NVIDIA has finally unleashed its latest RTX 4080 SUPER GPU. I noticed that many are searching for answers regarding RTX 4080 Super vs RTX 4090, NVIDIA’s flagship GPU. Comparing the RTX 4080 Super to the RTX 4090 is like comparing the RTX 4090 to the RTX 4080. Why? Based on our review of MSI’s RTX 4080 Super Expert, the new 4080 Super isn’t actually “Super” regarding performance. Instead, it’s similar to the vanilla RTX 4080, as seen in our RTX 4080 Super vs RTX 4080 GPU comparison. But if you still want a side-by-side comparison between the two GPUs and to learn which is the better gaming GPU, please continue reading our comparison below.
GeForce RTX 4080 Super vs RTX 4090: Which GPU Is Worth It?
The GeForce RTX 4090 is still NVIDIA’s fastest and flagship graphics card to date. Meanwhile, the RTX 4080 Super refreshes the vanilla RTX 4080, offering a minor specs bump at a much lower starting price.
Based on the specs sheet, the GeForce RTX 4090 has better specs than the RTX 4080 Super. The RTX 4090 has 60% more CUDA cores and 50% more VRAM than the RTX 4080. It’s also using a larger AD102 GPU compared to the RTX 4080 Super’s smaller AD103 GPU.
Both GPUs share the same technology under NVIDIA’s Ada Lovelace architecture. These features are 8th gen NVIDIA Encoder (NVENC) with AV1 support, DLSS 3 AI Frame Generation and DLSS 3.5 Ray Reconstruction, 4th gen Tensor Cores and Optical Flow, 3rd gen RT cores, Shader Execution Reordering, NVIDIA Studio, and many more.
Let’s not waste time anymore. Below are the full specifications of the RTX 4090 and RTX 4080 Super GPUs. I also added the RTX 4080 for comparison. After that are benchmarks comparing the RTX 4080 Super vs RTX 4090.
RTX 4090 and RTX 4080 Super Specifications
| Graphics Card | RTX 4090 | RTX 4080 Super | GeForce RTX 4080 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fabrication Process | TSMC 4N NVIDIA Custom Process | TSMC 4 nm NVIDIA Custom Process | TSMC 4N NVIDIA Custom Process |
| Transistor Count | 76.3 billion | 45.9 billion | 45.9 billion |
| Architecture | Ada Lovelace | Ada Lovelace | Ada Lovelace |
| GPU | AD102 | AD103 | AD103 |
| Graphics Processing Clusters | 11 | 7 | 7 |
| Texture Processing Clusters | 64 | 40 | 38 |
| Streaming Multiprocessors | 128 | 80 | 76 |
| CUDA Cores | 16384 | 10240 | 9728 |
| Tensor Cores | 512 4th gen | 320 (4th Gen) | 304 (4th Gen) |
| RT Cores | 128 3rd gen | 80 (3rd Gen) | 76 (3rd Gen) |
| Texture Units | 512 | 320 | 304 |
| ROPs | 176 | 112 | 112 |
| Boost Clock | 2520 MHz | 2550 MHz | 2505 MHz |
| Total Video Memory | 24 GB GDDR6X | 16 GB GDDR6X | 16 GB GDDR6X |
| Memory Clock | 10501 MHz | 11500 MHz | 11200 MHz |
| Memory Data Rate | 21 Gbps | 23 Gbps | 22.4 Gbps |
| Memory Interface | 384-bit | 256-bit | 256-bit |
| L2 Cache Size | 73,728 KB | 65536 KB | 65,536 KB |
| Total Memory Bandwidth | 1,008 GB/s | 736 GB/s | 716.8 GB/s |
| Texture Rate | 1,290 Gigatexels/sec | 816 Gigatexels/sec | 761.5 Gigatexels/sec |
| Connectors | 3 x DisplayPort 1.4a x HDMI 2.1 | 3x DisplayPort, 1x HDMI | 3 x DisplayPort 1.4a x HDMI 2.1 |
| Minimum Power Supply | 850W | 750 Watts | 750 Watts |
| Total Graphics Power (TGP) | 450W | 320 Watts | 320 Watts |
| PCI Express Interface | Gen 4 | Gen 4 | Gen 4 |
| Release Date | October 2022 | January 2024 | November 2022 |
| Launch Price | $1,599 | $999 | $1,199 |
RTX 4080 Super vs RTX 4090 Synthetic Benchmarks
It is no surprise that the RTX 4090 outperforms the RTX 4080 Super in speed. The real question in this comparison is just how much faster the RTX 4090 is compared to the RTX 4080 Super. How significant is the difference between the two? And does the performance of the RTX 4090 justify choosing it over the 4080 Super?
The synthetic benchmark results show that the RTX 4090 is about 35% faster than the 4080 Super in the synthetic tests. The RTX 4090 got a 40% and 42% lead in Port Royal and Fire Strike Ultra. Meanwhile, the most minor difference is during Fire Strikes, which is only 26%. Fire Strike is less GPU intensive than other tests like Time Spy Extreme or Speed Way, a more suited test for these high-end GPUs.
