Nvidia RTX 5080: Specifications, price & performance speculation

Most of the focus for the next generation of Nvidia GPUs might be on what the upcoming RTX 5090 can do, but indications are that the RTX 5080 will be no slouch. We’ve gathered up all that we know about this card, including price, specifications, and performance.

With the launch of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super safely in the rear-view mirror, attention has turned to what is coming next from Nvidia for its next set of consumer graphics cards. PC builders looking for a marginally cheaper option that still comes with all the bells and whistles will be keen to see what the RTX 5080 can bring to the table.

As with the RTX 5090, there are few solid details on what can be expected from the RTX 5080. Most of the available information has been sourced from leaks by industry insiders. So as usual, this means that until Nvidia formally unveils its next generation of cards, all this information should be taken with a grain of salt.

Release window rumors

Recent information from Taiwanese news publication United Daily News indicates that the first of the RTX 50 series of cards could be launched as early as Q4 of 2024. The RTX 5090 is expected to be first in line to be unveiled, but a leak from reliable leaker Moore’s Law is Dead suggests that the RTX 5080 is also slated for this same release window.

A later report from Moore’s Law is Dead, however, indicated that this had now changed. In a more recent video, Moore’s Law is Dead said that the RTX 5090 would be the only RTX 50 series card to launch in 2024, with the others following in early 2025.

This was challenged by fellow leaker Kopite7Kimi. Kopite’s information suggested that in fact the RTX 5080 would be the first to market in Q4 of 2024, with the RTX 5090 following shortly afterwards. This would be something of a change in Nvidia’s usual release pattern if the information is accurate.

Leaked specifications

Nvidia officially announced the Blackwell architecture at GTC 2024. Though that announcement was primarily concerned with its AI-focussed chips, some of the available information remains relevant for commercial gaming GPUs.

Diamond Foundry

It is generally expected that the RTX 5080 will use the GB203 chip, a step down from the flagship GB202 which is predicted to be used in the RTX 5090. According to regular leaker Kopite7Kimi, the GB203 will be ‘half of GB202’. This would parallel the difference in performance seen in the Ada Lovelace line between the RTX 4090 and RTX 4080.

For memory, there is a growing belief that the RTX 5080 will use GDDR7 memory, improving speed and energy efficiency. Debate remains over the memory interface, however. Another recent leak from Kopite7Kimi suggests that the RTX 5090 will use the 512-bit memory bus. Still, previous rumors indicated that Nvidia plans to re-use the existing 384-bit memory bus for some of its new products. This could mean the 512-bit bus is reserved for the flagship RTX 5090 card, and the RTX 5080 and below will use the older 384-bit memory bus technology.

As with much of the other currently available information, until Nvidia makes an official announcement, this should be taken with the appropriate level of skepticism.

Features speculation

Once again we have leaker Kopite7Kimi to thank for the news that the RTX 5080 will feature support for Display Port 2.1, as well as HDMI 2.1. This is an upgrade on the Ada Lovelace cards, which did not support DisplayPort 2.1.

PCWorld

An unexpected area of debate has been the power connector. Amidst growing reports of the 12VHPWR connectors used on the RTX 4090 and 40 Super cards melting and causing significant damage, many consumers have been hoping that Nvidia was planning on a different connector type for its next-generation cards.

According to Moore’s Law is Dead, Nvidia does indeed plan on switching to an entirely new connector type for the RTX 50 series. The leak further suggests that it will be an all-new type of 16-pin connector, but further details are not available, and other sources have not yet backed up this rumor.

If Nvidia persists with the 12VHPWR connector, then the power draw will be limited to 600W. However, rumors indicate that Team Green will be pushing the efficiency of the new cards, which suggests that the actual power figures will be considerably less than this.

Performance speculation

Based on the current leaks, it seems like the biggest jump in performance will be due to the greater bus width. Though this doesn’t seem like a big chance on the surface, the size of the data bus can directly impact what resolution can be used in games.

Most of the current 40-series of GPUs use 192-bit and 256-bit data buses, which are capable of rendering 1440p with ease but can struggle when at 4K. Even if the RTX 5080 is restricted to 384-bit, that would make it capable of rendering 4K with ease. A 512-bit bus would enable the card to handle up to 8K.

As the market is heading towards 4K as standard, enabling a high-end GPU to handle higher resolutions is a logical move.

Price speculation

There is no confirmed data on the expected price point for the RTX 5080. With the RTX 5090 predicted to cost around $1699 at launch, we can then use the price distribution of previous Nvidia GPUs to estimate that the RTX 5080 will be around $1000 at launch.

Should you wait for the RTX 5080?

The 80-suffix cards are usually a good option for PC gaming fans who want high-end performance without shelling out the big bucks for a top-of-the-line flagship card. In addition, those looking for a bargain might be able to bag a bargain at the end of 2024 when retailers are discounting old stock of RTX 4090 or RTX 4080 Super cards to make way for the shiny new GPUs.