NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 VS NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080
Both the RTX 3090 and RTX 3080 are built on NVIDIA's Ampere architecture. This comparison helps you choose between different configurations within the same GPU family.
RTX 3090
📊 Detailed Specifications Comparison
| Specification | RTX 3090 | RTX 3080 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture & Design | |||
| Architecture | Ampere | Ampere | - |
| Process Node | 8nm | 8nm | - |
| Target Market | consumer | consumer | - |
| Form Factor | 3-slot PCIe | 2-slot PCIe | - |
| Memory | |||
| VRAM Capacity | 24GB | 10GB | +140% |
| Memory Type | GDDR6X | GDDR6X | - |
| Memory Bandwidth | 936 GB/s | 760 GB/s | +23% |
| Memory Bus | 384-bit | 320-bit | - |
| Compute Units | |||
| CUDA Cores | 10,496 | 8,704 | +21% |
| Performance (TFLOPS) | |||
| FP32 (Single Precision) | 35.58 TFLOPS | 29.8 TFLOPS | +19% |
| FP16 (Half Precision) | 71 TFLOPS | N/A | |
| Power & Connectivity | |||
| TDP (Power) | 350W | 320W | +9% |
| PCIe | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 | - |
🎯 Use Case Recommendations
LLM & Large Model Training
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
Higher VRAM capacity and memory bandwidth are critical for training large language models. The RTX 3090 offers 24GB compared to 10GB.
AI Inference
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
For inference workloads, performance per watt matters most. Consider the balance between FP16/INT8 throughput and power consumption.
Budget-Conscious Choice
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080
Based on current cloud pricing, the RTX 3080 starts at a lower hourly rate.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 is Best For:
- Affordable AI development
- Enterprise availability
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is Best For:
- Gaming
- Cloud PCs
- VRAM-intensive models
Frequently Asked Questions
Which GPU is better for AI training: RTX 3090 or RTX 3080?
For AI training, the key factors are VRAM size, memory bandwidth, and tensor core performance. The RTX 3090 offers 24GB of GDDR6X memory with 936 GB/s bandwidth, while the RTX 3080 provides 10GB of GDDR6X with 760 GB/s bandwidth. For larger models, the RTX 3090's higher VRAM capacity gives it an advantage.
What is the price difference between RTX 3090 and RTX 3080 in the cloud?
Cloud GPU rental prices vary by provider and region. Based on our data, RTX 3090 starts at $0.13/hour while RTX 3080 starts at $0.12/hour. This represents a 8% price difference.
Can I use RTX 3080 instead of RTX 3090 for my workload?
It depends on your specific requirements. If your model fits within 10GB of VRAM and you don't need the additional throughput of the RTX 3090, the RTX 3080 can be a cost-effective alternative. However, for workloads requiring maximum memory capacity or multi-GPU scaling, the RTX 3090's architecture may be essential.
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