RTX 40 Series: NVIDIA's Ada Lovelace GPUs Explained

When NVIDIA launched the RTX 40 series in October 2022, the tech world reacted with a mix of excitement and frustration.

The flagship RTX 4090 impressed pretty much everyone with its raw power, while mid-range cards sparked heated debates about value and pricing that continue today.

Key Takeaways

• The RTX 40 series introduced Ada Lovelace architecture with up to 2X performance gains and better power efficiency over the previous generation
• DLSS 3 with Frame Generation is exclusive to RTX 40 series cards, delivering up to 4X performance in supported games
• The lineup spans from the entry-level RTX 4060 at $299 to the flagship RTX 4090 at $1,599, with Super variants added in January 2024
• Ray tracing performance improved dramatically with third-generation RT Cores and Shader Execution Reordering technology
• Memory configurations vary significantly across models, with 8GB cards facing limitations at higher resolutions
• Power consumption dropped substantially compared to previous generation cards at similar performance levels
• Production ceased in late 2024 as NVIDIA transitioned to the RTX 50 series

What Makes the RTX 40 Series Different

The RTX 40 series represents NVIDIA's biggest architectural leap since they introduced ray tracing in 2018.

At the heart of these cards sits the Ada Lovelace architecture, built on TSMC's custom 4N process node. NVIDIA worked directly with TSMC to create a customized variant specifically for their needs.

The flagship AD102 GPU powering the RTX 4090 packs 76.3 billion transistors into a 608.4 square millimeter die – that's a 178 percent increase in transistor density compared to the previous generation.

But raw transistor counts only tell part of the story.

Third-Generation Ray Tracing Cores

The third-generation RT Cores deliver twice the ray-triangle intersection throughput compared to the RTX 30 series. When you combine that with a technology called Shader Execution Reordering, you get up to 3X better shader performance specifically for ray tracing operations.

What does this mean in practice? Games with heavy ray tracing like Cyberpunk 2077 with Ray Tracing Overdrive mode actually become playable at 4K resolution. The RTX 3090 Ti struggled to hit 30 FPS in this scenario, while the RTX 4090 maintains around 60 FPS with DLSS enabled.

Fourth-Generation Tensor Cores

The fourth-generation Tensor Cores bring support for new data formats including FP8 precision, delivering up to 5X throughput improvement to reach 1.4 tensor-petaFLOPS in flagship configurations.

These Tensor Cores power DLSS 3, the headline feature that separates RTX 40 series cards from everything that came before.

The optical flow accelerator, now in its second generation, analyzes motion between frames to guide AI models in generating completely new intermediate frames. This frame generation technology works alongside super resolution upscaling to potentially quadruple performance compared to native rendering.

We've tested DLSS 3 extensively at Groovy Computers, and it genuinely transforms gaming experiences in well-optimized titles. Microsoft Flight Simulator, notoriously CPU-limited, achieves up to 2X FPS improvements – performance you literally cannot get any other way, since the CPU physically can't compute more frames.

The Complete RTX 40 Series Lineup

NVIDIA took an unusual approach with the RTX 40 series launch, starting at the top and slowly working down over eight months.

High-End Models

The RTX 4090 launched first on October 12, 2022, at $1,599. With 16,384 CUDA cores running at 2.52 GHz and 24GB of GDDR6X memory, it established a new performance ceiling.

Testing showed the RTX 4090 delivers 60 to 90 percent higher frame rates than the RTX 3090 Ti across different resolutions. At 4K, that advantage reaches 87 percent while consuming only marginally more power.

The RTX 4080 followed on November 16, 2022, priced at $1,199 for the 16GB model. This launch came with controversy we'll discuss later, but the card itself delivers impressive performance. It includes 9,728 CUDA cores and achieves about 52 percent higher performance than the RTX 3080 at 1440p with nearly 10 percent lower power consumption.

Mid-Range Options

The RTX 4070 Ti arrived January 5, 2023, at $799. It features 7,680 CUDA cores with 12GB of GDDR6X memory across a 192-bit bus. Performance sits roughly equivalent to the previous generation RTX 3090 Ti.

