Best RTX 2080 – (2023 Guide)

Austin
| Last Updated: January 14, 2023

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RTX 2080 has made quite an impact on all the PC enthusiasts since September 2018, when it was first released.

Users have found the shift from GTX to RTX to be a great one and one that they have thoroughly enjoyed.

If you, too, are looking to enjoy the best of this update, then let us guide you to finding the best product for yourself.

Comparison Chart of the Best RTX 2080 Models

IMAGEPRODUCT
  • Adjustable LED controls
  • Offers better cooling
  • Noise levels are low
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  • Can handle up to 4 monitors
  • Made with high-quality components
  • Offers real-time monitoring of performance
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  • Best for the Money
  • Equipped with efficient alternate spinning fans
  • Variety of color options
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  • Boasts with unique and revolutionary architecture
  • Controlling color is easy
  • Performance is very silent
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  • Gives much-enhanced graphics
  • 6X faster performance
  • Offers better speed performance
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Pros and Cons of an RTX 2080 

Before investing in an RTX 2080, you need to make sure that it is exactly what you want. Every product comes with a set of pros and cons, and it is up to you to decide if the pros of the item are worth the cons. Below are some of the advantages and drawbacks of the RTX 2080 so you can decide if you want to invest in the unit or not.

Pros

Let’s first see the advantages you get from an RTX 2080: 

Gaming

If you are a gamer and looking for a graphics card that is perfect for the task, the RTX 2080 may prove to be a great choice. The design and functionality that it provides are absolutely ideal for gaming, and specifically for 1440P/1080P gaming, so you can enjoy the best of experience.

EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 XC Gaming

DLSS

The new RTX 2080 is a great leap of progress and is equipped with a great number of features. One of these features is the new DLSS system. The DLSS is a feature that adds not one but multiple aspects to your experience, given the great potential that it has.

Design

Better updates come with better designs, and so does this one. If you are looking to upgrade your graphics card, then this one would be highly recommended with its new and improved design. It also allows ray tracing along with deep learning. These are features that not many others offer.

Cons

There are some limitations, though, which include the following:

Power Requirement

If you invest in an RTX 2080, you will notice that it requires a 650-watt power supply, which is not the same as the standard. For that, you may need to find the appropriate adapters for the required power supply. 

Power Consumption

Since the unit requires a greater amount of power to function than other standard products, it is true that it also consumes a greater amount of power. This extra consumption may also show up on your electricity bills.

Review of the Best RTX 2080

If you have decided to invest in an RTX 2080, then we applaud you for your smart decision. But now you need to get to the real task, which is finding the right RTX 2080 for your use. There are a great number of products available in the market, and their wide variety may confuse you. So here we have picked and reviewed some of the best products that the market has to offer.

Best Overall:
EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 XC Gaming

PROS

  • Provides users with memory details of 8192 GDDR6
  • Equipped with a real boost clock that works at 18800 MHz
  • Users can enjoy a warranty of three years in case of any troubles
  • Features outstanding tuning utility that allows monitoring of graphics and great overclocking
  • Comes with a grip game, as well as a vehicle skin that can be redeemed at the EVGA online site

CONS

  • Multiplayer games may not function as smoothly
  • Not as easy to overclock as some other products
  • RGB LEDs are not as bright as users would expect them to be

What Recent Buyers Report

Users that have invested in this product are mostly those that have upgraded from the RTX predecessors. And according to them, this product is an absolute all-rounder. It provides them with nothing less than absolute perfection. From high graphics to great convenience, there is nothing that this unit failed to deliver.

Why it Stands Out to Us

When it comes to delivering the best of performance, this unit does not lag. But what makes it stand out to us the most is a different feature. What we love about this product is that it provides users with full RGB control. This allows them to adjust the RGB LEDs according to their own need.

Who Will Use This Most

This product is one that is designed to provide the best functionality and performance for all sorts of users. It has been used by a great number of people and approved by all. Such a product is designed for not one group of people but all those users looking to invest in an RTX 2080 for whatever use.

Bottom Line

In all, this product has been chosen to lead this list of best RTX 2080. And this position is justified by all the features and high-end functionality it has to offer for users. Its outstanding benchmarks and convenience of use simply add to all the great features that it is designed with.

Runner-up:
ASUS GeForce RTX 2080 O8G ROG STRIX OC Edition

PROS

  • Designed to support 4 displays all at once with great efficiency
  • Experience overclocking by 8 GB GDDR6 with 256-bit memory and 2944 CUDA cores
  • OC mode of the unit allows an 1890 MHz boost clock that enhances the functionality
  • ASUS Aura Sync RGB lighting allows you to experience an endless spectrum of lighting
  • Provides an auto extreme and a max contact technology for outstanding heat dissipation while functioning

CONS

  • Bright RGB lights may not be suitable for all
  • Users may notice that the unit has a high coil whine

What Recent Buyers Report

ASUS users have always found their products to be a step ahead of everyone. And they found the same to be true for this unit. Users said they had experienced the functionality of RTX 2080 before, but it did not compare to what ASUS provided them with, which was absolute excellence.

