Nvidia has lastly introduced the RTX 40 sequence, and three new RTX 40 playing cards will probably be out there later this 12 months: the flagship RTX 4090, the high-end RTX 4080 16GB, and the RTX 4080 12GB. Along with apparently huge efficiency enhancements over last-generation RTX 30 sequence playing cards, these new GPUs include excessive worth tags.

How a lot does the RTX 4090 value?

The flagship RTX 4090 is launching with an MSRP of $1,599, which is $100 greater than the $1,499 MSRP of the RTX 3090 and $400 decrease than the $1,999 MSRP of the RTX 3090 Ti. $100 additional for Nvidia’s new flagship isn’t that a lot when the RTX 3090 was already so costly, so not a lot has modified right here.

It’s really stunning that the RTX 4090 doesn’t value extra as a result of it has far more CUDA cores than the RTX 3090 and the RTX 3090 Ti. It nonetheless has kind of the identical reminiscence measurement and bandwidth, however that shouldn’t actually be a trigger for concern; Nvidia ought to know how a lot VRAM its GPUs want.

How a lot does the RTX 4080 value?

Things are a bit extra sophisticated with the RTX 4080, which has two completely different fashions: the 4080 16GB at $1,199 and the 4080 12GB at $899. That’s way more costly than the RTX 3080 10GB, which launched at $699, however it’s cheaper than the RTX 3080 12GB, which launched at $1,249. That being stated, the 3080 12GB has seldom been in good provide, and the value has been falling ever for the reason that finish of the GPU scarcity. Compared to the usual RTX 3080 10GB, each RTX 4080 fashions are way more costly.

At first look, this completely different quantity of reminiscence enterprise would possibly sound just like the distinction between the RTX 3080 10GB and the RTX 3080 12GB, which have very related efficiency however a big distinction in worth. However, these two completely different 4080s differ enormously not simply in reminiscence measurement and worth but in addition in different specs.

The RTX 4080 16GB has 9,728 CUDA cores, whereas the RTX 4080 12GB has simply 7,680. The reminiscence bandwidth on the 12GB mannequin can also be a lot decrease because it has a 192-bit bus in comparison with the 256-bit bus on the 16GB model. The 12GB card does have a barely greater clock velocity, however that’s greater than offset by the decrease quantity of cores and reminiscence bandwidth. The 16GB and 12GB are successfully very completely different GPUs and never simply merely completely different variations of the identical card, therefore the $300 worth distinction.

Which RTX 40-series GPU do you have to purchase?

Until the critiques are in, it’s laborious to suggest any of the RTX 40 sequence playing cards Nvidia has revealed to this point. These are a few of the costliest GPUs ever launched (which hasn’t been obtained properly by most customers), and even when RTX 40 is as quick as Nvidia says it’s, these excessive worth tags are positively going to negatively impression the worth proposition of those playing cards.

That being stated, Nvidia’s new GPUs do appear priced sensibly relative to one another. The RTX 4080 16GB presents over 2,000 extra CUDA cores, 4GB extra VRAM, and extra reminiscence bandwidth than the RTX 4080 12GB for $300 extra. For one other $400, you possibly can get the RTX 4090, which comes with 6,000 extra CUDA cores, 8GB extra VRAM, and much more reminiscence bandwidth. The 4090 is definitely in a category above the 4080 16GB, not like how the RTX 3090 was simply an RTX 3080 with a number of extra cores and better TDP.

If you’re going to spend lots of of {dollars} on a cutting-edge GPU, it would simply be value it to go all out and get the RTX 4090. At least then you definately gained’t be wanting for extra, even when it is among the costliest gaming GPUs ever made. On the opposite hand, you continue to get quicker ray tracing efficiency and DLSS 3 with the less expensive RTX 4080 16GB and 12GB.

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