The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080: A Luxurious GPU Alternative to the RTX 5090

If the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 is the undisputed king of 4K gaming, is the RTX 5080 the prince, or is it the hidden court vizier, controlling the graphics kingdom behind the scenes? Due to its $1,000 price tag, more gamers can afford the 5080, but it’s still a luxury GPU. If the two cards are in the same weight class, there’s no question that the Nvidia RTX 5090 will knock out the 5080 with a single punch. Similarly, there’s no question that if I were putting money down on GPUs, the 5080 is the safer bet for most PC gamers.

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 Founder’s Edition: A Less-Capable Counterpart

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 Founder’s Edition is more like the RTX 5090’s goatee-sporting evil twin with something to prove. In most ways, it’s a less-capable graphics card, so you get what you pay for. However, our tests running like-for-like 5080 didn’t see vast improvements over the 4080 Super, last year.

The 4x Frame Gen Advantage

But let me turn the tables. What if you really demand 160 FPS or above 200 FPS with all the hyped ray tracing settings enabled? What if you want to get a pretty—and pretty expensive—240 Hz 4K monitor that can make use of the extra frames? The 4x frame gen on the 5080 makes more sense than on the 5090. Cyberpunk 2077, with path tracing and 4x frame gen, was doing 150 FPS. That’s far less than the 5090’s 260 FPS with the same settings and same game, but the difference in gameplay is entirely moot.

The Surprising Effectiveness of Frame Gen

Frame Gen works to such a surprising degree that your average gamer won’t be able to tell the difference. If you’re looking for issues, you may find the occasional instance of a texture flicker or UI elements that fizzle. The instances are rare, but those with discerning eyes might spot them easier than others. I didn’t spot too many issues in my gameplay. I know I would feel perfectly comfortable playing with Frame Gen turned on.

The RTX 5080: Not All Gravy

Those considering the RTX 5080 should know it’s not all gravy. Nvidia’s Multi Frame Gen may not support your favorite game at launch. Some gamers will inevitably get more out of these cards than others. But for a $2,000 RTX 5090 Founders Edition, you could grab the equivalent of $1,000 RTX 5080 and save that money for a high-end 4K monitor with all the fixings.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 is a luxurious GPU alternative to the RTX 5090, offering a more affordable option for gamers who demand high frame rates and 4K resolution. While it may not be as powerful as the RTX 5090, the 5080’s 4x frame gen technology makes it a viable choice for those who want to play games at high frame rates without breaking the bank.