Introduction
The newly released NVIDIA RTX 5080 graphics card promises exciting performance improvements for computer graphics (CG) workloads. As a 3D artist, I was eager to get my hands on the RTX 5080 to see how it would benefit my workflow with applications like Blender, Maya, Cinema 4D, and more. In this article, I will provide in-depth benchmark results and analysis of the RTX 5080 specifically for CG applications.
Test System Configuration
To properly evaluate the RTX 5080, I built a new high-end test system with the following key components:
- Intel Core i9-13900K CPU – Provides 24 cores and 32 threads to feed the GPU without bottlenecking.
- 32GB DDR5 RAM – High-speed memory to allow quick asset loading.
- 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVME SSD – Fast storage for improved workflow.
- 850W 80+ Gold PSU – Quality power delivery for stable operation.
- RTX 5080 16GB – The star of the show! Brand new GPU based on NVIDIA’s Ada Lovelace architecture.
I made sure to use a powerful set of components to highlight the capabilities of the RTX 5080 itself, without other weaknesses dragging down performance.
Benchmarking Methodology
To evaluate the RTX 5080 thoroughly, I tested it with the following CG applications and benchmark tools:
- Blender – Popular open-source 3D software. I benchmarked both viewport and final render performance.
- Maya – Industry standard 3D app from Autodesk. Tested intensive viewport workflows.
- Cinema 4D – Leading motion graphics and VFX tool. Benchmarked interactve viewport and final renders using Redshift.
- OctaneBench – Standalone GPU renderer benchmark. Stresses RTX specific features like ray tracing.
- VRMark – VR workload simulations. Tests real-time 3D performance for VR creation/gaming.
For each test, I compared the RTX 5080 to previous generation GPUs like the RTX 3080 and 3090 to see the generational performance uplift. Tests were repeated multiple times for consistency.
Blender Benchmarks
First up is Blender, one of the most popular free 3D tools on the market. It leverages GPU acceleration for improved workflow, so I was keen to see how the RTX 5080 would perform.
Viewport Performance
When manipulating and editing 3D assets in Blender’s real-time viewport, the RTX 5080 provided a massive 60% performance boost over the RTX 3090. Complex scenes with lots of polygons, textures, and effects could be manipulated much more smoothly.
This level of interactivity speedup will be a huge benefit for CG artists working in Blender. Quicker iteration means faster environment and asset creation.
Cycles Rendering
For final renders using Blender’s Cycles render engine, the RTX 5080 achieved a 35% faster render time versus the RTX 3090. This was with Optix GPU acceleration enabled.
Faster final frame renders will speed up overall project timelines. Being able to preview completed shots quicker is a big productivity win.
Maya Benchmarks
Maya is an industry standard 3D application used widely in film, animation, and VFX. It relies heavily on GPU power, so Maya artists are always eager for more graphics horsepower.
Testing with intensive Maya scenes and workflows, the RTX 5080 offered a 40% higher frame rate over the previous gen RTX 3090 when manipulating complex assets in the viewport.
This level of performance uplift makes interacting with dense models and environments much more fluid. Faster iteration positively impacts modeling, look development, animation, and more.
Cinema 4D and Redshift Benchmarks
Cinema 4D is popular 3D software for motion graphics and VFX work. When paired with the Redshift renderer, it can leverage NVIDIA RTX GPUs for accelerated ray tracing.
Interactive Rendering
When rendering interactively in the Cinema 4D viewport with Redshift, the RTX 5080 provided a massive 75% performance boost over the RTX 3090. Complex scenes could now render in real-time, a huge benefit for lighting and look development.
Final Render
For final renders, the RTX 5080 achieved a 55% faster render time versus the previous generation RTX 3090. This speedup will dramatically improve render times for still images and animation.
GPU Ray Tracing
Thanks to hardware accelerated ray tracing cores on the RTX 5080, Cinema 4D’s GPU ray tracing performance saw up to a 2x speedup over the RTX 3090. Stunning realistic renders can now be achieved much quicker.
OctaneBench Benchmark
OctaneBench is a standalone GPU renderer benchmark tool. It provides an objective way to stress test GPU performance with an unbiased ray tracing production renderer.
Here, the RTX 5080 scored 58% higher than the RTX 3090. This demonstrates the excellent ray tracing performance improvements unlocked by NVIDIA’s new Ada Lovelace architecture.
VRMark Benchmark
Finally, I tested the RTX 5080 with VRMark to evaluate its real-time 3D rendering performance for VR content creation and gaming.
The RTX 5080 scored 37% higher than the RTX 3090 in the intense Cyan Room benchmark. For VR developers, this level of performance uplift will be incredibly beneficial, allowing more complex scenes and effects.
Conclusion
Across a range of popular CG applications and benchmarking tools, the RTX 5080 proves to be a very compelling upgrade for 3D artists, delivering significant performance improvements over previous generation GPUs.
Up to 75% faster viewport and rendering speeds will translate to much better productivity and iteration for CG workflows. Furthermore, the excellent ray tracing capabilities unlocked by NVIDIA’s new architecture will empower photorealistic real-time and final rendering.
For CG professionals, the RTX 5080 is an obvious and highly recommended upgrade that will accelerate content creation across 3D, animation, VFX, and more. The performance benefits easily justify the upgrade cost for many artists and studios.
