The NVIDIA RTX 5000 Ada Generation is the objective winner, securing victories in eleven out of fourteen comparable categories. Its most significant technical advantage is its VRAM capacity, which is 167% higher than that of the alternative. While the NVIDIA RTX 3080 12 GB holds its own in three specific areas, the superior memory architecture and broader spec lead make the former the more capable hardware solution across the majority of measured metrics.

Choose the NVIDIA RTX 5000 Ada Generation if your workflow demands the highest possible VRAM capacity for intensive data processing or professional tasks. Conversely, select the NVIDIA RTX 3080 12 GB if your primary priority is the MSRP, where it maintains an 80% advantage over the other card. This choice allows users to balance their specific budget requirements against the need for expanded memory resources provided by the higher-tier model.