Best GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Graphics Cards Available – Which One To Get?

It’s Q4, and some of the graphics cards’ pricing has improved while some didn’t. We have seen RTX 3090 Ti selling for MSRP, but I think the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is still (one of) the best for the high-end graphics card. Although, some of the best RTX 3080 (non-Ti) are alright too. The GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is a cheaper version of the RTX 3090. Currently, the RTX 4090 cards sell above $2,000, which is beyond its MSRP, unfortunately. So, if you are in the market wondering which RTX 3080 Ti you should get, we listed here some of the best RTX 3080 Ti graphics cards in the market.

UPDATE 2/15/2023: I thought that the RTX 3080 Ti graphics cards would be discounted by now. However, when I check the current market prices, these RTX 3080 Ti are still selling at above $1,000 USD. However, some retailers are selling it for below thousand dollars. If that’s the case, consider the latest RTX 4080 instead. The RTX 4080 is even faster than the previous flagship RTX 3090 Ti. Check out some of the best RTX 4080 graphics cards here.

UPDATE: Note that as of September 17, 2022, EVGA has announced that they will no longer work with NVIDIA, ending the partnership immediately. They will continue to support and sell the RTX 30 series cards until all their stocks are sold. EVGA will also keep parts on hand for replacement and warranty purposes. Once all are consumed, they are finished with the graphics card business.

Best RTX 3080 Ti Graphics Cards Today

All GeForce RTX 3080 Ti graphics cards in the market are powered with the same 8nm GA102 GPU based on the Ampere architecture. It has 10240 CUDA cores, 320 TMUs, 112 ROPs, and 12GB of GDDR6X memory running on a 384-bit memory interface. These are all common to all RTX 3080 Ti graphics cards.

The main difference lies in the cooler design and PCB design. Some AIB advertises or highlights the boost clock speed of their graphics card. But at the end of the day, all of them will boost higher thanks to NVIDIA Boost technology. The graphics card only needs sufficient power and enough cooling to keep the GPU’s temperature at bay. With the conditions met, the GPU will eventually boost higher.

Below is a summary of all the graphics cards mentioned in this list. It is in alphabetical order. Later in the article, I’ll be categorizing them according to their (unique) features. I’ll also show you some performance numbers and answer some frequently asked questions regarding the RTX 3080 Ti GPU.

GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Performance

To give you an idea of how fast the RTX 3080 Ti is, here are some performance benchmarks at 4K resolution with maximum or ultra graphics preset. Note that some RTX 3080 Ti will perform slightly faster than others, and some will slightly be slower. GPU cooling, power, and silicon lottery are also at play. But at the end of the day, all of the RTX 3080 Ti cards will perform within the same performance range. Most of the time, the difference is minimal and negligible. NVIDIA controls how these GPUs perform.

RTX 3080 Ti FAQs

What RTX 3080 Ti has the best cooler and great cooling performance?

From the list, the Asus ROG Strix LC and EVGA XC3 Ultra Hybrid, definitely, have the better cooling solution. The GPU is liquid-cooled, while the other components are air-cooled. Unfortunately, they are costly compared to air-cooled RTX 3080 Ti. The good news is, most RTX 3080 Ti with a tri-fan cooling system will offer anywhere from sufficient to excellent cooling performance.

What RTX 3080 Ti is the fastest out of the box?

Out of the box, the Asus ROG Strix LC RTX 3080 Ti, EVGA RTX 3080 Ti FTW3 and MSI RTX 3080 Ti SUPRIM X have the higher or faster boost clock speed. They come with a factory overclock settings. But like I mentioned earlier if the graphics card has enough power and the GPU is sufficiently cooled, it will eventually boost higher. My MSI Suprim X can achieve around ~2,000MHz(+/-) without additional tweaking or manual overclocking.

Is it worth it to buy an expensive RTX 3080 Ti graphics card?

Yes and no. It depends on how you define “worth”. Some people are okay to spend more on the design, looks, and aesthetics. But even the liquid-cooled RTX 3080 Ti will not perform significantly better compared to the air-cooled RTX 3080 Ti. For sure it will have an advantage since it has a better cooling solution. But is it worth it for you?

Most of the time, even the simplest RTX 3080 Ti, like NVIDIA RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition is enough already.

What’s the best CPU for the RTX 3080 Ti?

Generally speaking, you can pair the RTX 3080 Ti with any CPU. But if you are using a slower or entry-level CPU, its performance may be poor. So, since you are willing to spend thousands of dollars for an RTX 3080 Ti, it would only be wise to not skimp on the CPU.

I would recommend AMD’s Ryzen 9 5950X, 5900X, or Ryzen 7 5800X. For Intel, the latest 12th Gen Intel Core CPUs, like the Core i9-12900(K/F) and Core i7-12700(K/F) are currently some of the best in the market, especially in gaming. The older 10th gen and 11th gen CPUs are not bad either. But if you’re building a new system, I recommend that you jump to the latest 12th Gen Intel CPU since the performance difference from its predecessor is substantial.

Should I get an RTX 3080 Ti if I have a 1080p monitor?

No, definitely no! Just like what we have experienced on our RTX 3080 review, the GPU is being bottlenecked by the 1080p resolution. There’s some performance left on the table and it is simply not designed for lower resolutions.

What’s the best monitor for the RTX 3080 Ti?

4K (2160p) and 2K (1440p) would be the ideal resolution for the RTX 3080 Ti. You can check out our article on the best 4K gaming monitors here.

