PNY GeForce RTX 5080 OC Review: DLSS 4 and AI Transform 4K Gaming

Introduction

As NVIDIA's second Blackwell-generation graphics card to reach market, the GeForce RTX 5080 targets the 4K Ultra HD gaming segment whilst offering a more accessible alternative to the recently launched RTX 5090. Built around an entirely new GB203 chipset accompanied by 16GB of GDDR7 memory, it positions itself as an compelling replacement for the RTX 4080 and 4080 Super, delivering access to the latest graphics technologies.

With a recommended retail price of £1,179, the RTX 5080 aims to attract enthusiast gamers with substantial budgets, though still considerably less than what's required for an RTX 5090. PNY's factory-overclocked model that we're examining maintains this official pricing. However, be prepared for potentially elevated street prices during the initial launch period, alongside potentially sporadic availability across different retailers.

Promising impressive performance credentials on paper and accompanied by intriguing software innovations, does this GeForce RTX 5080 deserve your consideration?

GeForce RTX 5080: The Blackwell Architecture

At the heart of this GeForce RTX 5080 sits the GB203 chipset, adopting NVIDIA's new Blackwell architecture. Physically smaller than the GB202 powering the RTX 5090, it nonetheless incorporates all the same innovations and improvements, both hardware and software. Manufactured by TSMC using their 4N process—identical to the previous generation—this GB203 measures 378mm² containing 45.6 billion transistors, similar specifications to the AD103 that powered the RTX 4080.

The RTX 5080's GPU comprises 84 Streaming Multiprocessors (SMs) organised into 7 Graphics Processing Clusters (GPCs), all functional in this configuration. This translates to 10,752 CUDA cores total, compared to 10,240 for the RTX 4080 Super. Additionally, there are 336 fifth-generation Tensor cores, 84 fourth-generation RT cores, 336 texture units (TMUs), and 112 Render Output Units (ROPs). The shared L2 cache size remains unchanged from the previous generation at 64MB. However, the RTX 5080 benefits from a significant memory bandwidth upgrade. Whilst the bus width stays at 256 bits, it utilises faster GDDR7 memory (30 Gbps), achieving a total bandwidth of 960 GB/s.

Beyond the dedicated 3D rendering and AI units, the RTX 5080 embeds two ninth-generation NVENC encoding engines and two sixth-generation NVDEC decoding engines. These independent units support 4:2:2 formats, AV1 UHQ, and MV-HEVC (for 3D video streams and VR). Equipped with a PCI-Express 5.0 x16 interface, the card provides DisplayPort 2.1b outputs with UHBR20 and HDMI 2.1, enabling extremely high resolutions and refresh rates: 480Hz at 4K, and up to 120Hz at 8K (with DSC compression). The entire package operates within a 360-watt power limit, higher than the 320 watts attainable by the RTX 4080 Super.

DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation: Software Innovations

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NVIDIA introduces several software innovations with its Blackwell generation, notably DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation. Generally, these technologies leverage artificial intelligence to enhance image quality and gaming performance.

More specifically, DLSS 4 utilises by default an AI model based on transformers rather than the convolutional neural networks (CNNs) employed previously, delivering improved image quality at all performance levels. NVIDIA adds that this new AI model is compatible with previous RTX 40, 30, and 20 series cards, suggesting potential quality gains for older graphics card generations.

Multi Frame Generation, however, remains—for now—exclusive to the RTX 50 series. Here, AI generates up to three consecutive frames (compared to one with classic Frame Generation) after each traditionally rendered image, dramatically increasing frame rates without significant latency impact thanks to concurrent use of NVIDIA Reflex (and the forthcoming Reflex 2), another manufacturer technology.

The Blackwell architecture is furthermore designed to support neural rendering, where generative AI plays a direct role in the rendering process, no longer limited to specific features like DLSS Super Resolution: by standardising this approach within the DirectX 12 API, NVIDIA enables 3D applications to directly access Tensor cores. Finally, the new hardware scheduler (or AI Management Processor) allows parallel execution of generative AI workloads and 3D graphics rendering, optimising utilisation of available hardware resources.

PNY's RTX 5080 OC in Detail

PNY's factory-overclocked version deviates substantially from the Founders Edition design, particularly regarding the cooling system. The manufacturer has opted for a proven design from previous generations, featuring a substantial heatsink equipped with three fans, with the middle fan operating in reverse. We appreciate its semi-fanless operation: the fans only activate beyond 50% load.

The "OC" designation brings a few additional megahertz to this card's chipset in Boost mode: officially increasing from 2,617MHz to 2,780MHz. However, the manufacturer has maintained the reference model's 360W power limit verbatim, practically limiting the benefit of this factory overclock.

At 329 x 138 x 70mm, the PNY RTX 5080 OC is somewhat larger than the Founders Edition and occupies three complete slots. Therefore, verify you have sufficient space in your chassis.

