Hey there! As a data analyst and tech enthusiast, I couldn‘t wait to compare Nvidia‘s Pascal-based GTX 1070 versus their newer Turing-powered RTX 2080 graphics card. These two GPUs have intriguing differences that impact gaming and creative workloads – not to mention your budget!
In this epic showdown, we‘ll scrutinize everything from architectures and memory specs, to real-world gaming frame rates and platform features. I‘ll even provide my expert verdict on which card offers the best value right now. Time for some nerdy graphics card analysis!
Overview of the Mid-Range Pascal vs High-End Turing Cards
First, let‘s establish where each contender stands in Nvidia‘s product stack:
GTX 1070 – Released in June 2016 as a mid-range offering built on Nvidia‘s new Pascal architecture. With 1920 CUDA cores and 8GB GDDR5 memory, it delivered a huge generational leap over Maxwell cards before it. The 1070 easily handled 1080p gaming and many 1440p titles.
RTX 2080 – Dropped in September 2018 powered by Nvidia‘s advanced Turing architecture. 2944 CUDA cores, 8GB of cutting-edge GDDR6 memory, and specialized RT / Tensor cores for ray tracing and AI. As a high-end card, the 2080 provided elite 4K gaming performance at launch.
I‘ll be analyzing how these positioning and architectural differences affect various usage scenarios – from AAA gaming, to content creation, power draw and platform support. Time to dive into the details!
Comparing Key Specifications
Building a comprehensive comparison starts by looking under the hood at the core hardware powering each graphics card:
| Specification | GTX 1070 | RTX 2080 |
|---|---|---|
| Launch Date | June 10, 2016 | September 20, 2018 |
| GPU Architecture | Pascal (16nm) | Turing (12nm) |
| CUDA Cores | 1920 | 2944 (+53%) |
| Base Clock | 1506MHz | 1515MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1683MHz | 1710MHz (Founders) 1800MHz (AIB Models) |
| Memory Capacity | 8GB GDDR5 | 8GB GDDR6 |
| Memory Speed | 8Gbps | 14Gbps (+75%) |
| Memory Bandwidth | 256GB/s | 448GB/s (+75%) |
| TDP | 150W | 215W (Founders) 250W (AIB Models) |
| Launch Price | $379 USD | $699 USD (Founders) $799+ USD (AIB) |
Analyzing these specs show why the RTX 2080 commands a higher cost. Right off the bat – 2944 vs 1920 CUDA cores is a massive 53% upgrade in raw shader horsepower.
Plus, by adopting cutting-edge GDDR6 memory, the 2080 enjoys 75% more memory bandwidth thanks to faster speeds. We‘ll see this pays big dividends for 4K gaming shortly!
Now let‘s explore how architectural differences greatly impact real-world game, creator, and professional application performance.
Contrasting Pascal vs Turing Architectures
The GTX 1070 leveraged Nvidia‘s new Pascal architecture first introduced alongside the flagship GTX 1080 in 2016.
Pascal was fabricated on a 16nm manufacturing process – delivering solid gains in transistor density, power efficiency and clock speeds compared to preceding 28nm tech.
The RTX 2080 instead utilizes Nvidia‘s even more advanced Turing GPU architecture on a 12nm process.
So what changes with Turing?
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Fewer CUDA cores per Streaming Multiprocessor (SM) – but more efficient processing per core thanks to concurrent execution of floating point and integer operations.
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Introduction of RT cores dedicated exclusively to accelerating real-time ray traced lighting, reflections and shadows.
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Tensor cores designed specifically for dramatically accelerating deep learning super sampling and inferencing.
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Overall 19% increase in transistors compared to Pascal – laying the foundation for bigger core counts and memory configurations.
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Higher clock speeds, paired with the optimized GDDR6 memory, unlock more performance potential.
Clearly the Turing powering the 2080 introduces fantastic new functionality like ray tracing. Tensor operations also accelerate AI workloads – great for creators!
But even for conventional gaming, Turing‘s architectural refinements provide a healthy performance lift. Now let‘s see how gaming frame rates actually compare between these GPUs.
Gaming Performance Benchmarks
Sure specifications can help compare hardware potential – but gamers care about the real-world results!
Here I‘ve compiled average gaming frame rates at 1080p and 1440p resolutions across reviews from reputable sources like Tom‘s Hardware and TechPowerUp:
1080p Game Performance
| Game Title (Settings) | GTX 1070 FPS | RTX 2080 FPS | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| GTA V (Max) | 96 FPS | 127 FPS | 32% |
| Assassin‘s Creed Odyssey (Max) | 58 FPS | 76 FPS | 31% |
| Call of Duty: Warzone (Competitive) | 137 FPS | 185 FPS | 35% |
| *Average Difference* | **33%** |
1440p Game Performance
| Game Title (Settings) | GTX 1070 FPS | RTX 2080 FPS | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Dead Redemption 2 (Max) | 45 FPS | 62 FPS | 38% |
| Horizon: Zero Dawn (Ultimate) | 38 FPS | 60 FPS | 58% |
| Borderlands 3 (Badass) | 53 FPS | 71 FPS | 34% |
| *Average Difference* | **43%** |
Wow, not even close! The RTX 2080 provides a 33% FPS boost at 1080p, growing even higher to a 43% lead at 1440p. While the GTX 1070 still crosses the playable 60 FPS threshold in many titles, the 2080 offers WAY more overhead.
You‘ll benefit from higher resolution gaming, turning graphics settings higher, or fully utilizing high refresh rate monitors above 60Hz. Plus, this gap widens further when activating taxing ray tracing and DLSS modes.
Let‘s cover why esports gamers should factor this performance difference into their buying decisions.
