RTX 3080 vs RX 6800 XT
The RTX 3080 is about 5% faster than the RX 6800 XT at 4K and 4% faster at 1440p.
Quick verdict: the RTX 3080 is the faster card, but the RX 6800 XT is the safer long-term pick if you play at high resolutions with high textures and plan to keep the card for years.
RTX 3080 vs RX 6800 XT: Specs and Performance
| Spec | GeForce RTX 3080 | Radeon RX 6800 XT |
|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spy (graphics) | 19,667 | 18,456 |
| Estimated FPS · 1080p | 132 | 127 |
| Estimated FPS · 1440p | 102 | 98 |
| Estimated FPS · 4K | 62 | 59 |
| Video memory | 10 GB | 16 GB |
| Board power | 320 W | 300 W |
| Launch price (MSRP) | $699 | $649 |
| PCI Express | 4.0 ×16 | 4.0 ×16 |
| Release year | 2020 | 2020 |
| Series | NVIDIA RTX 30 Series | AMD RX 6000 Series (RDNA 2) |
Estimated FPS at 1080p, 1440p and 4K
1080p: the RTX 3080 leads by 4%. 1440p: the RTX 3080 leads by 4%. 4K: the RTX 3080 leads by 5%. These figures come from our performance model, calibrated against published benchmark averages. They are estimates for comparing the two cards, not results measured on your PC.
Estimated FPS in Popular Games at 1440p
| Game (settings) | RTX 3080 | RX 6800 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Cyberpunk 2077 (High, no ray tracing) | ~80 | ~80 |
| Fortnite (High, DirectX 12) | ~135 | ~125 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (High) | ~115 | ~115 |
| Counter-Strike 2 (High) | ~245 | ~235 |
Per-game figures scale each card's modelled 1440p average by how demanding the game is relative to our test blend, rounded to the nearest 5 FPS. Counter-Strike 2 is usually limited by the processor well before these numbers.
Verdict: RTX 3080 or RX 6800 XT?
The RTX 3080 is slightly faster than the RX 6800 XT: about 4% at 1080p, 4% at 1440p and 5% at 4K in our model.
The RX 6800 XT carries 16GB of video memory against 10GB on the RTX 3080. 10GB is fine at 1440p today; the larger buffer mainly buys headroom at 4K and for games released over the next few years. That makes this a genuine trade-off: the faster card has the smaller buffer.
At launch the RTX 3080 was $699 and the RX 6800 XT $649, which works out to $6.9 and $6.6 per frame at 1440p. On those prices the RX 6800 XT is the better value, but street prices move every week, so check before you buy.
Beyond raw speed, the RTX 3080 brings DLSS upscaling, but not NVIDIA frame generation, while the RX 6800 XT offers FSR 3 frame generation, with first-generation ray tracing.
Bottom line: the RTX 3080 is the faster card, but the RX 6800 XT is the safer long-term pick if you play at high resolutions with high textures and plan to keep the card for years.
Pairing Either Card With a Processor
A faster graphics card only helps if the processor can keep up. Each card's own page lists the slowest CPU that will not hold it back at every resolution:
- GeForce RTX 3080: best CPU pairing and bottleneck
- Radeon RX 6800 XT: best CPU pairing and bottleneck
- Check your own processor in the bottleneck calculator
Power supply: a common rule of thumb is the card's board power plus about 150W for the rest of a gaming PC, with 30% headroom. That points to roughly 650W for the RTX 3080 and 600W for the RX 6800 XT. Check the card maker's own recommendation too.
Related GPU Comparisons
RTX 3080 vs RX 6800 XT: Common Questions
Is the RTX 3080 better than the RX 6800 XT?
The RTX 3080 is the faster card, but the RX 6800 XT is the safer long-term pick if you play at high resolutions with high textures and plan to keep the card for years. The RTX 3080 is about 5% faster than the RX 6800 XT at 4K and 4% faster at 1440p.
Which is better for 1440p, the RTX 3080 or the RX 6800 XT?
The GeForce RTX 3080, by about 4% (102 vs 98 FPS on high settings in our model).
Which is better for 4K, the RTX 3080 or the RX 6800 XT?
The GeForce RTX 3080, by about 5% (62 vs 59 FPS on high settings in our model).
Does the RTX 3080 have more VRAM than the RX 6800 XT?
No. The RTX 3080 has 10GB, while the RX 6800 XT has 16GB.
Data last reviewed October 15, 2026. Launch prices are US MSRPs; board power is the reference design's rating. See the methodology for how every figure is produced.