So, which RTX 3080 Ti should I get?

The RTX 3080 Ti graphics cards listed here are all good. It’s really up to you which one would you prefer and based on your budget.

Best GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Graphics Cards in General

EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti FTW3 Ultra Gaming

EVGA’s RTX 3080 Ti FTW3 Ultra Gaming is another beast of a graphics card. It offers a higher factory overclock setting and a thick and substantial aluminum heatsink to cool the GPU and VRAM. The heatsink is cooled by three fans and there is RGB lighting on the front-side portion.

EVGA RTX 3080 Ti FTW3 Ultra Gaming available on Amazon here.

Asus ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3080 Ti OC Edition

Aside from the EVGA FTW3 Ultra graphics cards, Asus’ ROG Strix series is also a popular graphics card. And the Asus ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3080 Ti OC Edition is no slouch in terms of being one of the best 3080 Ti card in the market. It has a 2.9-slot design, with three Axial-tech fan design, nice-looking RGB lighting, and its aesthetics is simple a headturner. It also feels premium on hand and its cooling solution is quite effective.

Asus ROG Strix RTX 3080 Ti OC Edition check on Amazon here.

MSI GeForce RTX 3080TI SUPRIM X 12G

Just like the EVGA FTW3, the MSI RTX 3080 Ti SUPRIM X is also a beast of a graphics card. It also requires three 8-pin power connectors and features a 20-phase power design. There’s a switch near the power connector that toggles between “silent” and “gaming” mode. Finally, it has some RGB lighting and this card feels heavy and premium on hand as well.

MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Ti SUPRIM X available on Amazon here.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition is one of the best RTX 3080 Ti in the market. Not only that it comes with the base price, but it’s also professional-looking, sleek, and clean. The flow-through design is excellent at cooling the GPU and other components. As expected from a Founders Edition, it does feel premium on hand.

NVIDIA RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition available on Amazon here.

Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Master 12G

This is definitely the “thiccest” RTX 3080 Ti on this list. The Aorus RTX 3080 Ti Master has three fans, with the middle one spinning in the opposite direction. It also has RGB lighting, but the unique feature of the RTX 3080 Ti Master are its dual BIOS, six output ports, and the (mini) LCD display on the rear-end front-side portion. Aside from displaying the GPU temperature, users can upload GIF and customize what will be displayed on the screen.

Aorus GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Master 12G available on Amazon here.

Also Good RTX 3080 Ti Graphics Card Alternatives

Below are more RTX 3080 Ti graphics cards that are not as premium as the cards mentioned above, but are generally cheaper and good options as well. These three features tri-fan cooling solution and they do perform as expected. The Gigabyte Vision is the only different card here since it has an all-white color scheme. Just choose which one do you prefer more when it comes to aesthetics.

• MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Gaming X Trio 12G available on Amazon here.
• Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Gaming OC 12G available on Amazon here.
• Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Vision OC 12G available on Amazon here.

Best RTX 3080 Ti with No (RGB) Lighting

Understandably, not all of us are a fan of RGB lighting. Some users don’t like RGB lighting or any kind of lighting at all. While you can disable the RGB lighting on the graphics card mentioned above, here are three RTX 3080 Ti that doesn’t have RGB lighting. The only exception is with the Asus TUF RTX 3080 Ti since the TUF logo on the rear end has a small RBG lighting. Nevertheless, all of these cards feature an all-black color scheme.

• ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 3080 Ti OC Edition available on Amazon here.
• EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti XC3 Ultra Gaming available on Amazon here.

Best Water-cooled RTX 3080 Ti Graphics Cards

For those who don’t mind spending more, money no object, and simply want the coolest and best performing RTX 3080 Ti, these two liquid-cooled RTX 3080 Ti would be your option.

ASUS ROG Strix LC GeForce RTX 3080 Ti OC Edition Gaming

The Asus ROG Strix LC RTX 3080 Ti OC features a hybrid cooling solution. Its GPU is cooled by a 240mm radiator and the tube connecting the radiator and GPU copper plate is 560mm long. It also has RGB lighting on the fans and on the graphics card itself. In addition to the liquid cooling, there’s a blower-type fan that cools the aluminum heatsink that is in contact with the VRM and other components.

ASUS ROG STRIX LC RTX 3080 Ti OC available on Amazon here.

EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti XC3 Ultra Hybrid Gaming

EVGA’s RTX 3080 Ti XC3 Ultra Hybrid is somewhat similar to Asus’ ROG Strix LC. But the XC3 Ultra Hybrid doesn’t have a head-turner RGB lighting. Only the logo on its side and at the back have RGB lighting. It generally has an all-black aesthetic, including the two 120mm fans cooling the radiator.

And unlike Asus’ liquid-cooled RTX 3080 Ti, the EVGA RTX 3080 Ti XC3 Ultra Hybrid occupies only two PCI slots and requires only two 8-pin PCIe power connectors.

EVGA RTX 3080 Ti XC3 Ultra Hybrid check on Amazon.com here.

There you have it, which do you think is the best RTX 3080 Ti graphics card for your use case? If you think the RTX 3080 Ti is too expensive and out of your budget, perhaps you may be interested in checking out some of the best RTX 3080 graphics cards instead. On the other hand, AMD’s flagship Radeon RX 6900 XT is also a 4K-capable graphics card, not to mention it is cheaper than the RTX 3080 Ti. Check out some of the best RX 6900 XT cards here.