The standard RTX 4070 launched April 13, 2023, at $599. With 5,888 CUDA cores and a modest 200W TDP, it delivers about 30 percent higher performance than the RTX 3070 while using 14 percent less power. A lot of reviewers considered this the first reasonably priced card in the lineup.

Budget Tier

The RTX 4060 Ti arrived May 24, 2023, in an 8GB configuration at $399. It includes 4,352 CUDA cores across a narrow 128-bit memory interface. An unusual 16GB variant followed in July at $499.

The entry-level RTX 4060 completed the initial lineup on June 29, 2023, at $299. It features 3,072 CUDA cores and only 8GB of GDDR6 memory, which became a major point of criticism.

Super Series Refresh

NVIDIA announced three Super variants on January 8, 2024, bringing better specs and better pricing.

The RTX 4070 Super launched January 17 at $599, matching the standard 4070's price while delivering 20 percent more CUDA cores. With 7,168 cores, it actually outperforms the previous generation RTX 3090 flagship at a fraction of the power consumption.

The RTX 4070 Ti Super arrived January 24 at $799. The big upgrade here was memory – jumping from 12GB to 16GB across a wider 256-bit bus. This substantially increased memory bandwidth to 672 GB/s while boosting core count to 8,448.

The RTX 4080 Super launched January 31 at $999, representing a $200 price cut from the original RTX 4080. You get 10,240 CUDA cores and 16GB of GDDR6X memory at a much more reasonable price point.

Gaming Performance Across Resolutions

Performance varies dramatically based on resolution and whether you enable ray tracing.

1080p Performance

At 1080p, CPU bottlenecks start limiting even mid-range cards. The RTX 4070 delivers about 26 percent higher performance than the RTX 3070 while consuming 27 percent less power.

The RTX 4090 shows a 48.8 percent advantage over the RTX 3090 at 1080p, but this actually undersells the card's capabilities since the CPU becomes the limiting factor.

1440p Sweet Spot

Moving to 1440p removes most CPU bottlenecks and lets these cards shine. The RTX 4080 extends its lead over the RTX 3080 to 52.4 percent while drawing 9.4 percent less power.

The RTX 4070 maintains its roughly 30 percent performance lead over the RTX 3070 with 14 percent lower power draw. This combination of better performance and efficiency really defines the Ada Lovelace generation.

4K Gaming

At 4K resolution, GPU processing becomes the sole bottleneck and performance differences expand further.

The RTX 4090 achieves its most impressive relative performance here, delivering a 70.7 percent advantage over the RTX 3090 while consuming only 5.9 percent more power. It's the only single-GPU solution that consistently exceeds 100 FPS in demanding titles with maximum quality settings including full ray tracing.

The RTX 4080 reaches 52.4 percent higher performance than the RTX 3080 at 4K with 9.4 percent reduced power consumption. Even the RTX 4070 delivers 24.5 percent better performance than the RTX 3070 while using 13.1 percent less power.

Ray Tracing Performance

Ray tracing is where the RTX 40 series truly separates itself from the competition.

Testing in Cyberpunk 2077 with Ray Tracing Overdrive mode at 4K showed the RTX 4090 maintaining playable frame rates, while the RTX 3090 Ti struggled significantly. The RTX 4090 could deliver over 100 FPS with DLSS Performance mode and Frame Generation enabled.

Alan Wake 2 with path tracing demonstrated that the RTX 4090 delivers 2.5X to 3X higher performance than the RTX 3090 Ti with all ray tracing features maxed out.

DLSS 3 and Frame Generation Technology

DLSS 3 fundamentally changed how we think about graphics card performance at Groovy Computers.

The technology builds on DLSS 2's Super Resolution by adding Optical Multi Frame Generation. It analyzes sequential frames to create entirely new intermediate frames, effectively multiplying frame rates.

This process uses Ada Lovelace's fourth-generation Tensor Cores and new Optical Flow Accelerator hardware. The system analyzes pixel-level movement including particles, reflections, shadows, and lighting that traditional game engine motion vectors can't capture.

Real-World Impact

In CPU-limited scenarios, DLSS 3 enables RTX 40 series cards to deliver up to twice the frame rate that the processor can actually compute. You're essentially separating GPU rendering performance from CPU limitations.

