When you are looking for a new GPU model, you will choose the AMD or Nvidia models. Is it not? These two makers are miles ahead of their competition. Of course, you have Intel rising up to AMD in the processor sector and Nvidia in the GPU segment.
So, AMD maker seems to have its hands quite full for the moment. In today’s comparison review, we will be comparing two models, from the Nvidia and the AMD manufacturers. These two have been in this segment for many years now.
Their products are accepted by users globally. The users could consist of gamers, coders, and graphic designers as well. Nvidia seems to have taken the release of the RTX 3080 12GB GPU model relatively lightly and released it without much fanfare, to the disappointment of everybody.
We feel the maker does not want it to exist among the other flagship models. However, the model is a top-end one; this also has a concerning trend for the GPUs in 2022. As it is, many models are hard to find.
This is something that our readers might be coming across often on most of our GPU models. You see, GPUs are a forgotten thing in today’s electronic world in great demand. The pandemic seems to have enhanced the sales of almost all electronic items.
The worst that has been affected by this would be the GPU units, without a doubt. The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is AMD’s comeback model to the top-end GPU segment. We felt that it does have some potential and can take on the Nvidia model we are about to put to the test.
It is also an affordable 4K gaming option if you are looking to save some money. The RTX 3080 12GB GPU model comes with some fantastic features really. We were stunned with its performance in the games and otherwise also.
Moreover, the model gave us something to think about. But it is quite expensive, and you might be put off by that. Recently some unconfirmed news about the RX 6800 XT is doing the rounds that it comes with the driver updates. We are just not sure about it.
We may update the post if we confirm that news bit. A few years ago, the GPU models were tested on the 30 game benchmark at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. There produced some decent results, but not so good ones.
The pricing could have a say in this battle of the big guns as we like to see it. In 2021, the models from Nvidia were priced almost on par with the AMD ones. But recently, Nvidia is taking some confidence that their products are doing reasonably well and has increased them a bit.
If you cannot find them in the retail stores, then you can try them elsewhere. We think you should be able to lay your hands on them for at least $1200. They are worth it if you can. Let us read and find out the winner given at the end of the post.
 |  |
|---|---|
| RTX 3080 12GB | RX 6800 XT |
| PROS | PROS |
| The model has an opulent 3080 design. It comes with the exceptional build quality. It has a top-notch clock boost. There is a very quiet thermal cooling. The product has an increased memory bandwidth. | The unit comes infused with an all-aluminum shroud. The model has an excellent DX11 performance. It has an axial-tech fan design that is enhanced. It comes embedded with the ray tracing for AMD. The product has a good resale value. |
| CONS | CONS |
| It is pretty expensive compared to the models. | It has a low ray tracing performance. |
| CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON | CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON |
Price & availability – RTX 3080 12GB vs RX 6800 XT
Usually, most of our reviews begin with the design, performance, and pros & cons, but we also need to know the price. The GPU model cannot be decided without knowing its price of it. That is because PC designers would be intrigued to know that.
While the performance is one of the most crucial aspects, so is the price. The performance of the GPU is based on the price, and that might make some difference in the end. It is heartening to note that Nvidia never set a list price for the models.
Yes, the RTX 3080 costs more than the RTX 3070. The RTX 3080 12GB GPU model costs around $1250, which is slightly more expensive than the Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti. For now, the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT GPU model is priced under $650.
How does this compare to the other models from AMD? Now, it is more than the lower-end RX 6800, which is slower but is priced under $580. Actually, you are paying more for a GPU model that is 10% faster here.
This makes the Nvidia Radeon RX 6800 look more valuable. It is something that happened between the RX 5700 & RX 5700 XT when they were released back in 2019. AMD is known for producing cheap GPU models at a compelling price.
As you read, you will notice that both models are almost on par in the performance criteria of things. But with the ray tracing performance, Nvidia seems to have the edge. Do read on to find out whether that is the case in the end.
Even with massive shortages, we can consider ourselves lucky to get one of these amazing models. But the caveat of getting the model today would always depend on your requirement & budget. The prices are quite high, and we may want to see if you can find them.
Design – RTX 3080 12GB vs RX 6800 XT
We are going to be using the MSI 12GB RTX 3080. This is a dual-slot card that can provide only two slots at the rear of your laptop. But you will want to notice that the additional cooler is enough to occupy the third; it isn’t that great.
It also comes with a dual BIOS switch that can help you adjust the gaming and silent modes. In gaming mode, you won’t hear any sound at all. The MSI model comes with an overclocked 180MHz and an additional 50W surge in power.
That does not have made a big difference between the original model from Nvidia and MSI. These minor adjustments should not cause any panic to you. If you want to make use of the enhanced power consumption, then you may want to use the three 8-pin connectors.
The design of the graphics card is sublime. It appears great from the front. MSI made some effort to make it look appealing when installed on your PC & laptop. We really liked the backplate design more than the cooler.
The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is a top-end GPU model that is produced on the RDNA2 architecture. It makes use of the Navi 21 chip that is produced in the 7nm. There are several features like Infinity Cache and the SAM (Smart Access Memory) that make it an exciting product.
You can decode video up to 8K resolution. Besides, its new display engine can support the screen up to 8K at 60Hz. The cooler could have been done better. But it may not just make the cut for ensuring that the model remains calm throughout gaming use.
You may want to note that, unlike the Nvidia unit, the AMD model comes with a USB-C port. On the side, you can see the black with red trim when you mount it on your PC case. Additionally, you can also see the Radeon logo.
