NVIDIA announces new RTX 3080 with 12GB memory
The company adds a new SKU to its long list of high-end models.
The new RTX 3080 is now official. The company launches the updated model of the existing GA102-200 based SKU more than a year after introducing the original 10GB version. What was likely supposed to be a SUPER refresh has ended up as a minor spec upgrade.
NVIDIA RTX 3080 12GB features 2GB more memory than the original model. This seemingly small memory upgrade means that the card now features a full 384-bit memory bus and, as a result, the higher maximum bandwidth of 912 GB/s.
The card has already been added to the latest GeForce 511.17 drivers :
GeForce RTX 3080 12GB in 511.17 driver, Source: NVIDIA
The RTX 3080 12GB is based on GA102-220 GPU with 8960 CUDA cores. This relatively small core upgrade combined with power-hungry memory resulted in a higher TDP of 350W, a 30W more than the original.
Although the card is only just being introduced today, it is already available through retailers. Neither they nor the reviewers who have those cards are under any embargo anymore.
Unfortunately, NVIDIA did not announce the MSRP for its new card. We have thus far seen custom models going for around 1700 EUR, around 20% more than RTX 3080 10GB, while EVGA lists the cheapest RTX 3080 12GB model at 1249 USD at its official score.
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 High-End SKU Specifications | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VideoCardz | RTX 3090 Ti | RTX 3090 | RTX 3080 Ti | RTX 3080 12GB | RTX 3080 (10GB) |
| Picture |  |  |  |  | |
| GPU | GA102-350 | GA102-300 | GA102-225 | GA102-220 | GA102-200 |
| GPU Clusters | 84 | 82 | 80 | 70 | 68 |
| CUDAs | 10752 | 10496 | 10240 | 8960 | 8704 |
| RT Cores | 84 | 82 | 80 | 70 | 68 |
| Tensors/TMUs | 336 | 328 | 320 | 280 | 272 |
| Base Clock | 1560 MHz | 1395 MHz | 1365 MHz | 1260 MHz | 1440 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1860 MHz | 1695 MHz | 1665 MHz | 1710 MHz | 1710 MHz |
| Memory | 24 GB G6X | 24 GB G6X | 12 GB G6X | 12 GB G6X | 10 GB G6X |
| Bus | 384-bit | 384-bit | 384-bit | 384-bit | 320-bit |
| Memory Clock | 21 Gbps | 19.5 Gbps | 19 Gbps | 19 Gbps | 19 Gbps |
| Bandwidth | 1008 GB/s | 936 GB/s | 912 GB/s | 912 GB/s | 760 GB/s |
| TDP | 450W | 350W | 350W | 350W | 320W |
| MSRP | TBC | $1,499 | $1,199 | TBC | $699 |
| Release Date | January 2022 | September 24th, 2020 | June 3rd, 2021 | January 2022 | September 17th, 2020 |