NVIDIA claims up to 4X performance improvements compared to native rendering without any AI assistance. In well-optimized titles, this isn't just marketing talk.

Microsoft Flight Simulator showcases this perfectly. The game simulates the entire planet at 1:1 scale and is notoriously CPU-limited. DLSS 3 enables up to 2X FPS improvements where the CPU would otherwise be the bottleneck.

Important Limitations

Frame generation works best when your base frame rate already exceeds 40 to 50 FPS. The technology delivers its most impressive results when pushing already-playable experiences into ultra-smooth territory.

When native frame rates drop below 30 FPS, frame generation can introduce visible artifacts or feel less responsive despite the numerical improvement. We've learned to view DLSS 3 as a performance multiplier rather than a miracle worker for unplayable scenarios.

The technology also adds some latency since generating intermediate frames creates delay between user input and on-screen response. NVIDIA addresses this through Reflex low-latency technology, which optimizes the entire rendering pipeline.

RTX 40 Series Exclusivity

A lot of people question why frame generation only works on RTX 40 series hardware. NVIDIA maintains that the fourth-generation Tensor Cores and enhanced Optical Flow Accelerator provide necessary performance improvements.

Independent analysis suggests the decision likely involves market positioning as much as technical limitations. But regardless of the reasoning, if you want frame generation, you need an RTX 40 series card.

Memory Configurations and VRAM Limitations

Memory configuration became one of the most controversial aspects of the RTX 40 series.

The flagship RTX 4090 features 24GB of GDDR6X memory across a 384-bit bus, delivering 1,008 GB/s of bandwidth. This massive buffer provides substantial headroom for demanding workloads.

Mid-range models like the RTX 4070 use 12GB of GDDR6X across a 192-bit bus providing 504 GB/s. This configuration works well for most gaming scenarios at 1440p and below.

The 8GB Problem

The RTX 4060 and RTX 4060 Ti use standard GDDR6 memory rather than GDDR6X. More problematically, they feature only 8GB capacity across a narrow 128-bit bus delivering just 272 GB/s.

Testing in The First Descendant revealed that the RTX 4060 Ti 8GB struggled to maintain 60 FPS at 1080p on very high settings. VRAM limitations caused stuttering that persisted even when using DLSS quality upscaling.

At 1440p with ray tracing enabled, the 8GB buffer proved completely inadequate. The GPU had to spill data to system RAM, causing severe performance drops.

Owen Tech's testing across multiple 2024 titles demonstrated that 8GB routinely hits memory limitations at 1440p and even 1080p when ray tracing or high texture settings are enabled. Games like Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, and The Last of Us Part I all exhibited severe stuttering and frame time spikes on 8GB cards.

The 12GB Debate

The RTX 4070 Ti's 12GB configuration generated concerns about future-proofing. Forum discussions questioned whether 12GB would "start to struggle at 1440p/165Hz just like 8GB is."

The RTX 4070 Ti Super addressed these concerns by upgrading to 16GB in January 2024. But this came nearly a year after the original model launched, leaving early adopters frustrated.

Reddit users noted that "more and more games are coming out using Unreal Engine not being optimized having Shader issues using way too much VRAM and the 12 gigabytes of VRAM on this card was quickly exceeded in games like Hogwarts Legacy."

We generally recommend treating 16GB as the minimum for cards in the $500+ price range if you plan to keep your GPU for several years.

Power Efficiency and Thermal Performance

Power efficiency represents one of Ada Lovelace's most impressive achievements.

The architecture delivers substantial performance improvements while maintaining or reducing power consumption compared to previous generation equivalents. This came from the custom TSMC 4N process and architectural refinements that enabled higher clock speeds at lower voltages.

Real-World Power Consumption

RTX 40 series cards rarely approach their rated TGP limits during actual gaming. The RTX 4080 with its 320W TGP averaged only 251W across 22 games at various resolutions, using just 78 percent of its rated power limit.

Specific testing showed even lower consumption in many titles. Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K averaged 287 watts, Metro Exodus hit 295 watts, but Guardians of the Galaxy required only 266 watts and Forza Horizon 5 drew just 238 watts.

