The Nvidia GeForce RTX 30 Series: Will It Soon Become the Standard for Gaming GPUs?

After much anticipation, great speculation, and even some leaks, the long awaited GeForce RTX 30 series is finally here! While the entire series is truly spectacular, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 is an absolute colossus and it has specs that seem almost too good to be true. 

Substantially more powerful than their current 20 series, Nvidia’s 30 series is a combination of the RTX 3070, RTX 3080 and the RTX 3090. 

In their introduction pitch at the launch of this new series, Nvidia put forward the statement that the RTX 3080 is twice as fast the RTX 2080. That is, to put it mildly, fast! Looking at it from a completely raw specs point of view, though, this is totally accurate. 

If you are one of the hopefuls that are waiting to get their hands on the majestic RTX 3090 or RTX 3080, you may have to act really quickly because, according to a report at TweakTown, there are only a limited number of these cards available in this first launch. And by limited we mean a substantially minuscule amount as compared to past launches. 

To make sure you don’t miss out, you can sign up for preorder notifications on the GeForce RTX 30 series on their website. Currently, none of these GPU’s is available for preorder but once you are signed up for notifications, you will be kept in the loop the second they go live for preorder. 

These new GPU’s span the spectrum in price and performance and offer something for all serious gamers. They are revolutionary on the AI front and will provide a gaming experience worth every dollar paid. In this article, we’ll be discussing all the phenomenal aspects of this series and taking a more in-depth look at the specs for these GPU’s.  

In Comparison

The RTX 3080 is Nvidia’s flagship GPU and it is definitely a phenomenal one at that, however, seeing that the RTX 3080 is such a monster, it definitely makes you wonder what the RTX 3090 is going to be like. Looking at the RTX 30 series next to each other, it is clear that the RTX 3090 is definitely a beast of a card in comparison to the other two. 

The RTX 3090 measures 313x138mm and takes up a total of three slots, compared to the RTX 3070 which measures 242x112mm and takes up only two slots. The RTX 3080 measures 285x110mm and also takes up two slots. The RTX 3070 looks slightly different to the other two, as it has two front fans and a dissimilar cooler. 

While the RTX 3080 was announced as Nvidia’s new flagship, it looks quite small compared to the RTX 3090. However, it will be the first of the graphics cards to be launched, going live on the 17th of September. The RTX 3090 will follow close behind on its heels, launching on the 24th September. And last, but not least, will come the RTX 3070, launching later in October. 

This new GeForce RTX 30 series is apparently going to knock the ball completely out the park compared to the GeForce 20 series. They are twice as powerful, not to mention twice as fast! The Ray Tracing cores have been improved, now rendering 1440p at 60fps as compared to the previous 720p at 60fps. It is quite the massive leap and promises to be spectacular.

Following are the official specifications for each of the GPU’s in this series and you will then be able to see just how much more improved they are as compared to the RTX 20 series. 

The RTX 30 Series’ Specifications

According to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, the new RTX 30 Series is “the greatest generational leap in company history.” The flagship GeForce RTX 3080 has no less than 28 billion transistors and it is built on a custom 8N manufacturing process, connecting to Micron’s new GDDR6X memory, which is the fastest graphics memory that has ever been made. Now that is definitely a leap that is worth taking! 

Not to mention that the RTX 3090 is the first graphics card that is capable of playing games at 8K resolution. What with the cutting edge GDDR6X memory, the new RTX 30 series has been created to perform at speeds that are exponentially higher than the previous series! 

Here is a rundown of the basic specifications for each of the graphics cards in this series, just to give you an idea of what to expect and so that you know what you’re dealing with:

