The Best RTX 3080 Ti Graphics Cards In 2022
We List The Best RTX 3080 Ti AIBs Available To Buy And Also Consider The Founder's Edition
Finding the best RTX 3080 Ti graphics card in today’s market is not easy – even harder thanks to the constant lack of available stock. That said – and even if there was stock – choosing which RTX 3080Ti best suits your needs can still be an incredibly time-consuming task, especially if you’re looking to get the most out of your cash.
The difference between the best RTX 3080 Ti graphics cards often comes down to the cooling solution, design, and general build quality it offers. Having said that, aftermarket AIBs can range wildly in price – making some excellent value for money (and others not so excellent).
In the following article, we’ll be scouring the web to find only the best RTX 3080Ti graphics cards in today’s market. Like always, we’ll be testing each for performance, cooling, design, and build quality – concluding with a final rundown of the value each brings to the table.
So, with plenty to get through, let’s waste no more time and dive into it!
Our Top Picks
Best RTX 3080 Ti Graphics Cards
In-depth Review
MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Gaming X Trio 12G
MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Gaming X Trio 12G
Much like it did in our Best RTX 3080 list, the MSI Gaming X Trio once again clinches the top spot and for much the same reasons.
As far as AIBs go, given the more functional look imposed on them by the three fan setup, the MSI range tends to be some of the best looking, and the RTX 3080 Ti carries on this tradition. The angular geometric design, vaguely reminiscent of something you might see out of Deus Ex Mankind Divided, is a bit more interesting than what you’d usually see, and the diagonal three RGB strips across the top of the card, in addition to the light-up logo on the side add a bit more RGB magic than the minimal amount you’ll see on most 3080 Tis.
Build quality, as with most MSI cards, is top-notch, and the metal backplate adds an extra degree of sturdiness to the card – hopefully making installing/removing/reinstalling it in a build less of a worrisome experience. The card is not small though, it takes up 3 PCI case slots like the other AIBs in this list (though not the Founder’s Edition) but beyond this, its dimensions are one of the biggest graphics cards on this list, so if you’re looking to put together a small case build, consider other options.
The main reason for the bulk of this graphics card is of course the cooling, and the MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Gaming X Trio 12G comes with the same TRI FROZR 2 cooling system and TORX FAN 4.0 blades as their version of the RTX 3080, which is one of the best on the market in terms of efficiency, but also one of the quietest.
Although the 1770 MHz core boost clock doesn’t seem that much higher than the 1670 MHz of the Founder’s Edition, it is the highest currently on offer in the market for RTX 3080 Ti AIBs, so gives you the most power of any GPU on this list. Finally, the use of 3 x 8-pin connectors rather than just two, opens up the card for overclocking in the future, even if it might be a bit of irritation in the short term.
This isn’t a cheap graphics card, even by 3080 Ti standards, but if you want the best RTX 3080 Ti money can buy right now, you won’t go wrong with the MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Gaming X Trio 12G.
Gigabyte RTX 3080 Ti Gaming OC 12G
Gigabyte RTX 3080 Ti Gaming OC 12G
The Gigabyte RTX 3080 Ti Gaming OC 12G comes with a relatively modest increase in the boost clock to 1710 MHz out of the box, from the 1665 MHz of the vanilla version. For this increase, the TDP of the card has been turned up from 350W to 360W. To be honest, we would have liked to have seen slightly greater gains for the extra money being paid here, though compared to the competing AIBs with higher clock speeds (see above) the Gigabyte RTX 3080 Ti Gaming OC 12G is substantially cheaper, so this is the trade-off you have to consider. Based on the MRSP you would pay $200+ for this card on top of the c.$1,200 of the Founder’s Edition, though obviously in today’s low-stock market you’ll likely end up having to fork out much more for either card.