The RTX 4090 delivered 70 percent higher performance than the RTX 3090 at 4K while consuming only 5.9 percent more power on average. This meant dramatically better performance per watt than any previous consumer graphics card.

Thermal Management

Thermal management benefited from both reduced power consumption per performance unit and better cooler designs.

The RTX 4090 Founders Edition maintained GPU temperatures below 80 degrees Celsius during extended gaming sessions despite the card's massive processing capability.

Third-party designs showed considerable variation. Premium models like ASUS ROG Strix variants featured triple-fan cooling that enabled nearly silent operation during moderate workloads. Budget variants with minimal cooling sometimes struggled to maintain boost clocks under sustained load.

Idle and Light Workload Efficiency

Idle and light workload power consumption showed particular improvement. RTX 40 series cards drop to 13 watts or less when not actively rendering, compared to 16 watts for the RTX 3090 Ti.

Video playback power consumption similarly improved, with the RTX 4080 requiring only 21 watts compared to 33 watts for the RTX 3090.

These improvements mean RTX 40 series systems consume noticeably less power during everyday desktop tasks, translating to reduced electricity costs over the card's lifetime.

Laptop Implementation

The RTX 40 series extended to mobile platforms on February 8, 2023, with laptop GPUs spanning from the RTX 4090 down to the RTX 4050.

Mobile implementations use Ada Lovelace's efficiency improvements to deliver strong performance in portable form factors. NVIDIA claimed flagship laptops ran up to 3X more efficiently than previous generation mobile flagships.

Performance Gap Between Desktop and Laptop

The performance gap between desktop and laptop implementations remains substantial. Desktop RTX 4090 delivers 56 percent higher average performance than the laptop variant at 4K resolution.

This margin varies based on resolution and CPU limitations. The desktop advantage compresses to just 21 percent at 1080p where both configurations face CPU bottlenecks, but expands to the full 56 percent at 4K.

Interestingly, the performance gap essentially disappears at the low end of the product stack. Laptop and desktop RTX 5060 cards run neck-and-neck in testing.

Power and Thermal Considerations

The power difference between laptop and desktop variants proves dramatic. Mobile RTX 4090 cards typically operate at 150 to 175W compared to the desktop variant's 450W TDP.

Despite consuming less than half the power of desktop counterparts, laptop implementations deliver approximately 64 percent of desktop performance at 4K resolution. This represents impressive efficiency.

Thermal and acoustic considerations become more pronounced in laptop implementations. Many high-performance gaming laptops produce significant fan noise when running at maximum performance modes.

Testing at normalized 40 dB noise levels showed substantial performance reductions across the laptop GPU lineup. Users seeking quieter operation need to accept meaningful performance reductions, or recognize that desktop systems maintain substantial advantages for those prioritizing quiet operation alongside performance.

Content Creation and Professional Use

Professional content creation workflows benefit substantially from the RTX 40 series through raw compute performance, large memory buffers, and specialized hardware acceleration.

GPU Rendering Performance

GPU rendering engines like V-Ray demonstrated exceptional gains with Ada Lovelace. The RTX 4090 nearly doubled the rendering speed of the RTX 3090.

The RTX 4080 delivered 50 percent faster renders compared to the RTX 3080 Ti while increasing available VRAM from 12GB to 16GB. This enabled more complex scenes to render entirely on the GPU without system memory spillover.

Octane rendering showed similar patterns, with the RTX 4090 achieving 90 percent higher performance than the RTX 3090. Blender workloads showed rendering tasks completing up to 70 percent faster on RTX 40 series hardware.

Video Editing Applications

Video editing applications presented a more nuanced picture. Performance improvements heavily depend on codec selection and whether AI-accelerated features are utilized.

DaVinci Resolve showed modest gains with the RTX 4070 Super compared to the standard RTX 4070 in traditional editing workflows. Tasks using hardware acceleration like noise reduction and effects processing demonstrated more substantial improvements.

The eighth-generation NVENC encoder with AV1 support provided particular benefits for video editing professionals. The RTX 4070 Ti and higher models feature dual NVENC encoders capable of simultaneously encoding multiple streams for more efficient proxy generation or multi-format delivery workflows.