RTX 3090RTX 3080RTX 3070
GPU Engine SpecsNvidia CUDA Cores1049687045888
Boost Clock (GHz)1.701.711.73
Memory SpecsStandard Memory Config24 GB GDDR6X10 GB GDDR6X8 GB GDDR6X
Memory Interface Width384-bit320-bit256-bit
Technology SupportRay Tracing Cores2nd Generation2nd Generation2nd Generation
Tensor Cores3rd  Generation3rd Generation3rd Generation
Nvidia ArchitectureAmpereAmpereAmpere
Microsoft DirectX 12 UltimateYesYesYes
NVIDIA DLSSYesYesYes
PCI Express Gen 4YesYesYes
NVIDIA GeForce ExperienceYesYesYes
NVIDIA AnselYesYesYes
NVIDIA FreestyleYesYesYes
NVIDIA Shadow PlayYesYesYes
NVIDIA HighlightsYesYesYes
NVIDIA G-SYNCYesYesYes
Game Ready DriversYesYesYes
NVIDIA Studio DriversYesYesYes
NVIDIA GPU BoostYesYesYes
NVIDIA NVLink (SLI Ready)Yes
Vulkan RT API OpenGL 4.6YesYesYes
HDMI 2.1YesYesYes
DisplayPort 1.4aYesYesYes
NVIDIA Encoder7th Generation7th Generation7th Generation
NVIDIA Decoder5th Generation5th Generation5th Generation
VR ReadyYesYesYes
Display SupportMax Digital Resolution7680×43207680×43207680×4320
Std Display ConnectorsHDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4aHDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4aHDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a
Multi Monitor444
HDCP2.32.32.3
Founders Edition Card DimensionsLength12.3inches (313mm)11.2inches (285mm)9.5inches (242mm)
Width5.4inches (138mm)4.4inches (112mm)4.4inches (112mm)
Slot3-slot2-slot2-slot
Founders Edition Thermal Power SpecsMax GPU Temp (in C)939393
Graphics Card Power (W)350320220
Required System Power (W)750750650
Supplementary Power Connectors2xPCIe 8-pin2xPCIe 8-pin1xPCIe 8-pin

Performance Breakdown

These new graphics cards are ready to take the gaming and designing world by storm, with their faster ray tracing and next-generation AI powered tools to up performance to the maximum. 

A chart with the performance specs comparison between RTX 30 series, RTX 20 series, and GTX
FactsChronicle

As you can see, the RTX 30 series literally leaves the older series choking on its high-powered gaming dust. And it is not just in the gaming industry where this new series shows exactly what it is made of. 

While these new GPUs are definitely geared more towards the gaming industry, it is also making substantial waves in the world of graphic designing. Many designers are currently on the edge of their chairs, waiting for the moment when they will finally be able to order their very own RTX 30 GPU. 

With the next generation of improved CUDA performance on the RTX 30 Series GPUs, combined with dedicated ray tracing cores, 3D rendering has been speeded up to double across top renderers. 

To Buy or Not to Buy?

Lastly, let’s take a look at how much each one of these dreamboats is going to cost you. 

The RTX 3080 will be available first and, as per Nvidia, it offers twice the performance of the previous generation GeForce RTX 2080. It will be offered with a starting price of $699. 

The RTX 3090 will follow at a price of $1499. Considering what a behemoth this card is, this is definitely money that will be well spent!

Lastly, there is the RTX 3070, which is going to be offered at the incredible price of just $499. Again, for what you are getting, this is value for money, to be sure. 

It really all boils down to how you want to play the game, to be honest. This new series is knocking the socks off the last series and it is most likely going to be in really high demand.

At the end of the day it is a case of whether to buy…or not to buy. You decide.

The New Standard – Or Not

With all said and done, one more question to ask would be whether or not the new GeForce RTX 30 Series will soon become the new standard for gaming GPUs. It’s a good question. Faced with all of the facts we have seen, it certainly does seem like it would be a great idea. 

With everything in life being so focused on speed and driven by efficiency, and with the RTX 30 series being so amped up in these very departments, it is no wonder then that we are left with the distinct impression that it will become the new standard for gaming GPUs. 

Whether or not it will, though, is not for us to say. Anything is possible in this day and age and it will definitely be very exciting to keep an eye on developments to see what transpires!

Nvidia has also made available a question and answer session which deals with some more in-depth technical questions regarding the new series of graphics cards and the answers to those questions. 
As always, if you’re interested in more information from tech-centric experts on what the GeForce RTX 30 Series has to potentially offer, consider reaching out to HelpCloud Technicians for remote support.

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About the author

Erik Fullmer

Erik was raised in many places but has long since called Utah home. Rooted in mountains, he spends a lot of time with his dogs in the mountains and in the winter he skis… a lot.

Erik is actively earning the necessary certifications and training to become a certified AMGA Ski Guide.

With over a decade of content writing experience, Erik finds passion when writing for the tech and outdoor recreation industries.