The card naturally features the 12VHPWR 12+4 pin power connector already present on previous RTX generations, and the manufacturer includes a triple adapter allowing continued use of your existing power supply if it lacks the appropriate connector.

PNY GeForce RTX 5080 OC: Gaming Performance

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For testing this GeForce RTX 5080 OC from PNY, we utilised a configuration appropriate for the gaming market, sufficiently powerful to allow the graphics card to express its full potential. This included an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X processor, an Asus ROG Strix X670E-F Gaming WiFi motherboard, 32GB of Kingston DDR5-5200 memory at CL16, a BeQuiet! Pure Power 11 FM 1000W power supply, a BeQuiet! Pure Loop 2 FX 240 cooling system, and a Samsung 990 Pro 4TB SSD, all installed in a BeQuiet! Pure Base 500 chassis. Measurements were conducted with the chassis closed to obtain values similar to those any gamer would achieve at home.

The game panel used to measure this RTX 5080 OC's performance included more or less recent and demanding titles based on varied 3D engines: Cyberpunk 2077 (REDengine 4), Black Myth: Wukong (UE5), Hogwarts Legacy (UE4), Forza Motorsport (ForzaTech), Marvel Rivals (UE5), Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Foundation), and The Riftbreaker (Schmetterling). Measurements were conducted under Windows 11 24H2 at Full HD, QHD, and 4K UHD with different graphics settings, though given today's GPU power, only 4K UHD measurements (with and without raytracing, as applicable) are genuinely relevant.

Gaming Performance

In classic 3D rendering, the GeForce RTX 5080's performance sits generally above the RTX 4080 Super, though logically below the RTX 5090. The performance gain over the previous generation, ranging from 5% to 20% depending on games, is nonetheless less pronounced than the RTX 5090's improvement versus the RTX 4090. The difference is considerably more significant between the RTX 5080 and an older card like the RTX 3080: on average, expect a performance gain around 70% (without frame generation usage).

Against a Radeon RX 7900 XTX—AMD's current best market offering (pending the upcoming Radeon 9070 and 9070 XT)—the conclusion is clear: PNY's overclocked GeForce RTX 5080 consistently leads in 4K, sometimes substantially. Regardless, this new RTX 5080 demonstrates its capability to manage complex scenes with stable frame rates.

DLSS and Multi Frame Generation: Essential for Raytracing

Activating raytracing in games naturally impacts average frame rates, though the RTX 5080 generally maintains acceptable framerates even at elevated resolutions. However, technologies like DLSS 4 and MFG truly shine in this context, dramatically improving performance whilst maintaining good image quality.

Cyberpunk 2077 (4K Ultra Settings)

Hogwarts Legacy (4K Ultra Settings)

Marvel Rivals (4K Ultra Settings)

Black Myth: Wukong (4K Ultra Settings)

The RTX 5080 particularly benefits from the Blackwell architecture and its 84 RT cores for managing complex raytracing calculations such as advanced lighting and reflection effects in games. In this domain, the RTX 5080 outperforms all current competing Radeon cards, Radeon RX 7900 XTX included, positioning itself once again between the RTX 4080 Super and RTX 5090. The latter offers considerably superior results, though at a substantially higher cost.

Finally, Frame Generation and especially the brand-new Multi Frame Generation deliver simply impressive framerate increases—perhaps the GeForce RTX 5080's principal strength.

Reasonable Acoustic Performance at Full Power

What better test than Furmark to stress this GeForce RTX 5080 OC and observe its behaviour under full load? After approximately thirty minutes of operation, the GPU temperature stabilised at 70°C—a reasonable temperature considering measurements were conducted with the chassis closed—with fans rotating at slightly above 1,600 RPM.

The chipset frequency then sits around 2,300MHz, corresponding to PNY's announced base frequency. Remember this represents an ultimate load test designed to push the graphics card to its limits: it clearly handles this extremely well, remaining perfectly stable despite the 360 watts consumed whilst also proving very quiet. The perfect trifecta, one might say.

Verdict

Whilst not representing a revolution strictly speaking, this GeForce RTX 5080 nonetheless brings welcome evolutions, particularly regarding features utilising artificial intelligence. Classic 3D rendering performance increases compared to the previous generation, though the difference proves too modest to justify abandoning a recent RTX 4080 Super for an RTX 5080. Those still using RTX 30 Series cards (or even older) will find the upgrade far more compelling.

Adding raytracing and especially DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation support completely transforms the equation, revealing exactly where NVIDIA intends to lead us: with artificial intelligence at every level, performance becomes stratospheric. Gaming at 4K without visual compromises becomes possible, at frame rates entirely satisfactory for any gamer, all without requiring a bank loan to purchase an RTX 5090.

PNY's factory overclocking proves rather anecdotal in practice; we appreciate, however, that the manufacturer offers its card at identical pricing to NVIDIA's Founders Edition. Combined with its low acoustic signature, this graphics card distinguishes itself favourably. Have we found the perfect RTX 5080?