AI and Machine Learning

AI and machine learning applications used the fourth-generation Tensor cores to deliver substantial performance improvements. The RTX 4080 Super generates video over 1.5X faster and images over 1.7X faster than the RTX 3080 Ti in generative AI workloads.

Tools like Stable Diffusion for AI image generation showed dramatic speed improvements. The RTX 4090 can generate complex images in seconds rather than the minutes required by previous generation cards.

According to NVIDIA, the RTX platform now serves over 100 million gamers and creators. The combination of gaming performance and AI acceleration makes these cards genuinely versatile tools.

Pricing Strategy and Market Reception

The pricing structure of the RTX 40 series generated substantial controversy throughout its lifecycle.

The RTX 4090 at $1,599 represented a $100 increase over the RTX 3090's launch price. The substantial performance improvement of 60 to 90 percent provided some justification for the premium.

Market data from October 2025 showed RTX 4090 retail prices reaching $3,049 on Amazon with used cards trading around $2,050. This represented substantial premiums over MSRP as the card transitioned to end-of-life status.

Mid-Range Pricing Controversy

The RTX 4080 pricing proved particularly contentious. The original $1,199 launch price represented a $500 increase over the RTX 3080's $699 MSRP.

Reviews called the RTX 4080 technically impressive but questioned whether the pricing made sense. Tom Warren of The Verge recommended potential buyers wait to see AMD's competitive offerings.

Mid-range pricing drew criticism for failing to deliver meaningful generational improvements at equivalent price points. The RTX 4070 at $599 cost more than the RTX 3080 had at launch despite being positioned lower in the product stack.

Entry-Level Criticism

The entry-level segment faced harsh criticism for perceived inadequate specs relative to pricing. The RTX 4060 at $299 represented a reasonable price on paper, but reviews consistently noted that its 8GB VRAM capacity and 128-bit memory bus created bottlenecks.

The RTX 4060 Ti generated even stronger criticism. The 8GB variant at $399 drew particular scorn for offering minimal improvements over the standard RTX 4060, while the 16GB version at $499 seemed overpriced.

One frustrated Reddit user expressed that the RTX 4090 should have cost $1,200 at most, the RTX 4080 should have launched at $900, the RTX 4070 Ti at $700, the standard RTX 4070 at $500, and the RTX 4060 Ti 16GB at $450 with the 8GB variant never existing.

Super Series Response

The Super series refresh in January 2024 represented NVIDIA's response to market feedback. The RTX 4080 Super's $200 price reduction to $999 made it substantially more competitive.

The RTX 4070 Ti Super maintained the $799 price point while adding 4GB of VRAM and additional compute resources. The RTX 4070 Super at $599 delivered approximately 16 percent higher performance than the standard RTX 4070 at the same price.

By late 2024, market dynamics shifted as RTX 50 series cards began launching. RTX 40 series inventory dried up and prices remained stubbornly high despite products being effectively discontinued.

AMD Competition

AMD's Radeon RX 7000 series provided the primary competition, though with a strategic focus on rasterization performance and pricing rather than matching NVIDIA's ray tracing capabilities.

High-End Comparison

The Radeon RX 7900 XTX launched at $999, positioned directly against the RTX 4080's $1,199 price point. AMD explicitly positioned itself as the value alternative.

Testing found the RX 7900 XTX won against the RTX 4080 in five out of nine games at 4K with ray tracing disabled, maintaining a 3.7 percent lead in pure rasterization workloads.

However, enabling ray tracing shifted the balance decisively toward NVIDIA. The RTX 4080 pulled ahead in most titles and demonstrated particular advantages in games with heavy ray tracing implementations.

The absence of a direct AMD competitor to the RTX 4090 left NVIDIA unchallenged at the absolute high end. AMD executives explicitly stated they had decided not to compete in the flagship segment for this generation.

Feature Competition

Feature competition highlighted fundamental philosophical differences between the companies. NVIDIA used proprietary technologies like DLSS 3 frame generation that required specialized hardware present only in RTX 40 series cards.

