3080 / 3090 for VR?

[DarkeVortex]

Budget (including currency): N/A

Country: USA

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: VR Gaming / HTPC

Other details (existing parts lists, whether any peripherals are needed, what you're upgrading from, when you're going to buy, what resolution and refresh rate you want to play at, etc): 

 

So here's the deal... I was able to snag a 3090FE on launch due to sheer luck. I have it in my desktop gaming rig right now. Yesterday, a few friends and I drove to MicroCenter for a GPU drop for the fun of it... By the time we got there, they had only a few redeemable vouchers left, but we had committed so much time already that I ended up getting a Asus Strix 3090 OC. Both for MSRP. With the lack of GPU availability, I figured it would be better to have it on hand and then return it or resell it (again, at MSRP) than to need it later and be outta luck.

 

My question is this -- Should i sell/return the Strix and try to pick up a 3080 for the VR rig? Or would a 3090 be better? If I do end up keeping the Strix, my plan is to switch out the Strix into my desktop rig, and then use the FE in the VR / HTPC rig. The goal is to make the HTPC rig small (micro ATX? Mini ITX?) so I figured since the 3090 FE has a half-size PCB, I could put on a small water block and it would fit in a small case, and have a high-power but small PC.

In summary, here are the options:

 - 3090 FE in Desktop Rig, return 3090 Strix, 3080 in VR rig (probably needs to be on water / small PCB, so perhaps has to be FE?)

 - 3090 Strix in Desktop Rig, 3090 FE in VR rig (on water)

 

Please let me know if you guys have any input. Thanks!

[ki8aras]

i mean im pretty sure you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a 3090 and a 3080 while playing vr, both are plenty powerful

[jaslion]

Totally depends. Would the money you save on a 3080 make an impact somewhere else? If so yeah sure try for a 3080 you got a 3090 anyways so trying ain't a problem.

 

For vr gaming both cards are so beyond overpowered for what is out there and well the performance gap between em is at best between 10-15% anyways.

[Nathanpete]

Yep, the Ampere FE cards are your best chance for SFF water cooling, Assuming you want to take the headache that is SFF water cooling, unless you already have experience with that. 

 

Also can you even guarantee that you can secure a 3080 for MSRP? Albeit because you have a desktop rig with a 3090 it isn't like you are super desperate for a card. 

 

If you want to get a couple hundred dollars back, return the 3090, get a 3080 and a waterblock. 

Also never been to a microcenter, the nearest one to me is 2.5 hours away and I don't have that kind of time. So I'm going to ask does Microcenter just reshelf unused cards that are returned, and will they still offer warranties to later customers? If yes to both, just return the 3090 so that future customers still get a nice experience with their card. Even if the answer is no to warranties, I would still return it personally. 

 

Hope you have a Valve Index because both the 3080 and 3090 are stupid OP for most headsets.  

[Rybo]

3090 will be better, but not by much.  If you want MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE AT ANY PRICE, keep the 3090.  If you want to get 90+% of the performance consumer cards can offer, get the 3080.  

PS: even if the PCB is small, it'll still output the same thermals which will require a large radiator to dissipate, so I'd plan on putting at least a 360mm rad in there, especially if it's going to share a loop with your CPU.  So using a 3090 to try to shrink your case may end up just causing your system to thermal throttle.  

 

PPS: I'll be happy to buy the 3090 off of you.  I've been wanting since launch but alas, luck has not been on my side.  
 

[LTT_fanboy]

13 minutes ago, Rybo said:

3090 will be better, but not by much.  If you want MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE AT ANY PRICE, keep the 3090.  If you want to get 90+% of the performance consumer cards can offer, get the 3080.  

PS: even if the PCB is small, it'll still output the same thermals which will require a large radiator to dissipate, so I'd plan on putting at least a 360mm rad in there, especially if it's going to share a loop with your CPU.  So using a 3090 to try to shrink your case may end up just causing your system to thermal throttle.  

