Quick answer
The RTX 5080 and RX 7900 XTX are about even for gaming in our index (scores 88 and 85, within 5%). The RX 7900 XTX has more VRAM (24GB vs 16GB).
A side-by-side look at the GeForce RTX 5080 and the Radeon RX 7900 XTX using the specs from each maker and ComputingSkill’s gaming scores, the same numbers our calculators and tier list use. Prices change too often to compare here, so check current prices against the performance gap below.
Specs Side by Side
| RTX 5080 | RX 7900 XTX | |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Blackwell | RDNA 3 |
| VRAM | 16GB GDDR7 | 24GB GDDR6 |
| Memory bus | 256-bit | 384-bit |
| Boost clock | 2620 MHz | 2500 MHz |
| Shaders | 10,752 CUDA Cores | 96 Compute Units |
| Board power | 360W | 355W |
| Maker’s recommended PSU | 850W | 800W |
| Upscaling / frame generation | DLSS 4 upscaling and Multi Frame Generation (up to 4x) | FSR 3 upscaling and frame generation, plus AFMF in the driver |
| Released | 2025 | 2022 |
| Gaming score (tier) | 88 (S) | 85 (S) |
Specs: RTX 5080 official page and RX 7900 XTX official page. Scores are ComputingSkill’s gaming index, positioned from publicly reported review averages, not our own benchmarks (methodology).
Clock speeds and shader counts can’t be compared across brands, which is why the gaming score is the fairer measure.
Gaming Performance
Estimated average FPS in a typical AAA game, from the FPS Calculator’s formula, with the Ryzen 7 9800X3D so the cards are the limit. * marks a figure held back by the CPU. Ray tracing, upscaling and frame generation are not included.
| Resolution, settings | RTX 5080 | RX 7900 XTX | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p, high | 202* | 202* | about even |
| 1440p, high | 150 | 145 | RTX 5080 +4% |
| 4K, high | 92 | 89 | RTX 5080 +4% |
| 1080p, ultra | 176 | 170 | RTX 5080 +4% |
| 1440p, ultra | 120 | 116 | RTX 5080 +4% |
| 4K, ultra | 74 | 71 | RTX 5080 +4% |
VRAM
RTX 5080: 16GB of VRAM is enough for ultra textures at 1080p, 1440p and 4K.
RX 7900 XTX: 24GB of VRAM is enough for ultra textures at 1080p, 1440p and 4K.
With Your CPU
A faster card only pays off when your CPU can feed it. Here is each card with common processors in our bottleneck engine (typical AAA game, high settings). “GPU-limited” is normal; a CPU % is how much of the card goes unused.
| CPU | RTX 5080 | RX 7900 XTX |
|---|---|---|
| Core i3-12100F | CPU ~54% / CPU ~32% | CPU ~52% / CPU ~29% |
| Ryzen 5 5600 | CPU ~50% / CPU ~26% | CPU ~48% / CPU ~24% |
| Core i5-12400F | CPU ~47% / CPU ~22% | CPU ~45% / CPU ~19% |
| Ryzen 5 7600 | CPU ~35% / Balanced | CPU ~33% / Balanced |
| Core i5-14600K | CPU ~30% / Balanced | CPU ~28% / GPU-limited |
| Ryzen 7 7800X3D | CPU ~16% / GPU-limited | CPU ~13% / GPU-limited |
Power and PSU
With a Ryzen 5 7600, the PSU Calculator recommends 850W for a PC with the RTX 5080 and 800W with the RX 7900 XTX. The makers’ own recommendations are 850W and 800W.
Which Should You Buy?
- Performance is close enough that price, VRAM and features should decide.
- For 1440p, 4K or keeping the card for years, the RX 7900 XTX’s extra VRAM is the safer choice.
- Features differ: the RTX 5080 offers DLSS 4 upscaling and Multi Frame Generation (up to 4x); the RX 7900 XTX offers FSR 3 upscaling and frame generation, plus AFMF in the driver.
- Not sure your CPU keeps up? Check your exact pair in the PC Bottleneck Calculator.
More comparisons: RTX 4080 vs RTX 5080 and RTX 4090 vs RTX 5080. Every card ranked: GPU tier list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the RTX 5080 better than the RX 7900 XTX?
They are about even for gaming in our index (88 vs 85). Pick on price, VRAM and features.
Which is better for 1440p, the RTX 5080 or the RX 7900 XTX?
At 1440p high the RTX 5080 averages about 150 FPS and the RX 7900 XTX about 145 FPS in a typical AAA game with a fast CPU.
Which uses less power?
The RX 7900 XTX (355W board power vs 360W).