nvidia geforce rtx 4070 ti vs rtx 4080 - which graphics card should i buy?

Just over 2 months since NVIDIA released the initial RTX 40 Series GPU line up, gamers and creators everywhere have been left with only one aspiration on their minds – to get their PC builds outfitted with an RTX 40 card. However, the staggered release schedule has meant different models released on various dates since the initial October release which saw the launch of the RTX 4090 GPU range for purchase. System builders who either could not afford the eyebrow-raising price point exceeding that of £1600 or simply decided not to invest in the first batch of releases have instead been left scratching their heads wondering which graphics card within the range might be better suited to their needs and budgets. This is where the recent release of the RTX 4070 Ti and RTX 4080 ranges might just be what you are looking for. Their more median price point doesn’t come at a significant trade-off to the spec or feature list, making an attractive choice to any system builder looking to invest.

However, that does leave the question – which graphics should I buy between the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti and the RTX 4080? Read all about how each GPU stacks up against the other in this article and see which one of the two might be making its way into your PC build next. We will highlight some of the major differences between the two models, including the discrepancies in cost and performance, in addition to a few other features that are worth noting as you justify your purchase.

First off, it is worth taking a broad look at the release of the RTX 40 series lineup as a whole, examining what these graphics cards have been designed to do and how they do it. So far, the line-up has consisted of models ranging from the more entry-level RTX 4050 to the medium-ranged RTX 4060 and 4070, all the way to the higher-end RTX 4070 Ti, 4080 and 4090 models, which means you have plenty of choice overall when looking through this particular release. Perhaps the most important component within your gaming PCs is your graphics card. Of course, a case could be made for your other hardware like your processors and your motherboards, but with the role your GPU plays in both visuals and performance, its case is certainly one of the most compelling.

ARE RTX 40 SERIES GRAPHICS CARDS GOOD FOR GAMING?

Built upon the Ada Lovelace architecture, NVIDIA’s RTX 40 Series has revolutionised the way we play, create and work. With twice the power and performance efficiency of previous-generation GPUs, courtesy of new streaming multiprocessors, in addition to new AI innovations, RTX 40 Series graphics cards have laid a new foundation for gamers and creators to explore to realise their full potential. Some of the standout features include the Third-Gen Ray Tracing Cores which have enabled users to experience exceptional detail in their virtual worlds like never before, with new layers of detail and realism. When it comes to performance in your competitive games, your mouse and keyboard inputs will have never felt so sharp and precise, with game-changing technology like NVIDIA Reflex minimising latency while optimising frame rates. The AI revolution that is NVIDIA DLSS 3 will also enhance your ability to win games decisively by creating additional frames within your action sequences to ensure you always remain in sync and in control.

ARE RTX 40 SERIES GRAPHICS CARDS GOOD FOR DIGITAL CREATION?

GeForce RTX 40 GPUs also feature a host of creative tools like NVIDIA Studio and NVIDIA Canvas, which allows aspiring creatives to meet deadlines and take on more ambitious projects by accessing top-creative apps. From 3D CAD rendering to video editing to graphic design, RTX 40 GPUs harness the power and stability of AI-assisted creation to fast-track your ability to transform concepts into physical works. The NVIDIA Omniverse utility is another useful tool as it encourages collaboration to help you share ideas and receive inspiration when you need it most.

Cost

It’s no secret that the price of the RTX 40 range has resulted in some discussion, with the RTX 4070 Ti and RTX 4080 both being included. On average an RTX 4070 Ti graphics card will cost you anywhere from £850 to the upper reaches of £990. When the previous generation RTX 3070 Ti GPUs were released, the average price was set to around £500, which means you are paying somewhat of a premium when comparing the current and previous generation models. But we aren’t doing that. Instead, when looking at the RTX 4080 price point we are seeing a much wider scale, starting from around £1250 and topping off at around £1690.

This means the price difference between the two models is quite significant, instantly establishing the RTX 4070 Ti as the more budget-friendly option between the two. But if the higher price tag is accompanied by much better specs and features, then it is probably justified right? Well that question lends itself nicely to our next point.

Specs

Below is a table provided by NVIDIA that details the major spec differences between the RTX 4070 Ti and the RTX 4080 graphics cards. The greater the number of CUDA cores, the greater number of calculations your GPU can accomplish at any given time. Having more CUDA cores than the RTX 4070 Ti means that the RTX 4080 is better adept at tackling high-intensity workflows such as gaming and content creation. When it comes to memory size, the RTX 4080 once again has the advantage, supporting up to 16GB compared to the 4070 Ti’s max 12GB support.

The area where the 4070 Ti does have the upper hand is when it comes to Boost Clock. Boost Clock determines how effective your graphics card is when it comes to handling workflows and demands that are more intense than normal, without having to alter any settings. Users that may not be as familiar with the in-depth settings menu of their GPU performance will really benefit from the RTX 4070 Ti’s higher boost clock potential as it means you can continue to overclock your system without actually having to tweak any settings that you may not be 100% confident in altering. In terms of how this impacts your gameplay, a higher Boost Clock (or clock speed in general) will mean higher FPS.

Power Consumption

One of the show-stopping statements attached to the RTX 40 series flagship release was its claim to be able to double the performance of the RTX 3090 series. Of course, in doing so the result is your GPU having to draw on a lot more power from your PC system’s power supply unit. On average, the RTX 4070 Ti will use around 300W of power, which is roughly the same amount of power as the previous generation RTX 3070 Ti, while delivering a huge leap in performance. Similarly, the RTX 4080 utilises anywhere from 285W to 320W on average, depending on which model and spec you opt for. The similarity in power consumption means that regardless of which GPU you choose to purchase, the PSU you select to go along with it will be the same either way.

Vram

One area of the major difference between the RTX 4070 Ti and the RTX 4080 is the VRAM. VRAM is a type of RAM used specifically in graphical processing tasks, which is important to pay attention to when selecting a graphics card. The RTX 4080 does in fact boast more VRAM than the 4070 Ti, which means processing content at higher resolutions is made to be more efficient. This translates to a host of benefits including more responsive gameplay and streaming. Both GPUs are capable of supporting content at 4K and 8K resolutions, but HDR support is limited to only the 4070 Ti, which is a huge benefit.

Design

Coming to the end of our comparison, the last noteworthy difference to point out is that being a Ti graphics card, the RTX 4070 Ti is made of titanium. Many of you might be aware of this, but some of you who are new to system building may not. Ti GPUs tend to be more stable and powerful than their non-Ti counterparts i.e. the RTX 4070 but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are better than the non-Ti GPU that is ahead of them in the line-up i.e. the RTX 4080.

Conclusion And Final Verdict

Now that we have all the facts laid bare before us it’s time to make a final decision – NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti or RTX 4080? As things stand it’s hard to say for certain that one GPU is better than the other, because both do a number of things well when compared to one another, and especially when compared to other graphics cards on the market. The answer is dependent on a number of things which will likely influence a number of factors during your PC build process. Cost, clock speed, VRAM capacity and all these other variables will provide plenty for you to think about not just when it comes to these two GPUs, but also when you are considering any other RTX 40 Series graphics card. So make sure your decision is made thoughtfully and with all the facts lined up.