AMD focused on open standards like FSR that worked across broader hardware ranges. This created situations where NVIDIA cards offered objectively superior image quality and performance in games implementing DLSS.

Practical testing revealed that DLSS 3 typically delivered better image quality and more convincing frame generation than AMD's competing solutions.

Driver Stability Shift

Driver stability became a recurring theme in competitive discussions. NVIDIA has historically enjoyed a reputation for more reliable driver releases compared to AMD.

This dynamic reversed somewhat in late 2024 and early 2025. Multiple sources reported significant stability problems affecting RTX 40 series cards on newer driver releases.

Game developers for titles including inZOI and The First Berserker: Khazan actively warned players to roll back from the 572.xx driver branch to the older 566.36 December 2024 release.

Forum discussions noted with some irony that AMD's driver situation appeared to have improved precisely when NVIDIA's driver quality declined.

Controversies and Issues

The RTX 40 series faced several significant controversies that shaped community perception throughout its lifecycle.

The 12VHPWR Connector Problem

The 16-pin 12VHPWR power connector became infamous for melting incidents. Reports emerged shortly after the RTX 4090's launch of cables melting at the connector junction.

Greek PC gaming site Dark Side of Gaming discovered melting on their RTX 4090 review card after two years of use, despite the cable being properly seated and never removed during that period.

Analysis by Der8auer using high-precision measurement tools revealed resistance inconsistencies in the 12VHPWR connector pins that suggested manufacturing tolerances or design flaws contributed to the issues.

The melting controversy persisted despite NVIDIA's introduction of a revised 12V-2x6 connector design. Reports of melting continued into 2025 with RTX 50 series cards.

Tom's Hardware noted that Pin 1 on the cable exhibited a "bad habit of melting," and research suggested current imbalance across multiple 12V pins might contribute to the issue.

The RTX 4080 12GB "Unlaunching"

The unlaunching of the RTX 4080 12GB created an unusual controversy. NVIDIA announced the product alongside the RTX 4090 and RTX 4080 16GB in September 2022.

Tech media immediately criticized the scheme as intentionally misleading. The 25 percent difference in core count meant these represented fundamentally different GPU chips that would deliver substantially different performance despite sharing the same product name.

Gamers Nexus published a scathing analysis highlighting the risk that unscrupulous retailers could exploit consumer confusion to sell the slower 12GB version at prices approaching the 16GB model.

On October 14, 2022, NVIDIA issued a statement using the term "unlaunch" to describe their decision to pull back the RTX 4080 12GB. They acknowledged that having two GPUs with the 4080 designation was confusing.

The card eventually launched as the RTX 4070 Ti in January 2023 at $799 rather than the initially planned $899.

Production Cessation

Production decisions generated additional controversy. NVIDIA reportedly ceased manufacturing for most RTX 40 series models in late 2024 while retail inventory remained limited and prices stayed elevated.

Reports in October 2024 suggested NVIDIA had completely shut down the AD106 production line used for the RTX 4060 Ti and RTX 4070. All capacity was reallocated to RTX 50 series production.

This aggressive production wind-down occurred before the RTX 50 series had even launched. Consumers faced limited availability of current-generation cards while waiting months for replacements.

Choosing the Right RTX 40 Series Card

With the RTX 50 series now launching, finding RTX 40 series cards at reasonable prices has become challenging.

For 1080p Gaming

The RTX 4060 works for 1080p gaming at $299, though the 8GB VRAM limitation concerns us for future titles. If you can find an RTX 4060 Ti 16GB at a reasonable price, that provides more headroom.

The RTX 4070 represents a better long-term investment if you plan to eventually move to 1440p. Its 12GB VRAM and stronger GPU provide meaningful performance advantages.

For 1440p Gaming

The RTX 4070 Super at $599 delivers excellent 1440p performance and represents one of the better values in the lineup. You get 7,168 CUDA cores and performance exceeding the previous generation RTX 3090.

The RTX 4070 Ti Super at $799 provides additional performance headroom and 16GB VRAM. This memory capacity matters for games with high-resolution textures or heavy ray tracing.