The benchmark results above are purely synthetic benchmarks only, which might not accurately represent in-game performance. Next, we will evaluate how both GPUs fare in real gaming scenarios at 1440p and 4K (2160p) resolutions.
RTX 4080 Super vs RTX 4090 Game Benchmarks
Generally, the RTX 4090 surpasses the RTX 4080 Super by over 30%. However, the performance gap narrows at 2560×1440 resolution, possibly because 1440p is nearer to the CPU-bound 1080p, leaving less scope for these GPUs to showcase their capabilities fully.
Notably, the difference in Watch Dogs Legion at 1440p is minimal, and the RTX 4080 Super even weirdly outperforms the RTX 4090 in The Witcher 3 Next Gen when using ray tracing and DLSS both on quality settings. Yet, at 4K resolution, the RTX 4090 significantly outshines the RTX 4080 Super.
Let’s combine these results to get a bigger picture of both GPU’s performance.
Summary Results
Although I have based my analysis on a limited dataset of just 13 games, it should still provide a solid indication of the performance disparity between the two GPUs. As previously noted, at 2560×1440 resolution, the gap in performance between the GPUs isn’t as significant. On average, the RTX 4090 outpaces the RTX 4080 Super by only about 15% on average.
This marginal advantage is another reason why I wouldn’t recommend the RTX 4090 specifically for 1440p gaming. However, it might be a more viable option for ultrawide 1440p or dual QHD monitors, where the increased pixel count over a standard 16:9 1440p monitor could make a difference.
At 4K resolution, the scenario shifts dramatically. The RTX 4090 outperforms the RTX 4080 Super by an average of 31%, significantly outpacing the latter. However, this doesn’t imply that the RTX 4080 Super falls short for 4K gaming. As demonstrated by the results above, it still delivers ample frame rates for gaming. Moreover, utilizing DLSS upscaling and/or DLSS 3 frame generation can further enhance frame rates and smoothness.
Regarding DLSS 3, I chose not to factor in its AI frame generation for this comparison. With DLSS 3, the focus isn’t so much on increasing frames per second as it is on smoothing gameplay. It creates the effect of a higher frame rate by adding generated frames between actual frames. Additionally, DLSS 3’s performance impact can vary; it doesn’t consistently “double the performance.”
Now that we’ve established the RTX 4090’s speed advantage over the 4080 Super, we’ll discuss their pricing and availability differences next.
Pricing and Availability Difference
The RTX 4080 Super is priced from $999, while the RTX 4090 begins at $1,599. Based on NVIDIA’s initial pricing, the RTX 4090 is 60% more expensive than the RTX 4080 Super. Yet, this price comparison only partially holds due to issues with availability.
Currently, a supply shortage is affecting the RTX 4080 Super, despite its recent release. The RTX 4090 is also experiencing shortages and retail price hikes due to its popularity in AI, machine learning, and deep learning applications. Beyond gaming, the RTX 4090’s formidable capabilities make it a sought-after choice for professional workloads.
Due to these shortages, the RTX 4080 Super’s retail price currently ranges from approximately $1,100 to $1,300, and in some cases, even higher. The situation is more severe for the RTX 4090, with the lowest price I’ve found around $1,900, and most models selling for over $2,000. This pricing positions the RTX 4090 at more than 70% above the RTX 4080 Super despite having better availability.
Now, the prices and availability stated here are accurate at the time of writing this comparison. I anticipate changes in the coming weeks or months. As for whether these changes will improve or worsen the pricing and availability, I do not have a crystal ball for that.
GeForce RTX 4080 Super vs RTX 4090 Conclusion
In conclusion, despite facing pricing and availability challenges, the RTX 4080 Super presents a better value than the RTX 4090. If you find one close to the $1,000 price point, it would be a worthwhile deal. Similarly, finding an RTX 4080 around the $1,000 mark would also be advantageous. With NVIDIA launching the RTX 4080 Super at $999, there’s no reason why the RTX 4080 should be priced more than $1,200.
However, an item’s perceived value or worth can vary greatly from one person to another, particularly in specific scenarios or environments. The RTX 4090 is undeniably the superior GPU, excelling not only in specifications but also in performance.
It boasts 24GB of GDDR6X memory, which benefits professional applications and workloads. While the RTX 4080 Super can also certainly manage AI-related tasks, the RTX 4090 can accomplish them more swiftly. If time equates to money for you, the RTX 4090 might hold greater “value” among the two.
Check the latest pricing and availability: (#ad)
GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER graphics cards on Amazon here.
GeForce RTX 4090 graphics cards on Amazon here.
If you need more clarification about which RTX 4090 model to choose, please check our article on the best RTX 4090 graphics cards. We plan to compile a roundup of RTX 4080 Super cards as well, once their availability improves.