The build quality of Gigabyte AIBs is generally of a good standard and this GPU is no exception. Gigabyte’s patented Windforce cooling solution uses three ergonomically designed fans that can switch from a semi-passive mode when the demands on the card are low, to higher speeds when it begins to heat up – thus maximizing energy efficiency. This also reduces noise when using the graphics card generally, and it is among the quieter RTX 3080 Tis available. The cooling is of a good standard and brings some peace of mind that the card will last the distance and not lose efficiency over time like the Founder’s Edition.
The 4-year warranty is very welcome and adds further confidence to the longevity of this expensive card, however, be aware that any further overclocking of the card that you do will void this. Finally the Gigabyte RTX 3080 Ti Gaming OC 12G is one of the few offerings which comes with two HDMI 2.1 ports (one is much more common), which may be a useful feature for some.
ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Trinity 12GB
ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Trinity 12GB
We use the term ‘value’ here very loosely, as the minimum you will be spending on this card is $1,299 i.e. around $100 more than the Founder’s Edition, however ultimately for this money you get a graphics card which has an improved cooling solution and therefore greater likely longevity, which should help ensure you get the most value for your money long-term.
The ZOTAC Trinity GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 12GB is the most conservative of all the AIBs on this list, in that its boost clock is the same 1665 MHz as the Founder’s Edition of the card, and there is generally not much improvement in real performance compared to the vanilla FE version, besides the increased upper limits, the more efficient cooling permits should you wish to overclock it yourself.
The cooling is unfortunately also among the louder of the RTX 3080 Tis, and kicks out more decibels compared to other selections on this shortlist, though the difference still won’t be that noticeable to most people under most gaming loads.
Ultimately this is the RTX 3080 Ti you should go for if you’re just looking for a graphics card with improved cooling and likely longevity over the vanilla version for not much more money.
Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti Founder’s Edition
Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti Founder’s Edition
If space is at a premium in your case and the monster three fan AIBs simply won’t fit, then the Founder’s Edition of the RTX 3080 Ti might be your best bet. In our opinion, the iconic ‘Tie Fighter’ design (or horizontal hourglass) is one of the nicest out there from an aesthetic perspective, and the MSRP is the cheapest you will find (though you’ll be lucky to pick one up for this).
As ever, the main difference between the Founder’s Edition of the graphics card and the AIBs is the cooling solution. The RTX 3080 Ti uses the same 2-slot design as the RTX 3080, rather than the three-slot design of the RTX 3090 FE. The area in which the card generates the most heat is around the GDDR6X memory, and a critique of the Founder’s Edition 3090 is that the thermal pad for the VRAM is not really adequate, leading people to upgrade it themselves, though unfortunately, this voids the warranty. Sadly the RTX 3080 Ti Founder’s Edition has the same drawback, so this is a consideration potential buyers of this card will have to weigh up.
That being said, even if the cooling is below par, at present you’re unlikely to notice much of an audible difference between this card and the AIBs listed on this page when playing games – generally, the card does run quite quiet except in the rare scenarios where the VRAM usage is pushed to the max and this is mostly limited to crypto-mining and the like. Still, more demanding games that may appear in the future might similarly stress the card, and if past experience is anything to go buy, long-term stress on the card may cause it to become louder as efficiency degrades over time. Such degradation could reduce the lifespan of the card, which is a consideration buyers should think about before they make what is a very substantial purchase.
Final Word
So, this has been our guide to the best RTX 3080 Ti graphics cards on the market, we hope you have found it useful! Ultimately, whichever of these powerful cards you pick, as long as you make sure it is compatible with the rest of your build, you will end up with one of the most beastly gaming PCs money can buy, whatever resolution you happen to be playing on.
Obviously, stock issues still abound for this card, others in the 30 series, and for GPUs in general. Make sure you keep our Where To Buy The RTX 3080 Ti page bookmarked and refreshed for a list of all the major stockists worldwide so you don’t miss out.
If you have any other questions regarding the Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti or any of the RTX family, do feel free to drop us a comment in the relevant section below.