 

PPS: I'll be happy to buy the 3090 off of you.  I've been wanting since launch but alas, luck has not been on my side.  
 

'murica parrot gang

[DarkeVortex]

56 minutes ago, Nathanpete said:

Yep, the Ampere FE cards are your best chance for SFF water cooling, Assuming you want to take the headache that is SFF water cooling, unless you already have experience with that. 

 

Also can you even guarantee that you can secure a 3080 for MSRP? Albeit because you have a desktop rig with a 3090 it isn't like you are super desperate for a card. 

 

If you want to get a couple hundred dollars back, return the 3090, get a 3080 and a waterblock. 

Also never been to a microcenter, the nearest one to me is 2.5 hours away and I don't have that kind of time. So I'm going to ask does Microcenter just reshelf unused cards that are returned, and will they still offer warranties to later customers? If yes to both, just return the 3090 so that future customers still get a nice experience with their card. Even if the answer is no to warranties, I would still return it personally. 

 

Hope you have a Valve Index because both the 3080 and 3090 are stupid OP for most headsets.  

I haven't taken off any of the sealed packaging, so my hope is that they would restock it as is and transfer the warranty. My MC is an hour away, so it was a bit of an excursion; making up for all the time I've spent at home lately.

 

I probably will return it if I go that route.

 

No, and that's why I'm torn; getting a 3080 is hard enough, let alone limiting yourself to an FE. As much as I want the 3090 FE and its neat EKWB waterblock in my desktop rig, there's so much going on in there that any GPU on water will look great. Holding on to the 3090 FE and transplanting it into the other rig feels "safer".

The question then does become one of cost, of course, and availability. I'll look into how long I can have it (sealed) before returning the Strix; If I can find a 3080FE in that time, wonderful. If not, I'll either have to keep it or look into selling it on to someone else if I still go that route.

 

Thanks for the input!

[DarkeVortex]

1 hour ago, ki8aras said:

i mean im pretty sure you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a 3090 and a 3080 while playing vr, both are plenty powerful

That makes sense. Since this wouldn't really be a workstation at all (I don't tend to do CAD or Video Editing in my livingroom on a large TV...) do the benefits of the 3090 fade away? I'll probably end up playing more than just VR on it; maybe some controller-games like Rocket League or set up my HOTAS and play FS2020. Would a 3090 on a 4K TV make a big difference there?

[DarkeVortex]

40 minutes ago, Rybo said:

3090 will be better, but not by much.  If you want MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE AT ANY PRICE, keep the 3090.  If you want to get 90+% of the performance consumer cards can offer, get the 3080.  

PS: even if the PCB is small, it'll still output the same thermals which will require a large radiator to dissipate, so I'd plan on putting at least a 360mm rad in there, especially if it's going to share a loop with your CPU.  So using a 3090 to try to shrink your case may end up just causing your system to thermal throttle.  

 

PPS: I'll be happy to buy the 3090 off of you.  I've been wanting since launch but alas, luck has not been on my side.  
 

Definitely going to have to put some more thought into this, probably sleep on it etc, start formalizing actual plans. If I do end up deciding to go with a 3080 I'll keep you in mind! Though just for the sake of transparency my first option would be to return to Microcenter.

I've had some good luck with these cards, so either I'm in for some bad luck coming soon or my past bad luck has finally been negated. My wallet probably would have preferred a little less luck in this department, but hey.

[Rybo]

2 hours ago, DarkeVortex said:

My wallet probably would have preferred a little less luck in this department, but hey.

My wallet definitely hopes you can return the card to microcenter.  

[dilpickle]

Just FYI these cards are currently selling for more than 3x retail price on Ebay. I mean I guess I can appreciate you doing the "right thing" and not profiting from them but come on... We are not talking about food or medicine here. Returning to retail does not seem very smart.

[Nena Trinity]

If you can press the buy button before "AND ITS GONE!" happen then yeah sure go for the one giving most FPS per dollar sometimes that seems to be the 3090...