There’s a key difference between GeForce RTX graphics cards created for desktop PCs and those created for laptops. Naturally, the latter are built for efficiency and fitting inside a compact chassis without overheating. This means they draw far less power, which is why there’s a big difference between, say, a GeForce RTX 5080 GPU for desktop PCs and a GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU.
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It seems that over in China, some modders (or brands) have been selling GeForce RTX Laptop GPUs in desktop form, with a reviewer in the region recently getting their hands on a GeForce RTX 4080M graphics card over on BiliBili (via Tom’s Hardware). Naturally, this isn’t an official GeForce RTX graphics card, so it doesn’t come with a warranty or even official drivers – hence the Frankenstein reference in the header. Or, Frankenstein’s Monster for the literary purists out there.
With the reviewer picking it up for around $300 USD, which puts its price in the same range as the Radeon RX 9070 GRE and GeForce RTX 5060 Ti in China. Performance-wise, it’s a little disappointing as the results show it trailing the Radeon RX 9070 GRE in most games, at both 1080p and 4K. Here’s a closer look at the results.
GameGeForce RTX 4080MRadeon RX 9070 GREDifferencePUBG (2K, Ultra)~340+ FPS~240+ FPS+100 FPS (~41.7%)Delta Force (4K, Ultra)~100+ FPS~90+ FPS+10 FPS (~11.1%)Forza Horizon 5 (2K, Low)214 FPS297 FPS-83 FPS (-27.9%)Forza Horizon 5 (4K, High)84 FPS107 FPS-23 FPS (-21.5%)Cyberpunk 2077 (2K, Low)171 FPS184 FPS-13 FPS (-7.1%)Cyberpunk 2077 (4K, High)49 FPS76 FPS-27 FPS (-35.5%)Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2K, Low)268 FPS274 FPS-6 FPS (-2.2%)Shadow of the Tomb Raider (4K, High)96 FPS107 FPS-11 FPS (-10.3%)
As noted above, the only games in which the modded GeForce RTX 4080M graphics card is faster than the Radeon RX 9070 GRE are PUBG and Delta Force. Of course, when you factor in that the RX 9070 GRE is a 220W GPU, the results begin to look much more impressive.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Question #1
Will the modded RTX 4080M work with standard desktop drivers or does it require a custom BIOS/driver package?
The modded RTX 4080M required a custom BIOS to get it working with desktop-class parts. The article also notes it does not come with official drivers or a warranty.
Answered
Question #2
What motherboard and BIOS settings were needed to get the RTX 4080M running in the desktop test system?
The desktop test system used a Maxsun Z890-A motherboard with an Intel Core Ultra 270K Plus CPU and 32GB of DDR5-8200 memory. A custom BIOS was required to get the RTX 4080M working with those desktop-class parts.
Answered
Question #3
How does the RTX 4080M’s 100W power draw affect sustained performance and thermal throttling in a compact desktop build?
Question #4
Can the RTX 4080M be expected to match desktop RTX 4070 performance given its AD104 silicon and differing core/clock/memory specs?
Yes and no. The article says the modded RTX 4080M uses the same AD104 silicon as the desktop RTX 4070 but has more cores paired with slower clock speeds and reduced memory bandwidth, and in tests it ran generally slower than a 220W Radeon RX 9070 GRE while drawing only about 100W. Given those core/clock/memory and power differences, the RTX 4080M should not be expected to match desktop RTX 4070 performance.
Answered
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Interestingly, the benchmarks showed the card drawing only 100W of power when gaming, which is below NVIDIA’s spec for the GeForce RTX 4080M of 110W. Even so, as it shared the same AD104 GPU as the desktop RTX 4070, with more cores but slower clock speeds and memory bandwidth, the custom BIOS required to get it working with desktop-class parts like the Intel Core Ultra 270K Plus CPU, Maxsun Z890-A motherboard, and 32GB of DDR5-8200 memory makes it more of a curiosity than a worthwhile option. Unless, of course, you’re looking at something for a tiny compact build.