Why it Stands Out to Us

There is a great range of features that this product has to offer, but what matters to us most is its quiet functionality. All the users that have invested in this product have been greatly stunned by how quietly it functions, making sure to create no disturbances at all.

Who Will Use This Most

As mentioned above, this product is one that provides users with the best of its features without producing a lot of noise. And that in itself is a rare feature. If you, too, are looking for a unit that will allow you to experience the best performance without making too much noise, then this is the unit you should invest in.

Bottom Line

This unit comes in second only by a very small margin. There is a lot that it has to offer that other products don't. For this reason, it has found its rightful place on this list, allowing users to experience the best of all the features that they want from a graphics card.

Best for the Money:
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Windforce

PROS

  • Designed to provide users with highly intuitive controls using the AORUS engine
  • Comes with a core clock functioning at 1710 MHz and a VRAM of 8 GB at 256-Bit GDDR6
  • Outstanding design of this product comes with a Turing architecture for enhanced functionality
  • With the HDMI port, 3x display ports and a USB type-C port, users can experience the best connectivity
  • Equipped with a Wind Force 3xx cooling system that is designed with an alternate spinning fan for ideal cooling action

CONS

  • Fans may be a little noisy at full speed
  • Logo on the device is not well illuminated
  • Not the best at overclocking performance

What Recent Buyers Report

Buyers that invested in this product admit to having been tired of previous products that simply did not perform up to their expectations. For them, such products cost them a lot and did not pay enough. But this product was different. It surprised them with the great functionality that it provided within a lower budget.

Why it Stands Out to Us

What we love about this unit is the great performance boost that it provides. It allows users to upgrade from their older models and experience the best functionality and performance at a starter level, with all the right features. Such a unit is not as ideally available as this one.

Who Will Use This Most

As mentioned above, most graphic cards cost a lot but do not provide users with the functionality that they expect from it. But this unit is different. It allows users to experience the best at a lower price. If you’re looking for a well-performing unit on a budget, then this is the one for you.

Bottom Line

Why spend more on items that fail to perform when you can get the functionality that you want from a lower priced item? This RTX 2080 model will allow you to experience the best RTX updates. Why miss out on all the excellence when it is available at an affordable price?

4. MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 2080

PROS

  • Allows input of two 8-pin PCI-E power connectors
  • Features a broad spectrum of RGB LEDs for a bright color display
  • Users can experience the best resolution on four monitors simultaneously
  • Available in four different sizes for users to choose from according to their need
  • Ensures a video memory no less than 8 GB GDDR6 with a memory interface of 256-bit

CONS

  • May be too big to fit in certain units
  • Too heavy for smaller and delicate frames
  • Users may need extra connectors to connect the unit

What Recent Buyers Report

Those who invested in this product and tried it out for themselves have found its performance to be on the peak. It functions so well that users have decided not to switch to any other product. From its ideal price range to its great 4k performance, they are satisfied with everything it offers.

Why it Stands Out to Us

If you ask what we love about this unit, then the answer would be everything. But if we were to pick one specific feature that makes it stand apart from the rest, it is the fact that this product comes with a bright RGB LED lighting. This lighting provides a broad spectrum of colors, and adds greatly to the user experience.

Who Will Use This Most

Once you experience the functionality and display of a 4k unit, going back to 1080p is impossible. But not all graphics cards are designed to perform the ideal 4k functionality. But this unit is not the same. If you want to experience the best of 4K on your system, then this is the right product for you.

Bottom Line

With this, there will be no more compromising on the graphic quality. You do not need to downgrade to 1080p just because you can’t find a good 4k compatible graphic card. This product is the perfect solution to your problems. It will not only provide a great 4K experience but a lot more that you didn’t expect.

5. ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX 2080

PROS

  • Ideal level of connectivity provided with a great variety of connection ports
  • Real-time ray tracing and DLSS allow for a better gaming experience for all gamers
  • Designed with a 2944 CUDA cores with a factory overclocked boost clock at 1830 MHz
  • Available in a great variation of style and size for the users to pick the unit that they want
  • Special Turing architecture allows users to experience a performance that is 6 times faster than the standard

CONS

  • Not ideal to use for 1080p
  • May take some time to cool down as it produces excessive heat

What Recent Buyers Report

If you consider user reviews to be the final word on a product, then this product will definitely end up in your good books. From features as basic as quiet functionality to its high architecture performance, everything about this product has managed to greatly impress the users.

