AMD RX 7900 XTX vs Nvidia RTX 4080: Which to Buy?

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For less money, AMD’s 7900 XTX graphics card can compete with Nvidia’s RTX 4080. In order to show you all the differences, I have tested both graphics cards in 10 different games at 4K, 1440p and 1080p resolutions.

RX 7900 XTX vs RTX 4080: Specs

In comparison, AMD’s Radeon RX 7900 XTX has 24GB of GDDR6 memory, while Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 4080 has 16GB, but it has faster GDDR6X.

However, the 7900 XTX has a larger memory bus and more memory bandwidth. Also, the 7900 XTX requires more power due to its higher TGP. Nvidia recommends at least 750 watts for the 4080, while AMD recommends 800 watts.

The 7900 XTX is launching with an MSRP of $1000 USD, while Nvidia’s RTX 4080 costs $200 more at $1200 USD.

Test PC Components

Intel Core i9-13900K	MSI Z690 Unify	32GB DDR5 6000MHz
Check Price	Check Price	Check Price

10 Games Benchmarks

Cyberpunk 2077

Taking a look at Cyberpunk 2077 is a good place to start. However, AMD’s 7900 XTX reached higher average FPS at 1440p and 4K. The 4080 performed better at all three resolutions, as shown by its much higher 1% low results.

Apex Legends

In other games like Apex Legends, the 7900 XTX beats the 4080 in 1% lows. I believe the 300 FPS limit in this game must affect the 1% low result as well, since the 7900 XTX was achieving higher 1% lows at 1440p, and about the same at 4K as at 1080p.

Halo Infinite

However, Halo Infinite preferred the RTX 4080 regardless of resolution. Among the 10 games tested, the 4080 had the biggest advantage at 1440p and 1080p. While the 7900 XTX is still doing 92 FPS at max settings, the 4080 outperformed the 7900 XTX percentage-wise in this game.

Fortnite

For games like Fortnite, Nvidia graphics are usually preferred. At 1440p, the RTX 4080 was 16% faster than the 7900 XTX. The 4080 could be further boosted with DLSS support in this game.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Our first Vulkan game is Red Dead Redemption 2. Although the RTX 4080 had a slight lead at 1080p, the 7900 XTX had a 7% and 18% advantage at 1440p and 4K.

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Both graphics cards performed well in Microsoft’s Flight Simulator at 1080p and 1440p resolutions. As we get to 4K resolution, the 4080 has an 18% higher average frame rate than the 4070.

Dying Light 2

Compared to average FPS, Dying Light 2 doesn’t really have a big difference, but look at the dips in performance based on 1% lows. The 7900 XTX was far ahead, offering a more stable and consistent experience.

God of War

Another game where the 7900 XTX excelled was God of War, with huge boosts in the 1% lows at 1080p and 1440p, while the difference at 4K was smaller.

F1 2021

In all 10 games tested, F1 2021 performed better with the 4080 at all resolutions, both in terms of average FPS and 1% lows, which is one of the biggest losses for the 7900 XTX.

Metro Exodus Enhanced

Meanwhile, Metro Exodus Enhanced performed better on the 4080. In all 10 games tested here, the 7900 XTX suffered the biggest loss at 4K when the extreme preset is selected.

Ray Tracing & DLSS/FSR

Cyberpunk 2077

Here’s how Cyberpunk 2077 performs on both graphics cards at 1080p. The 4080 supports both FSR and DLSS, and both performed essentially the same. While the 7900 XTX cannot use DLSS, it can achieve a 51% higher average frame rate with FSR enabled. A 52% boost was received by the 4080 with FSR enabled, so the margin was similar. Without RT or any upscaling, both GPUs were quite close together, but with RT on the 4080, it has a massive 57% lead.

At higher resolutions such as 1440p and 4K, this pattern continues. Ray tracing clearly gives Nvidia an edge in this game.

The 4080 runs about the same whether we use FSR or DLSS, though the visual quality will differ.

Dying Light 2

With both DLSS and FSR enabled in Dying Light 2, the frame rate on the 4080 was about the same.

With ray tracing off, the 7900 XTX was reaching higher frame rates, but once ray tracing is switched on, the 4080 now has a clear lead, demonstrating Nvidia’s superior RT capabilities.

Watch Dogs Legion

A game like Watch Dogs Legion has DLSS, but no FSR support, so the 7900 XTX cannot boost performance.

There are other games that only support FSR and no DLSS, but Nvidia can still use FSR, so being able to use both is an obvious advantage.

Even at 1440p and 4K, the 4080 performed better with RT on, despite the 7900 XTX doing better with RT off.

Which one you Should Buy?

Okay, so both of these GPUs are excellent for gaming, but is the RTX 4080 worth 20% more? Honestly, probably not for most people. For better features like DLSS and superior ray tracing, you have to pay a premium. I think it really depends on how much you value those things.

In general, the 4080 was faster at lower resolutions like 1080p, but most people won’t spend this much on 1080p gaming anyway. Higher resolutions close the gap, with the 7900 XTX doing a little better.

In addition to running any modern AAA game at 4K max settings, the AMD card is cheaper, so it’s a better value from a cost per frame perspective.

The 7900 XTX does use more power and runs a little warmer, but it’s much smaller and will fit easier in smaller cases. Plus it also offers DisplayPort over Type-C and it still uses the older power connectors if that’s something you’re really paranoid about.

If you’re planning on buying either of these GPUs then you’re probably after a high-end CPU too, so check out the below article.

Jaskaran Singh

Jaskaran, a tech enthusiast from childhood, inspired by his father, began his tech journey by rooting Android phones. He now writes on various tech topics, aiming to simplify complex ideas for a broad audience. His writing is direct, concise, and flows effortlessly, making tech topics accessible and engaging.