NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 vs NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5080
Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5080 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 450 W | 360 W |
| CUDA / Stream cores | 16384 | 10752 |
| Ray tracing cores | 128 | 84 |
| VRAM | 24 GB | 16 GB |
| Memory bus | 384 bit | 256 bit |
| 3DMark Time Spy | 28000 | 23800 |
Between the GeForce RTX 4090 and GeForce RTX 5080, the GeForce RTX 4090 comes out ahead in cuda / stream cores / ray tracing cores, while the GeForce RTX 5080 wins on tdp / boost clock. Overall, the GeForce RTX 4090 scores 78 and the GeForce RTX 5080 scores 71.4 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The GeForce RTX 4090 edges ahead on the Mars Score (78 vs 71.4), but the 6.6-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the GeForce RTX 4090 if you push the hardware — gaming, on-device AI, heavy multitasking — and the extra compute headroom is worth the trade-offs. The biggest gaps in its favor are cuda / stream cores, ray tracing cores, vram, among others. The single most decisive one: CUDA / Stream cores — 52.38% more. 16384 vs 10752.
Pick the GeForce RTX 5080 if you care most about tdp / boost clock. Its strongest claims are tdp, boost clock. The single most decisive one: TDP — 90.00 W less. 360 vs 450.
Both ship with comparable dlss, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the GeForce RTX 4090 is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Which should you buy: NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 or NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5080?
NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 leads the current Mars Score by 6.6 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare vram, cuda / stream cores, boost clock, tdp against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 if…
NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 has the measurable edge on cuda cores, ray tracing cores, vram gb.
Choose NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5080 if…
NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5080 has the measurable edge on tdp w, boost clock mhz.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 wins
- ▲CUDA / Stream cores — 52.38% more. 16384 vs 10752.
- ▲Ray tracing cores — 52.38% more. 128 vs 84.
- ▲VRAM — 50.00% more. 24 GB vs 16 GB.
- ▲Memory bus — 50.00% more. 384 bit vs 256 bit.
- ▲3DMark Time Spy — 17.65% more. 28000 vs 23800.
Why NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5080 wins
- ▲TDP — 90.00 W less. 360 vs 450.
- ▲Boost clock — 3.85% more. 2617 MHz vs 2520 MHz.
Spec comparison
Core
| Spec | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5080 |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | AD102 | GB203 |
| Base clockⓘ | 2235 MHz | 2295 MHzlead |
| Boost clockⓘ | 2520 MHz | 2617 MHzlead |
| CUDA / Stream coresⓘ | 16384lead | 10752 |
| Ray tracing coresⓘ | 128lead | 84 |
Memory
| Spec | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5080 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAMⓘ | 24 GBlead | 16 GB |
| VRAM typeⓘ | GDDR6X | GDDR7lead |
| Memory busⓘ | 384 bitlead | 256 bit |
Power & Form
| Spec | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5080 |
|---|---|---|
| TDPⓘ | 450 W | 360 Wlead |
| Recommended PSUⓘ | 850 W | 850 W |
| Length | 304 mm | 304 mm |
| Slot size | 3-slot | 2-slot |
Benchmarks
| Spec | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 4090 | NVIDIA - GeForce RTX 5080 |
|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spyⓘ | 28000lead | 23800 |
| DLSSⓘ | true | true |
| FSRⓘ | false | false |
Frequently asked
Which has more VRAM, GeForce RTX 4090 or GeForce RTX 5080?+
GeForce RTX 4090 ships with 24GB GDDR6X vs 16GB.
Which scores higher in 3DMark Time Spy, GeForce RTX 4090 or GeForce RTX 5080?+
GeForce RTX 4090 scores 28000 vs 23800.
Which draws less power, GeForce RTX 4090 or GeForce RTX 5080?+
GeForce RTX 5080 draws 360W TDP vs 450W.