Introduction
The last few years have seen rapid advancements in graphics card technology, particularly from industry leader Nvidia. As an avid PC gamer and hardware enthusiast, I have been eagerly anticipating the release of Nvidia’s latest generation of GPUs based on their new Ampere architecture.
In this article, I will provide an in-depth look at the performance and key features of Nvidia’s latest offerings, including the RTX 3090, RTX 3080, and RTX 3070 graphics cards. There is a lot to unpack about these new GPUs, so let’s dive right in!
RTX 3090 – The New Flagship
The RTX 3090 represents the pinnacle of performance in Nvidia’s consumer lineup. Here are the key details on this monster GPU:
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Huge 24GB VRAM – This is a massive upgrade over the previous generation flagship RTX 2080 Ti’s 11GB. The abundant video memory future proofs the 3090 for next-gen games and high-resolution textures.
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Annihilates 4K gaming – With 10,496 CUDA cores and a boost clock of 1.7GHz, the 3090 delivers up to 50% higher framerates compared to the 2080 Ti at 4K resolution. Any game is buttery smooth with this card when gaming at 3840 x 2160 pixels.
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Ideal for advanced workloads – The 3090 isn’t just for gaming. The combination of next-gen RT and Tensor cores with 24GB VRAM makes the 3090 well suited for 5K video editing, 3D rendering, AI development, and scientific compute.
For enthusiasts seeking no-compromise performance, the RTX 3090 represents the new frontier. Gamers that want to max out settings and resolution will find the 3090 to be a dream card.
RTX 3080 – The High-end Gaming Sweet Spot
The RTX 3080 hits the sweet spot between performance and price for high-end gaming. Let’s examine the specs behind this impressive card:
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Significant generational leap – With 8704 CUDA cores and a 1.7GHz boost clock, Nvidia claims the 3080 is up to twice as fast as the previous generation 2080 in traditional rasterization and ray tracing workloads.
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Ideal for high FPS 1440p and 4K – The 3080 achieves frame rates well over 100 FPS at 2560 x 1440 resolution on modern titles like Control and Doom Eternal with max settings. It provides very playable framerates at 4K resolution as well in the 60-90 FPS range.
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Next-gen memory – The 3080 sports 10GB of GDDR6X VRAM that has nearly 1TB/s of memory bandwidth. This supercharges asset streaming and provides headroom for next-gen games.
If you’re looking for enthusaist class performance without breaking the bank, the RTX 3080 is arguably the most compelling high performance graphics card released in years.
RTX 3070 – Outstanding 1080p and 1440p Gaming
The RTX 3070 brings Ampere’s performance and features to the mid-range market:
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Faster than 2080 Ti – Armed with 5888 CUDA cores and boost speeds up to 1.73GHz, Nvidia claims the 3070 is actually faster than the previous $1200 flagship 2080 Ti while costing less than half the price. This level of generational leap is almost unprecedented.
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Excellent for high framerate 1080p – Modern esports titles achieve blazing fast frame rates well beyond 144 FPS at 1920 x 1080 resolution with maxed graphics settings. High refresh rate 1080p monitors can leverage the 3070’s potential.
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Great for high fidelity 1440p – Demanding single player games like Red Dead Redemption 2 run extremely smoothly at 60+ FPS with max settings at the 2560 x 1440 resolution sweet spot.
If you want fantastic performance but don’t require the ultimate top-end experience, the RTX 3070 is a very smart choice with outstanding value.
Performance Summary
To summarize the performance profile of Nvidia’s new RTX 3000 series GPUs:
| GPU | CUDA Cores | Boost Clock | Performance Target |
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| RTX 3090 | 10496 | 1.7GHz | Ultra enthusiasts @ 4K/high FPS 1440p |
| RTX 3080 | 8704 | 1.71GHz | Enthusiasts @ high FPS 1440p/60 FPS+ 4K |
| RTX 3070 | 5888 | 1.73GHz | High-end gaming @ 1080p/1440p |
It’s clear from these specs that the Ampere architecture provides a giant leap over the previous Turing generation. For gaming at 60 FPS+ at high resolution and settings, the new RTX cards are in a class of their own compared to any other previous GPU.
Key Architecture Improvements in Ampere
What changes in Nvidia’s Ampere architecture account for the large performance improvements? A few standout highlights:
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Enhanced RT Cores – The dedicated ray tracing cores are up to twice as fast as Turing’s implementation and handle more rays per seconds. This significantly accelerates real-time ray traced lighting and effects.
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Higher clock speeds – Ampere GPUs are clocked higher than any previous gaming GPU from Nvidia, even with the enhanced transistor density. The 3090 can boost up to 1.7GHz out of the box which is extremely impressive.
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Increased CUDA core count – The 3080 and 3070 have 68% and 46% more CUDA cores than their predecessors respectively. More cores equals higher throughput for traditional pixel shader workloads.
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Faster memory – The 3080 and 3090 use next-gen GDDR6X memory which offers nearly 1TB/s of total bandwidth, keeping the cores well fed.
Thanks to these major architecture improvements, Ampere sets a new bar for both rasterization and ray tracing performance.
Should You Upgrade?
For those currently running a last-gen Turing RTX 20 series card, the performance gains may not quite justify an immediate upgrade to Ampere. However, if you own an older generation card, especially a 10 series Pascal or below, the 3070, 3080 and 3090 will provide a massive performance boost.
To summarize upgrade recommendations:
- 10 series (Pascal) owners – Should strongly consider upgrading to enjoy the huge performance gains from Ampere
- 20 series (Turing) owners – May want to wait for future iterations for a more meaningful upgrade
- Users needing more VRAM – 3080 and 3090 are great options
- High resolution or high FPS gamers – New RTX cards are a major upgrade
Of course upgrade considerations ultimately depend on your budget and individual needs. But overall, Ampere and the RTX 3000 series represent a monumental generational leap in graphics horsepower. Any gamer or creator looking to max out performance should give Nvidia’s new GPUs serious consideration!
The Bottom Line
It’s clear Nvidia continues to push the envelope of graphics performance with their latest generation Ampere-powered RTX 3000 series. The 3090, 3080, and 3070 set new high bars for both traditional and ray traced rendering horsepower.
For users wanting a no compromise 4K or high FPS 1440p experience, these new GPUs are very compelling. Their excellent performance show why Nvidia continues to lead the GPU arms race. While availability remains limited, once supplies improve, PC builders and upgraders have some downright amazing new options at their fingertips!