For 4K Gaming

The RTX 4080 Super at $999 delivers compelling 4K performance at 85 to 90 percent of RTX 4090 capability. The $600 price difference compared to the flagship makes it attractive for many users.

The RTX 4090 at $1,599 remains the only single-GPU solution that consistently exceeds 100 FPS in demanding titles with maximum quality settings. If you want uncompromising 4K performance, it's still the card to get.

For Content Creation

Content creators should prioritize VRAM capacity. The RTX 4090's 24GB buffer makes it ideal for professional workflows including 3D rendering, video editing, and AI applications.

The RTX 4070 Ti Super with 16GB provides a more budget-friendly option for creators who need substantial memory but can accept slightly lower performance.

The eighth-generation NVENC encoder with AV1 support benefits video professionals across the entire lineup. Even the RTX 4060 encodes video approximately 40 percent more efficiently than previous generation cards.

If you're looking for a complete system, check out our gaming PC collection or explore high-end builds featuring RTX 40 series cards.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the RTX 40 series worth buying in 2025?

With the RTX 50 series now launching, RTX 40 series cards are worth buying only if you find them at substantial discounts below MSRP. A lot of retailers are keeping prices high despite these being previous-generation products, which makes them poor value compared to newer alternatives. If you can find an RTX 4070 Super or 4080 Super at a genuine discount, they remain capable cards.

What's the difference between regular and Super RTX 40 series cards?

Super variants offer better specs at the same or lower prices compared to the original models. The RTX 4070 Super added 20 percent more CUDA cores at the same $599 price. The RTX 4070 Ti Super upgraded from 12GB to 16GB VRAM while maintaining the $799 price point. The RTX 4080 Super reduced pricing by $200 to $999 while offering modest specification improvements.

How much VRAM do I need for gaming?

For 1080p gaming, 8GB is the bare minimum but you'll face limitations in many modern titles. For 1440p gaming, we recommend 12GB as a minimum with 16GB preferred for longevity. For 4K gaming or professional work, 16GB should be considered the minimum with 24GB ideal for heavy workloads. Games increasingly require more VRAM, especially when enabling ray tracing or high-resolution texture packs.

Does DLSS 3 really make a difference?

DLSS 3 makes a substantial difference in supported games when your base frame rate exceeds 40 to 50 FPS. It can deliver up to 4X performance compared to native rendering in optimal scenarios. However, it works best as a performance multiplier for already-playable games rather than a solution for unplayable scenarios. Frame generation adds some latency, though NVIDIA's Reflex technology helps minimize this impact.

Why are RTX 40 series cards so power efficient?

The combination of TSMC's custom 4N process and architectural refinements in Ada Lovelace enables higher clock speeds at lower voltages. Cards rarely approach their rated TGP limits during gaming, with the RTX 4080 averaging only 251W despite a 320W rating. The architecture delivers 25 to 70 percent higher performance while consuming similar or lower power than previous generation equivalents.

Should I wait for RTX 50 series or buy RTX 40 series now?

With RTX 50 series cards now launching and RTX 40 series production ceased, you should generally wait for RTX 50 series availability unless you find exceptional deals on RTX 40 series cards. Many RTX 40 series models are selling at or above MSRP despite being discontinued, which makes them poor value. The RTX 5090 offers modest performance improvements but typically better overall value at current pricing.

What happened with the RTX 4080 12GB?

NVIDIA initially announced two RTX 4080 models in September 2022, with 12GB and 16GB variants featuring substantially different specs despite sharing the same name. After widespread criticism about the confusing naming scheme, NVIDIA "unlaunched" the 12GB model in October 2022. It eventually released as the RTX 4070 Ti in January 2023 at $799, representing a rare instance of a major GPU manufacturer reversing course based on pre-launch feedback.

Are 8GB graphics cards enough in 2025?

8GB graphics cards face significant limitations in modern gaming, particularly at resolutions above 1080p or with ray tracing enabled. Testing shows games like Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, and The Last of Us Part I exhibiting severe stuttering on 8GB cards when VRAM limits are exceeded. We recommend treating 12GB as the practical minimum for mid-range cards, with 16GB preferred for longevity and higher resolution gaming.