Why it Stands Out to Us

Of all the features that this unit has to offer for the users, what stands out to us the most is its Turing architecture. This enhanced design gives it an edge over other products. It is what allows it to perform not a little but almost six times faster than its immediate predecessor.

Who Will Use This Most

Overclocking can allow a great performance boost. But it is a tricky task that is not easily done by all. If you are looking for a unit with which you can enjoy the ideal performance without overclocking, then this is the one. With its factory overclocked design, you can experience the best of this product right out of the box.

Bottom Line

All in all, this product is one that simply needs a chance. And we assure you, you will not regret it. The outstanding Turing architecture, along with the overclocked functionality of the system, will ensure that you get to experience all that you wish for without any extra efforts.

How To Overclock RTX 2080 

Overclocking your unit can allow great results. You will notice a performance boost that will serve to be everything that you asked for. If you are looking to overclock your RTX 2080, then the good news is it is very easy! Not only easy, but it also overclocks really well. Here is how you can do it too:

  1. The first step to overclocking is prepping your unit. And by prepping, we mean cleaning up. Before you can get to overclocking your unit, you need to make sure that it is clean and in good condition. Dust it off, route the wires appropriately, and make sure it is all clean.

  2. Once you have physically cleaned up the unit, it is time to get to the software. If there are any bugs or fixes that need to be dealt with, do so before overclocking your device. If not, you may not be able to experience the best of overclocked performance.

  3. Once the bugs are fixed, you will need dedicated software for your device that allows control and overclocking of the unit. The same software will allow different overclocking settings, and you can simply pick one that you feel suits your needs best.

  4. Once you have overclocked your unit, make sure to set different benchmarks that will allow you to evaluate the performance of your unit during the overclocking, as well as before and after it.

If you still have questions regarding the process, here is a video to help you out further.

Conclusion

The RTX 2080 is a great step up from the RTX 2070 and all other predecessors. Even if you shift from GTX to RTX, you will find a great change in functionality and performance. In order to experience the best of this upgrade, you need to pick the best products and one that suits your needs the best.

People Also Ask

Everyone wants to ensure that they are investing in the right product. And to ensure that, you need all your queries to be answered. To help you out, here are a few of the most frequently asked questions by other users, answered just for you.

How Many Teraflops Are in an RTX 2080?

A graphics card is required to provide you with the best representation of complex images, and that depends upon the teraflops that the unit is capable of. The RTX 2080 is designed to perform at 11.1 teraflops, which is considerably greater than other GPUs.

What Power Supply Do I Need For the RTX 2080?

One of the major drawbacks of the RTX 2080 is in terms of its power requirement. It requires a power supply of 650 watts. That is not the standard power supply usually available, and users may need to invest in an adapter separately to supply the unit with the required power.

When Did the RTX 2080 Come Out?

RTX 2080 is now the talk of the market. But it hasn’t just found its way there. RTX 2080 came out in early September of 2018. And right from the moment it came out, it has managed to impress its users 

Does the RTX 2080 Have Ray Tracing?

The older RTX models were nowhere near lacking when it comes to customer satisfaction as they had a great set of features. But the RTX 2080 is a step ahead of all of them. It features ray tracing, something that other RTX models lack, making it better than all its predecessors.

Is the RTX 2080 Worth it?

The answer to this question depends entirely on what you need from your graphics card. The RTX 2080 is equipped with a great set of exciting features. But if these features are not what you are looking for, then you may not want to invest in the product. But if they are exactly what you need, then it is definitely worth the price.

Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Windforce

What is the Difference Between? 

While picking graphics cards, you will notice that they might be very similar. But there are certain differences that set them apart. Here is how these units are different:

RTX 2080 vs. GTX 1080 Ti

Looking at these two products will make you realize how similar they are. And that’s true. Most of the basic specifications of these two products are almost the same. But the main difference lies in their GPU. Other than that, the RTX cards are also provided with the ray tracing and DLSS features.

RTX 2070 vs. RTX 2080

The RTX 2080 is an upgrade from the RTX 2070. It is therefore, bound to have the upper hand over its predecessor. Looking at the RTX 2080, you will see that its core clock speed is about 105 MHz higher than the RTX 2070. It also features 40 texture mapping units more than the 2070.

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Austin

When the tech company I worked for restructured and I ended up jobless, I decided to put the wealth of knowledge and management skills to use somewhere new. I’d checked out a few buyer’s guides on the site in the past and reached out to the previous owner. A few months later, here we are. Now, I get to be behind the scenes, helping people find the best tech.