GTX 690 vs RTX 3080 10GB
Head-to-head specifications
| Metric | GTX 690 | RTX 3080 10GB | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spy | 2,191 | 12,801 | -82.9% |
| Avg FPS @ 1080p | 34 | 105 | -67.6% |
| Avg FPS @ 1440p | 19 | 65 | -70.8% |
| Avg FPS @ 4K | 10 | 37 | -73.0% |
| FP32 compute (TFLOPS) | 6.3 | 29.8 | -79.0% |
| VRAM | 4 GB GDDR5 | 10 GB GDDR6X | — |
| Memory bandwidth (GB/s) | 448 | 840 | -46.7% |
| TDP (W) | 300 | 320 | — |
| Launch MSRP (USD) | $999 | $699 | +42.9% |
- RTX 3080 10GB averages 65 fps at 1440p versus 19 fps — about 71% faster.
- GTX 690 draws less power (300W vs 320W).
Verdict: GTX 690 or RTX 3080 10GB?
GTX 690 advantages
- Power efficiency (+6%)
RTX 3080 10GB advantages
- 1440p gaming (+71%)
- 4K gaming (+73%)
- Synthetic benchmark performance (+83%)
- Video memory (+60%)
- Memory bandwidth (+47%)
- Affordability (+30%)
Which should you choose?
- Choose the GTX 690 if you want lower power draw, heat and noise.
- Choose the RTX 3080 10GB if you game at 1440p.
Value for money
RTX 3080 10GB delivers more performance per dollar, making it the better value of the two at their listed prices.
GTX 690 vs RTX 3080 10GB: which should you choose?
GTX 690 — NVIDIA desktop graphics card (2012, Kepler) with 4 GB of GDDR5, averaging 19 fps at 1440p; launched at $999.
RTX 3080 10GB — NVIDIA desktop graphics card (2020, Ampere) with 10 GB of GDDR6X, averaging 65 fps at 1440p; launched at $699.
GTX 690 vs RTX 3080 10GB: RTX 3080 10GB is faster for gaming. RTX 3080 10GB averages 65 fps at 1440p versus 19 fps — about 71% faster. GTX 690 draws less power (300W vs 320W).
1080p, 1440p and 4K
At 1440p — the most common enthusiast resolution — the RTX 3080 10GB averages 65 fps against 19. At 4K (10 vs 37 fps) VRAM (4GB vs 10GB) and memory bandwidth matter more.
Power and value
Board power is 300 W versus 320 W, which affects PSU headroom, case cooling and noise. At launch MSRPs of $999 vs $699, weigh the frame-rate lead against price and power draw for your target resolution.
The verdict
Both are credible choices in the graphics card comparison space; the specification table above lays out every metric so you can weigh the trade-offs that matter to you. Pick the one whose strengths line up with how you will actually use it.
Frequently asked questions
Is the GTX 690 better than the RTX 3080 10GB?
RTX 3080 10GB is the clearly stronger overall choice, winning most of the dimensions that matter. RTX 3080 10GB averages 65 fps at 1440p versus 19 fps — about 71% faster.
What is the main difference between the GTX 690 and the RTX 3080 10GB?
RTX 3080 10GB averages 65 fps at 1440p versus 19 fps — about 71% faster. GTX 690 draws less power (300W vs 320W).
Which is better value?
RTX 3080 10GB delivers more performance per dollar, making it the better value of the two at their listed prices.
Which should I choose?
Choose the GTX 690 if you want lower power draw, heat and noise. Choose the RTX 3080 10GB if you game at 1440p.
Methodology
Graphics cards are compared on 3DMark Time Spy scores, average gaming frame rates at 1080p/1440p/4K, FP32 compute throughput, VRAM capacity and type, memory bandwidth, board power (TDP) and launch MSRP — plus AI workload throughput (Stable Diffusion iterations/s and local LLM tokens/s) where measured. Vintage and server GPUs without modern benchmark results are compared on specifications only, clearly labelled. Frame rates are averages across a game suite at high settings; specific titles vary.