The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 GPU, previously known as the GeForce RTX 4080 16GB, is available to buy starting today. The new GPU promises up to a 1.6x performance uplift compared to its predecessor, the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, powered by fourth-generation Tensor cores, third-generation RT cores, and more. The GPU has 9,572 CUDA cores and 16GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit memory interface.

Not only does the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 have more power, it's also the second Nvidia GPU to ship with AV1 encoders, meaning it can create higher-quality video with a lower bitrate, ideal for streaming and game capture. Along with the GeForce RTX 4090, this is one of the first GPUs on the market to have built-in hardware for AV1 encoding (though Intel was technically first with its Arc series). The new GPU arrives alongside the launch of the latest Nvidia Studio driver for November to improve performance in creative apps.

The GeForce RTX 4080 is also the second GPU to support Nvidia's new DLSS 3 technology with frame generation, which uses AI to generate new frames in-between traditionally rendered frames to create a smoother visual experience. This feature is exclusive to RTX 40 series cards, and considering the GeForce RTX 4090 is so expensive and power-hungry, it's good to have slightly more reasonable options.

With that being said, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 isn't exactly a budget-friendly option, with the Founders Edition card starting at $1,199.99, which is $500 more than the RTX 3080 started at officially, and $300 more than the RTX 3080 Ti. Indeed, GPU prices have gone up a lot for Nvidia, so this may be an upgrade that not everyone can stomach. But at least it's $400 lower than the GeForce RTX 4090, and on top of that, it has a TGP of 320W, so power consumption is much more reasonable.

While getting your hands on one of these cards may be difficult, you can check out a few options below. Prices can vary significantly depending on the model you want.