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I was not caught off guard when Nvidia eventually revealed the GeForce RTX 50-series GPUs during CES 2025. Not only had I encountered several forthcoming PCs equipped with “next-gen Nvidia” graphics cards at events preceding CES, but there had also been months of speculations and leaks—many of which proved accurate. Indeed, I was aware that RTX 50 cards were on the horizon, but I was unaware that the announcement would persuade me to enhance my gaming PC.
Almost three years ago, I acquired a gaming PC featuring an Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti, which has excelled at running premium PC games at 4K resolution and over 60 frames per second, with settings adjusted to High or even Max. My satisfaction with the performance made me skip the Nvidia RTX 40 series. Nevertheless, I have found myself reducing graphical settings more frequently as games have grown increasingly demanding. This indicates it’s time for an upgrade.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, RTX 5080, RTX 5070 Ti, and RTX 5070 graphics cards will become available shortly. Out of these four options, I am particularly interested in the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, and I will explain my reasoning below.
My PC is (somewhat) outdated
My existing gaming PC may not boast impressive specifications nowadays, but it was a true powerhouse when I had NZXT assemble it for me. It is equipped with an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 11700KF CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, 32GB of GDDR4 RAM, 1TB of SSD storage, and an ROG Strix Z590-E motherboard.
In all fairness to my setup, it remains quite competent for most games as long as I correctly adjust the settings or allow the Nvidia Experience application to manage them. However, with the increasing demands of modern games, my PC is revealing its age. Taking that into consideration, along with the promises of the RTX 50-series, I believe it’s the ideal moment for me to upgrade my gaming setup.
Price-performance equilibrium
I’m certain you may be curious why I’m not considering the Nvidia RTX 5090, the flagship of the RTX 50-series. Don’t misinterpret me; the RTX 5090 is undeniably attractive with its substantial 32GB of VRAM and advanced AI capabilities. However, if you’ve done your homework on the RTX 5090, you likely understand why I choose the RTX 5080. The RTX 5090 comes with a substantial price tag!
| GPU name | Starting price | Graphics memory |
| RTX 5090 | $1,999 | 32GB GDDR7 |
| RTX 5080 | $999 | 16GB GDDR7 |
| RTX 5070 Ti | $749 | 16GB GDDR7 |
| RTX 5070 | $549 | 12GB GDDR7 |
Upon launch, the Nvidia RTX 5080 will have a staggering starting price of $1,999. That is nearly half of what I invested in my current setup back in 2022. When factoring in additional components I desire, such as a 14th Gen Intel Core i9 14900K CPU, 64GB DDR5 RAM, and 2TB of SSD storage—along with a motherboard, power supply, and PC case (among other items)—I am likely to spend a significant amount on a new gaming setup.
If I can cut the expense of my next gaming PC by $1,000 by selecting an RTX 5080 instead of a 5090, it appears to be the more prudent option.
Future Perspective
While I am enthusiastic about the newly released Nvidia GeForce RTX 50-series cards, I will refrain from making a final purchasing choice until we have tested the new GPUs ourselves. Not only do I seek raw performance data, but I am also eager to observe how graphically intense games like Cyberpunk 2077 take advantage of DLSS4—particularly at elevated graphical settings.
The Nvidia RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 launch on January 30. If the former card meets expectations, it will be time for me to assemble an entirely new setup. If it does not, perhaps I will save some additional funds and consider its more powerful counterpart. Regardless, 2025 should be the year I upgrade to a new PC—all thanks to Nvidia and their remarkable (at least on paper) graphics cards.
Additional from Tom’s Guide
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