The NVIDIA RTX 4080 is the objective winner of this comparison, securing victory in eleven out of fifteen measured categories. Its most significant technical advantage over the NVIDIA RTX 3080 is its AV1 Encoding capability, which is 100% better. While the older card maintains a lead in a minority of specifications, the newer model demonstrates a clear superiority across the vast majority of the evaluated hardware metrics.

Users prioritizing the latest encoding technology and overall hardware performance should select the NVIDIA RTX 4080. Conversely, those who place the highest importance on the initial MSRP should choose the NVIDIA RTX 3080, as it holds a 42% advantage in that specific category. Your final decision should depend on whether you value the advanced encoding features of the newer card or the cost-related benefits offered by the previous generation.