Performance – RTX 3080 12GB vs RX 6800 XT
Now, we will look at the GPU models’ performance. The Nvidia RTX 3080 12GB is almost the RTX 3080 Ti GPU. It comes with the specification found on the 3080 Ti, but just about slightly lower.
You may not find much of a difference in gaming when the boost clock is almost always active. However, you can find the difference in the RTX 3080 is that it has a 3% increase in the final core count over the 10GB model.
We found some of the specifications to be useful in some areas and not in some areas at work. For example, the additional 2GB of memory does not matter when you are gaming and what you read in most of the forums online.
It is suitable for content creation, and those of you who deal with this kind of work might want to take note of that. You can be justified with the RTX 3080 over the 10GB version. When you see the price, you may want to choose the RTX 3080 Ti and the RTX 3090 model.
We come to the performance of the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT GPU model that doesn’t seem to match the Nvidia model’s performance. This is something that we don’t see quite often and feel weird writing about.
Usually, it is the AMD model, albeit processor or GPU, that always steals the show, with the other brand units trying to catch up with it. Anyways, that is how it is here for now. We will just mention where it is good so you can play along if you want.
The GPU model shines best in DirectX 11 & in the 3DMark Fire Strike Ultra test. The test was a 4 K-based one that offers a decent score of the model. The scores significantly changed during some of the games, but not much.
When you turn on the DLSS on the RTX 3080 12GB, you can get a stunning performance than compared to the AMD model, which is quite shocking, literally. We may want to say that the maker needs to work harder in this segment to match with the top-end models from Nvidia.
When it comes to ray tracing, Nvidia is quite ahead in its game. You can say that it is much ahead of AMD, and though the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT supports the technology, you might have to play on the 1440p when you want the ray tracing enabled on it.
RTX 3080 12GB vs RX 6800 XT Benchmarks
3D DX9 Graphics Benchmark
3D DX10 Graphics Benchmark
Average Score
Overclocked Score
Gaming EFps
FAQs
If you look at their clock rate, you can note that the AMD card leads the race. You would want to know that the 6800 XT has a 27% faster base clock. There is also a 32% faster boost clock than the 3080.
However, it does not lose out in terms of the memory clock. The 3080 has a 19% higher rate, which leads to more than 49% higher bandwidth. This is quite exceptional to say. So, the 6800 RT is much quicker than the 3080.
As we read in the above answer, the 6800 XT is much quicker than the 3080 GPU model. But when it comes to the 3DMarks benchmarks, the 6800 XT has a graphics score of 17,275, with the 3080 getting 17,832.
If you see the ray tracing, you can notice that the gap is much more significant. We also get to see figures of 11,449 compared to 8,873. In the gaming scenario, the 3080 averages 3% lower framerates at 1080p, and with increasing resolutions, this unit leads the 6800 XT by 1 and 7%.
The Nvidia equivalent to the RX 6800 XT would be the Nvidia RTX 3080. It comes embedded having a barrage of Nvidia-specific technologies. You would want to know that the AMD RX 6800 XT gives an incredible performance rising the Radeon in the top-end Nvidia GPUs.
The RTX 3080 is equivalent to the AMD RX 6800 XT in terms of rasterization power. However, you would want to know that the AMD has nothing to rival Nvidia’s ray tracing power. Besides, Nvidia is much better in the 4K, and AMD is good at 1440p and lower.
Yes, you can find the AMD 6800 XT GPU model on their website itself. As of now, it is priced around $650 to $700. It is sold out currently only on most websites. The price may fluctuate now & then. However, you can get the unit found on Best Buy and other retailers like Amazon.
Verdict
This is it. We have ended our comparison review between the RTX 3080 12GB vs RX 6800 XT GPUs. We hope that you were enlightened by the content and were able to decide on your choice.
As you know, the RTX 3080 12GB is a fantastic model. It comes with some astonishing features that can take on most of the products in a similar price range. However, there are some niggles here & there that make it not attractive for users.
For example, the pricing was a bit on the higher side of things for the features infused in it. Though the RTX 3080 Ti GPU model was a disappointment, the RTX 3080 12GB model is a spectacular model in front of it.
We see no reason to choose the RTX 3080 12GB when the RTX 3080 Ti is already there. That has been our reasoning since the start of this review. Anyways, that is how things stand for the moment with Nvidia.
Likewise, the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is the first graphics card from AMD in several years that can take on Nvidia in the top-end segment. That is right. Though AMD has produced some exceptional GPUs, most of them are priced much lesser under $400 and are good enough.
Sadly, that kind of performance doesn’t have the firepower to remove Nvidia from its rightly crown. This is especially for the modern DX12 games. But we did notice that the AMD GPU model was able to do well in the Assassins Creed Odyssey and Grand Theft Auto V.
The AMD Smart Access Memory (SAM) offers the ability to extra additional juice of more than 10% when you know how to unlock it. This is when you can fiddle around with its BIOS. This is something that not everybody might agree to, anyhow.
The main reason to reject the AMD model would be ray tracing at 4K, which is not possible. This is something that you would not be able to perform using the GPU model. It is more than sufficient at 1440p when you want to get the sublime effects.
James Smith has always been intrigued by electronic products since his childhood. After his post graduation in electronics from a popular university, he decided to pursue a career in the electronics sector. But his calling for writing about these marvellous pieces of work got the better of him. That is how UBG was started. With a writing career spanning more than 12 years, James has worked on several hundred product reviews. During his free time, he like to spend time with his pet dog and relax in the swimming pool.