Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 launched 8 years ago, bringing real-time ray tracing to PC gaming

Eight years ago, Nvidia introduced the GeForce RTX 2080 and RTX 2080 Ti, marking the first time consumers could access real-time ray tracing in PC gaming. The release introduced hardware-accelerated lighting, establishing a new standard for visual quality in PC gaming. The launch highlighted the distinction between traditional rasterization and the new real-time ray tracing capabilities.

Eight years ago, Nvidia introduced the GeForce RTX 2080 and RTX 2080 Ti, marking the first time consumers could access real-time ray tracing in PC gaming.

The new cards were built on Nvidia’s Turing architecture, which pioneered the hybrid graphics approach combining traditional rendering with real-time ray tracing. Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s CEO, described this era as a "golden age of gaming" where realism was finally achievable. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang stated that "Once you see an RTX game, you can’t go back."

• MSRP (RTX 2080 FE): $799
• MSRP (RTX 2080 Ti): $1200
• Architecture: Turing
• Key Feature: Real-time ray tracing

Performance testing from Tom's Hardware Review showed the RTX 2080 outpaced the previous generation's flagship, the GTX 1080 Ti. The higher-end RTX 2080 Ti delivered approximately 26% faster performance than the GTX 1080 Ti and ran about 20% faster than the professional Titan V. The RTX 2080 launched at an MSRP of $799, while the RTX 2080 Ti launched at $1,200.

Nvidia priced the GeForce RTX 2080 Founders Edition at an MSRP of $799, while the RTX 2080 Ti carried a $1200 price tag. The $1200 cost for the Ti model was noted as being out of reach for most gamers, highlighting the premium placed on this new technology. Early ray tracing support was limited to specific titles such as Battlefield V, Metro Exodus, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

Adoption of ray tracing has been slow over the years, requiring subsequent technologies like DLSS to become accessible to mainstream users. The RTX 2080 series was released on August 20, 2018, marking the first consumer availability of real-time ray tracing. The release of the Turing-based GeForce RTX 2080 and RTX 2080 Ti marked the first time real-time ray tracing technology was available to consumers.