Cost Per Frame MSRP
Before we dive into the cost-per-frame analysis, it’s important to consider the context of MSRP pricing. While it provides a baseline for comparisons, real-world availability and market conditions often mean prices can fluctuate, sometimes significantly. That said, MSRP values are still a good reference point for understanding the relative value of different GPUs in NVIDIA’s Blackwell lineup and beyond.
Looking specifically at 1440p performance, the RTX 5080 comes in at an MSRP cost per frame of $3.98. This positions it as one of the most efficient high-end cards in terms of value, outperforming the RTX 4080 SUPER, which costs $4.35 per frame, and even undercutting AMD’s RX 7900 XTX at $4.44. This shows that NVIDIA has managed to deliver a more competitive price-to-performance ratio for gamers who want strong performance without venturing into flagship territory.
Compared to the RTX 5090, which comes in at $6.61 per frame, the 5080 is significantly more cost-effective, offering a 40% lower cost per frame while maintaining respectable performance levels. Even the RTX 4090, at $5.78 per frame, can’t compete with the 5080’s value, highlighting the 5080 as the card to choose for gamers who care about getting the most performance per dollar in NVIDIA’s higher-tier GPUs.
Ultimately, the RTX 5080 strikes an excellent balance between cost and performance at MSRP. While not the absolute cheapest in terms of cost per frame, it offers an appealing option for gamers who want high-end capabilities without stepping up to the RTX 5090 or compromising on features with a lower-tier card. Of course, MSRP is just part of the equation, and the real-world value of the RTX 5080 becomes even more interesting when we consider typical selling prices, which we’ll look at soon.
Looking at 4K performance, the RTX 5080 comes in with a cost per frame of $6.13. This again puts it in a really good position when compared to other cards, like the RTX 4080 SUPER at $6.67 per frame and the RTX 4080 at $8.29 per frame. Even AMD’s RX 7900 XTX, priced at $7.08 per frame, falls behind the RTX 5080, which again shows that NVIDIA have managed to get things right here.
Cost Per Frame Selling Price
When compared to NVIDIA’s flagship RTX 5090, which comes in at $8.60 per frame, the 5080 offers a 29% reduction per frame. While the 5090 is undoubtedly the performance leader, the 5080 is far more efficient in delivering value for money, making it a smarter choice for most gamers who don’t want to stretch their budget to extreme levels. Even the RTX 4090, which costs $8.76 per frame, struggles to match the efficiency of the RTX 5080 in this context, but this is all about MSRP, and we all know that the 4090 in reality is much more expensive.
Speaking of reality, at 1440p in terms of selling price, the RTX 5080, as we know, comes in at a cost per frame of $3.98. The RTX 4080 and 4080 SUPER now lag behind at $6.90 and $6.96 per frame, respectively, showing just how much value the 5080 provides in NVIDIA’s stack or how much the 4080 and 4080 SUPER don’t because of their inflated retail pricing. The worst one is the flagship RTX 4090 from last generation, sitting at $10.12 per frame, which can’t come close to matching the 5080’s pricing efficiency, further cementing it as a standout option for high-performance 1440p gaming.
Looking at AMD’s offerings, the RX 7900 XTX, priced at $4.26 per frame, and the RX 7900 XT at $3.52 per frame, does provide some stiff competition. However, the 5080 narrows the gap significantly when we factor in performance. Ultimately, at the selling price, the RTX 5080 looks good at 1440p, but we don’t know if retailers are going to try and profiteer from the 5080 and try to sell it for higher than MSRP from the get-go.
When we move up to 4K, the RTX 5080 continues to hold its own in terms of value. The RTX 4080 SUPER and 4080 now fall short, priced at $10.68 and $10.96 per frame, respectively, showing that the 5080 is the far better value proposition for NVIDIA enthusiasts, especially if wanting the latest technology. The RTX 4090, unsurprisingly, performs well but at a staggering $15.33 per frame, which is just beyond what anyone should be paying.
For AMD, the competition is closer, as the RX 7900 XTX comes in at $6.79 per frame, while the RX 7900 XT offers slightly better value at $5.91 per frame. Both are strong contenders in the value space, but the 5080 bridges the gap when we factor in other elements not shown in this chart, like ray tracing and upscaling performance.
Budget options like the RX 7900 GRE and RTX 4070 SUPER deliver the best cost per frame, coming in at $5.53 and $6.15, respectively. However, these cards are targeted at a different market segment and don’t offer the same level of performance for 4K gaming, which is where the 5080 excels, and you won’t get the benefits of the Blackwell architecture, including DLSS with multi-frame generation.
