Is the GTX 1080 Ti still good in 2023?

As features like DLSS 3.0 and Ray Tracing grow more popular in modern titles, we revisit one of Nvidia’s Pascal graphics cards, and ask: Is the GTX 1080 Ti still good in 2023, or is it finally time to upgrade your GPU?

The GTX 1080 Ti released way back in 2017 brought significant improvements in power efficiency and performance compared to the GTX 980 Ti, its predecessor. It’s been around six years since its release and Nvidia has since discontinued its previous flagship. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s all over for the 1080 Ti. In fact, we’ve still found the 1080 Ti capable of delivering 1440p titles at high-to-max at around 60 FPS.

Its 11GB of GDDR5X VRAM that’s capable of 484GB/s of bandwidth is also an important factor for gamers in 2023. Even upgrading to Nvidia’s upcoming RTX 8GB 4060 Ti graphics card won’t give you that 4K resolution you may hope for, and it looks like you’ll have to spend considerably more if you do want to see that performance uplift.

The main reason why the GTX 1080 Ti may still be good in 2023 is that it is now selling for less than $400 on Amazon and as little as $120 on eBay. Though you’ve got a card that has a much smaller lifespan, you’ll find the 1080 Ti can deliver decent FPS for a lot of modern titles.

GTX 1080 Ti specs – are they still good in 2023?

Below we’ve listed the 1080 Ti specs. They still deliver remarkably well for a GPU that’s pushing six years old, testament to the power of Nvidia’s Pascal architecture and CUDA cores. Its 11GB of VRAM is particularly well valued in 2023, though it’s worth noting that it’s on the slower GDDR5X memory. Another spec worth paying attention to is its TDP of 250W. Compared to newer releases like the RTX 4070 or RTX 3090, the GTX 1080 Ti has a higher TDp despite being less powerful.

	RTX 1080 Ti
Architecture	Pascal
CUDA Cores	3,584
Base Clock (MHz)	1,481
Boost Clock (MHz)	1,582
Memory	11 GB GDDR5X
Memory Bus	352-bit
Memory Bandwidth	484GB/s
TDP	250W

If you’d like to see how far Nvidia’s graphics cards have come, you can check out the best Nvidia graphics cards which should give you a good insight into what graphics cards could be worth upgrading to. We’ve similarly rounded up the best budget graphic cards if that’s your top priority in looking for a GPU.

Can GTX 1080 Ti run 4K?

You’ll find that the GTX 1080 Ti can hit 4K in a number of titles so long as you have at least an Intel 12th gen CPU. You’ll rarely be able to get past 60 FPS in AAA titles like Cyberpunk 2077 or Forza Horizon 5, and are generally looking at 30 FPS for most demanding games. While this isn’t ideal, it’s still playable. However, you might be better off at looking at the best graphics cards for 4K gaming if you’re wanting to future-proof your gaming set-up.

Should you buy Nvidia GTX 1080 Ti in 2023?

While we can confidently say the 1080 Ti still delivers a pretty good performance for AAA titles in 2023, whether it’s worth buying in 2023 is another question. Those who currently have the 1080 Ti will no doubt agree that it’s a classic GPU that performed superbly through the years. Though more recent graphics cards like the RTX 3060 Ti have appeared considerably more powerful on paper, the actual difference between the two isn’t so big as we’re perhaps led to believe.

However, there are a number of drawbacks to buying a graphics card that’s pushing six years old. Firstly, there’s a danger in buying second-hand graphics cards. Unless the seller offers a good refund policy, there’s a danger of encountering problems that may not be refundable. Then there are valuable features like Ray Tracing and DLSS to consider. The 1080 Ti does actually support AMD’s FSR temporary upscaling technology, though it doesn’t really compete with DLSS. Going for a 40-series card with DLSS 3.0 will also take some of the pressure off your CPU, essentially meaning you can upgrade your gaming setup with a next-gen graphics card without worrying too much about bottlenecks.

We’d definitely recommend reconsidering if you’re going to buy a GTX 1080 Ti in 2023. Nvidia’s announcement of a RTX 4060 Ti release date and MSRP under $500 might just be the graphics card to consider buying in 2023, so long as you go for the 16GB edition. Alternatively, our friends over at WePC have recommended some 1080 Ti equivalent GPUs if you’re looking for something a little more modern.

How long is the life expectancy of a GTX 1080 Ti?

Nvidia’s GTX 1080 Ti could last for up to 10 years depending on your usage. If you’re using your graphics card daily and frequently overclocking it, it might last slightly less. This number will also weary if you’re buying a GTX 1080 Ti second hand since it’s difficult to tell how it’s been used since it was bought brand new.