Hitting Extreme Frame Rates for Esports
For esports and competitive first person shooters, chasing extremely high frame rates gives players a fluid, responsive advantage.
Using Call of Duty as a prime example:
- GTX 1070 sees ~137 FPS (1080p, Competitive Settings)
- RTX 2080 clocks ~185 FPS (1080p, Competitive Settings)
That 35% higher ceiling means 2080 owners could better leverage 240Hz or even 360Hz gaming monitors. You‘ll stay reliably above the refresh rate for minimal input lag.
Esports pros need every last frame they can get – placing the RTX 2080 in a clear lead over the GTX 1070.
Now what about more production and creative workloads?
Content Creation, Modeling and Productivity Performance
For video editing, 3D modeling, game development, and other content creation – GPU hardware accelerates these professional software suites immensely.
But with specs better tuned for throughput, the RTX 2080 extends its lead over the GTX 1070 for these workloads too:
| Application | GTX 1070 Performace | RTX 2080 Performace | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| DaVinci Resolve Render | ~20% slower | Baseline | 20% |
| Blender Benchmark (bmw27) | 6m 22s (Render) | 4m 59s (Render) | 27% |
| SPECapc for 3ds Max | 89.42 (Composite) | 124.82 (Composite) | 40% |
The RTX 2080‘s superior memory bandwidth, core count and drivers provide 20-40% faster creative application performance. You‘ll notably slash render times, preview edit/VFX changes faster, and build complex 3D models quicker.
Content creators should factor this into their upgrade decisions. Most workflows lean heavily on GPU power!
Overclocking Potential
While the RTX 2080 starts with big leads in base and boost clocks, both cards have decent overclocking headroom beyond factory configurations.
However, overclocking does impact cooling requirements. The RTX 2080 understandably needs beefier cooling solutions to handle its stock 250W thermal footprint – let alone with manually tuning voltages and clocks.
But assuming aftermarket cooling upgrades or liquid solutions:
- Most GTX 1070 models reach ~1900Mhz core clocks (~13% OC)
- Many RTX 2080 models touch 2000MHz+ core clocks (~10% OC)
I‘d give a small edge to the GTX 1070 for accessible overclocking to more users. But again -assuming exotic cooling and an enthusiast willing to manually tune, the 2080 sees similar relative core clock lifts.
Now let‘s shift gears to software support.
Platform Support and Features
You invest in an entire graphics platform beyond the GPU alone – including critical software features that enhance displays, gameplay and monitoring.
Performance Overlays
- Nvidia ShadowPlay offers intuitive performance monitoring overlays for GeForce cards. Useful for tracking FPS, GPU usage, temperatures and more in-game.
G-Sync Support
- Both cards support Nvidia‘s buttery-smooth G-Sync variable refresh rate technology when paired with compatible monitors. This nearly eliminates ugly screen tearing.
Ansel Technology
- Nvidia Ansel available on both lets gamers take stunning in-game photos at resolutions exceeding 63K (!!). Useful for content creators.
Nvidia Broadcast
- RTX cards unlock advanced AI-powered background noise removal, auto framing and other livestream features through this app.
The GTX 1070 surprisingly stays very relevant with modern GeForce software innovations. But RTX owners gain some exclusive perks to sweeten the value proposition.
Power Draw and Thermal Design
We‘ve covered performance – but what about power requirements?
The rated board power tells part of the story. With beefier specs,the RTX 2080 understandably sees a major increase:
- GTX 1070: 150 watts
- RTX 2080: 215W (Founders) or 250W (AIB Models)
Recall also the move to 12nm allowed Turing to squeeze more horsepower from each watt. But total heat output remains 70-100 watts greater requiring advanced thermal solutions.
Most GTX 1070 designs ran quiet and cool thanks to modest power demands. But RTX 2080 cards commanded premium cooling out of necessity. Even after upgrades, GTX 1070 builds avoid noise or thermal throttling more easily.
Current Pricing and Availability
With the GTX 1070 over five years old now, it predictably sees far wider availability from retailers at heavily discounted rates.
As of January 2023, most GTX 1070 cards sell between $250 to $350 – often 30-50% cheaper than the original $379 MSRP. Despite lacking some modern features, its 1080p gaming competence keeps secondary market value afloat.
Meanwhile, the RTX 2080 dropped to $550 to $750 these days following the RTX 3000 and RX 6000 launches. Compare that to the $699-$799 launch price tag.
If purchasing used, buyers may uncover even better deals on secondhand RTX 2080 units from upgraders. However be mindful of risks buying used GPUs (no warranty, worn hardware).
Verdict: Which GPU Should You Get in 2023?
We‘ve covered a ton of ground comparing these two Nvidia cards! To recap key findings:
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The RTX 2080 sees massive leads in gaming frame rates – ~30-40% faster depending on resolution. Plus it supports ray tracing and DLSS.
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Content creation software also sees marked boosts thanks to Turing‘s higher core counts and memory bandwidth.
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Overclocking potential is reasonably similar assuming exotic cooling upgrades.
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Platform support is excellent on both – but RTX unlocks extra Nvidia Broadcast livestream perks.
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The 2080 requires beefier cooling solutions to tame its 250W thermal footprint out of the box.
Given its still-stellar 1080p gaming competence and widely available discounted pricing, I believe the GTX 1070 offers better value for most gamers in 2023. Models under $300 shine given today‘s inflated prices. 60+ frame high/ultra gameplay remains achievable in virtually all titles.
However, the RTX 2080 makes sense if you:
- Play newer games demanding advanced RTX features
- Target high refresh rate 1440p/4K resolution gaming
- Stream using Nvidia Broadcast
- Run professional creative workloads as your "bread and butter"
Either way, I hope this in-depth technical exploration helps provide tons of useful facts guiding your buying decision! Feel free to reach out with any other questions.
