The Nvidia RTX 3080 is one of the high-tier graphics cards that you can buy right now and it is ideal for 4K gaming. With features such as DLSS support and real-time ray tracing, not only does it provide impressive performance but a wide range of features as well. In this article, we are going to go over some of the best RTX 3080 graphics cards that you can buy right now.
The Nvidia RTX 3080 is a beast of a graphics card that is ideal for 4K gaming. It comes in 2 variants; an 8960 CUDA Core 12GB VRAM version and an 8704 CUDA Core 10GB VRAM version. The reference design card can boost to 1.71 GHz according to the official specifications but the custom variants can boost to higher frequencies. Both variants come with GDDR6X memory.
Best RTX 3080 Graphics Cards You Can Buy Right Now
The following are some of the best RTX 3080 graphics cards that we can recommend:
ASUS ROG Strix RTX 3080 V2 OC Edition
This is a very beefy graphics card. It is solid and thick and I would not blame you if you mistook it for an RTX 3090. The card looks great and has ample cooling. There is a BIOS switch on the card that allows you to switch between performance mode and quiet mode.
The card comes with a backplate and there are a pair of fan headers that you can use to connect your case fans and sync your RGB lighting. The card comes with 3x HDMI 2.0 ports and 2x DisplayPorts.
The card comes with a ruler and some cable ties. I would have preferred a bracket to prevent GPU sag but that is not the case. This is a pretty big graphics card so be sure to check case support before you buy. It is not going to fit inside something like the NZXT H1.
There is a cool light bar on the side of the graphic card which is not over the top and looks great if you like RGB lighting. In gaming mode, the base clock speed is 1440 MHz and it can boost to 1905 MHz. In OC mode, it can boost to 1935 MHz. As this is a very beefy card with ample cooling you can overclock the graphics card to 2100 MHz pretty easily.
It also comes in white if that is the color scheme that you are interested in going with.
The Breakdown
The following is what we like and dislike about the ASUS ROG Strix RTX 3080 V2 OC Edition:
Pros:
- Interesting design
- Cool RGB lighting
- Excellent cooling
- Great overclocking headroom
Cons:
- It will not fit in all cases
- Expensive
ASUS TUF RTX 3080 OC Edition
This is a fair bit cheaper than the Stix variant but the performance is very similar indeed. The design is different and in line with the TUF branding. It comes with three fans and a decent cooling solution to keep the thermals in check.
There is a back design and should blend in well with the rest of your build. The build quality is very good and feels premium. The TUF version comes with 2x HDMI 2.1 ports and 3x DisplayPort. It comes with a stainless steel I/O bracket and an aluminum backplate.
In gaming mode, the graphics card can boost to 1785 MHz and in OC mode it can boost to 1815 MHz. While gaming, the graphics card can run up to around 1900 MHz. When overclocked the card can get to 2010 MHz. The overall performance is better than the Founder’s Edition card.
The Breakdown
The following is what we like and dislike about the ASUS TUF RTX 3080 OC Edition:
Pros:
- Cheaper than Strix edition
- Stealthy design
- Excellent cooling
Cons:
- Little OC headroom
EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 FTW3 Ultra
The EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 FTW3 Ultra has a unique design with a massive light bar on the side. You can customize the lighting and sync it with the rest of your PC components. There is a beefy cooler on the card and it has three fans for cooling.
There are some red accents on the card, so you might not like that keeping in mind that the rest of the card is black. That is an odd design choice but it might not bother you. The shroud does not wrap around the card and the heatsink is exposed from the sides to increase airflow and heat dissipation.
There is an aluminum backplate on the back that has some cutouts to dissipate heat. There is a single HDMI 2.1 port and 3x DisplayPorts, similar to the Nvidia FE. The clock speed goes up to 1935 at stock speeds and the temperature remains at around 51C.
You can overclock the graphics card to get 3-5% better performance but note that this is a very power-hungry card and already consumes more than 20% power when compared to the Nvidia FE. Overclocking the graphics card will increase the power consumption even more. You can get a stable overclock of 2100 MHz.
The Breakdown
The following is what we like and dislike about the ASUS TUF RTX 3080 OC Edition:
Pros:
- Unique design
- Dual BIOS
- Excellent cooling
- Decent OC potential
Cons:
- Consumes a lot of power
- Red accents
GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 3080 Xtreme WATERFORCE
This is a water-cooled card that comes with an integrated waterblock and radiator. This all-in-one solution is ideal for people that are looking for a liquid-cooled graphic card but do not want to go into the hassle of custom liquid cooling.
The graphics card has a unique design and plenty of RGB lighting. There is RGB lighting on the radiator fans and the shroud as well. The graphics card has a core clock speed of 1845 MHz and since it is liquid-cooled, you should be able to get it to 2100 MHz and beyond.
You will need a pair of 8-pin power connectors in order to power this graphics card. For connectivity, you get 3x DP1.4a ports and a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports. There is an additional HDMI 2.0 port as well.
The Breakdown
The following is what we like and dislike about the 3080 Xtreme WATERFORCE:
Pros:
- Unique design
- AIO liquid cooling
- Silent operation
- Decent OC potential
Cons:
- Consumes a lot of power
- Expensive
GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 3080 Master
You can see that this is a premium graphics card just by looking at it. The design is off the top and it is very beefy. The card is long and is going to take 4-slots, so be sure to check case compatibility before you commit to buying it.
The graphics card does have RGB lighting but the design feature that sticks out is the LCD. It can be customized to show information or images that you like. The boost clock speed is 1845MHz but the beefy cooler allows you to overclock it to 2100 MHz.
The card has three fans which only kick in once the run graphics-intensive tasks such as gaming. Even when they are on, the card is pretty silent and chances are that you are going to hear your case fans over the GPU fans. For connectivity, you get 3x DisplayPort 1.4 and 3x HDMI 2.1 ports.
The Breakdown
The following is what we like and dislike about the RTX 3080 Master:
Pros:
- Unique design
- Silent operation
- Decent OC potential
- Impressive customization
Cons:
- 4-slot card
- Expensive, even for a 3080
- LCD is tricky to setup
These are some of the best RTX 3080 graphics cards that we can recommend. If you are interested in upgrading your system then you can also check out our recommended H670 motherboards for Intel 12th Generation Alder Lake CPUs.