The last word:
NVIDIA’s smackdown continues?
With the RTX 4090, NVIDIA has slapped the competition and even its previous generation in terms of raw performance. So, what about this NVIDIA RTX 4080 Founders Edition and especially, what is the performance/price ratio worth compared to the RTX 4090?
Let’s start with the performance, which is just what we expected. Compared to the RTX 3080 Ti, the gains are well over 30% and they are more than 15% compared to the top of the range of the previous generation, the RTX 3090 Ti. At this level, we have no remarks to make knowing that the card is compatible with DLSS 3. As we have seen, DLSS 3 brings a real gain compared to version 2. Now let’s be honest, this is still a card that is intended for 2160p. If you play in lower resolutions, other models will be more interesting.
To understand the pricing strategy, let’s first go back to the price announced by NVIDIA for its Founders Edition and go further than just saying: “But what is NVIDIA doing, it’s shameful and way too expensive! So, indeed the prices of computer components are soaring and not only those of graphics cards. To return to the RTX 4080 Founders Edition, its price is displayed on the NVIDIA website at $1199 or 1469 euros. According to our gaming tests, it is 27% less powerful than the RTX 4090.
To get another view, we looked for the price for an RTX 3090 Ti Founders Edition which is still listed at 1,329 euros. Again, with the performance gap, the price of the RTX 4080 is perfectly justified. So, be careful, we did not say that these prices were convenient for us but we compare them to the other current models. Indeed, setting up a configuration today has become unaffordable.
And this KFA2 RTX 4080 SG:
So, what about our KFA2 RTX 4080 regarding its price. As far as price is concerned, KFA2 has always offered prices that are quite close to NVIDIA’s Founders Edition. If a price close to 1,500 euros is confirmed, it will be an excellent alternative to the Founders Edition model. This price will allow it to be consistent with the performance obtained and the price of other models of the previous generation.
KFA2 is true to what it has been offering for years, a perfectly cooled card whose fans are not heard at all. Finally, we think that the size could have been much smaller. The fourth fan, the 102mm ARGB 1-Clip Booster 2.0, doesn’t really bring much to the cooling, but it allows to optimize the circulation and the evacuation of the hot air inside your case!
Finally, and we will insist on this point again, ask yourself if you will be able to take full advantage of the potential of an RTX 4080 depending on the rest of your configuration? Don’t forget that many models of the RTX 3000 are still available for sale and that there might be some good deals during Black Friday. Personally, a recent Intel or AMD CPU as well as DDR5 seems more and more mandatory to us as well as a 4K display. The idea is to keep a balance between the components. Don’t hesitate to ask your questions on our Discord.
We liked:
- A card to take full advantage of 2160p
- Performance is up significantly compared to the RTX 3080 Ti
- A good overclocking potential
- The GDDR6X memory is still very docile when overclocking
- Excellent cooling system combined with low noise levels
- Power consumption has improved significantly!
- The quality of the card’s design
- Interesting bundle for RGB fans
- The fourth fan that optimizes the air circulation in your case
We would have liked:
- A much lower price when you know that the Founders Edition RTX 3080 was available at its launch at $699 (759 euros)
- A less bodybuilt version
In terms of performance, this KFA RTX 4080 SG fulfills its objectives perfectly and ensures the transition with the previous generation. Our sample of the day, which we would have liked to see with a smaller size, proved to be quiet and capable of keeping the graphics chip and the power supply stages cool. Even if the price seems too high, especially when you know the price in dollars, the price/performance ratio compared to the RTX 4090 and the previous generation does not seem inconsistent. Thanks to KFA2 for making this sample available.
