuating since the 5090 launch, it can occasionally be found at attractive discounts.
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NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080
The smart enthusiast pick. The RTX 5080 hits the sweet spot between performance and price, delivering near-RTX 4090 performance for half the cost of the 5090. 16GB of GDDR7 is enough for any current 4K title, and DLSS 4 closes the gap to the 5090 in supported games. A great pairing for high-refresh 1440p or 4K 120Hz.
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| Spec | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 |
|---|---|---|
| Price (MSRP) | $1,599 | $999 |
| VRAM | 24GB GDDR6X | 16GB GDDR7 |
| Memory Bus | 384-bit | 256-bit |
| Memory Bandwidth | 1008 GB/s | 960 GB/s |
| CUDA / Stream Cores | 16,384 | 10,752 |
| Boost Clock | 2520 MHz | 2617 MHz |
| Ray Tracing Cores | 128 | 84 |
| TDP | 450W | 360W |
| 3DMark Time Spy | 35,200 | 27,800 |
| Rasterization Score | 88/100 | 73/100 |
| Ray Tracing Score | 86/100 | 71/100 |
| Value Score | 70/100 | 78/100 |
The Verdict
Based on raw performance, ray tracing capability, and value, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 comes out ahead in this comparison. That said, the right pick depends on your budget, target resolution, and whether you care more about ray tracing, rasterization, or VRAM capacity. Both cards have their place — read the individual reviews for the full breakdown.