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 when it comes to 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.

RTX 5080 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, which will provide improvements in 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, but previous rumors indicated that Nvidia was planning 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.

RTX 5080 features speculation

Once again we have an inveterate 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.

RTX 5080 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.

RTX 5080 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.