RTX 5080 Upgrade on Old Hardware: Rough but Convinced Me of Multi-Frame Generation

The excitement of a new graphics card launch is always palpable, especially when Nvidia unveiled the RTX 5080 alongside its groundbreaking DLSS 4 technology. This innovative feature uses AI to enhance visuals and boost frame rates beyond what was previously achievable. However, my enthusiasm was tempered when I glanced at my aging gaming PC, affectionately dubbed my "grandpa-build."

My trusty RTX 3080 had served me well, delivering a smooth 60 fps at 4K with max settings in my favorite games. Yet, as time passed, its performance dwindled to a mere 30 fps, forcing me to compromise on settings. This was disheartening—I live for the full artistic experience that video games offer. Those dedicated artists pour their hearts into their work, and I yearn to see it in all its glory. But could my aging PC handle the RTX 5080?

To my relief, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 was compatible with my setup, and my 1000-watt PSU was ready to handle the increased power demand. However, the transition wasn't without its challenges. My overall setup was suboptimal, and the raw performance seemed underwhelming. Yet, despite my initial reservations about DLSS 4, its multi-frame generation technology made a profound impact, potentially convincing me of its merits.

Installing the RTX 5080 – 4 Hours Later

Despite calling it a "grandpa-build," my PC isn't ancient. It's equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 5800X processor and 32GB of RAM, all housed in a Gigabyte X570 Aorus Master motherboard. I thought swapping out the graphics card would be straightforward, but I was quickly humbled.

I mistakenly assumed the power cables from my RTX 3080 would suffice for the RTX 5080. I connected the two PCIe 8-pin cables to two of the three adapters on the RTX 5080, fully expecting it wouldn't work. When I powered on my PC, the RTX 5080's LEDs remained dark—a frustrating start.

With my PC disassembled, I searched for PCIe 12-pin cables and was surprised to find DoorDash could deliver them. I ordered a set of Corsair PCIe Gen 5 Type 4 600-watt power cables from a Best Buy in another state for $44—a testament to my hunger for power.

The cables arrived within an hour, and I eagerly plugged them in. The GPU flickered to life, but my PC failed to activate the monitors. A red light on my motherboard indicated a VGA issue. After another hour of troubleshooting, I discovered the problem: the chunky chipset fan on the X570 Aorus Master was obstructing the RTX 5080, preventing it from fully seating into the PCIe x16 slot. No matter how I tried, it wouldn't budge.

Resigned, I connected the RTX 5080 to a PCIe x8 slot instead. With an older CPU and a downgraded slot, what would this mean for performance?

RTX 5080 Running on My Grandpa-Build

After running 30 benchmarks across five different games, the RTX 5080 delivered middling raw performance on my PC. However, DLSS 4 transformed the experience, showcasing the impressive numbers Nvidia promised. While I crave the artistic vision of games, DLSS 4 offers a necessary compromise for setups like mine.

DLSS 4 is a super sampling technology that boosts performance and enhances image quality. The unique feature of RTX 50-series cards is Multi Frame Generation, which uses AI to generate up to three frames per true frame, though it's only supported in specific games. Some games might not support Multi Frame Generation, but you can override this in the Nvidia app.

I tested the RTX 5080 with Monster Hunter Wilds, a notoriously poorly optimized game. At 4K with the Ultra preset and RT High settings, my PC struggled to reach 60 fps, maxing out at 51 fps without DLSS. Activating DLAA (native resolution) and regular frame generation (2x) boosted it to 74 fps, achieving my goal of max settings above 60 fps. Switching to Ultra Performance mode pushed it to 124 fps. (At the time of writing, Multi-frame Generation (4x) doesn't work natively in the Nvidia app, but there is a workaround.)

In Avowed, my previous attempts to reach 60 fps at Ultra settings were futile. With the RTX 5080, it managed only 35 fps at Ultra, 4K, and RT on without DLSS. However, enabling DLAA and Multi Frame Generation (MFG) soared the frame rate to 113 fps—a staggering 223% increase. DLSS Ultra Performance doubled those frames.

Oblivion: Remastered, despite being a remaster of a nearly twenty-year-old game, challenged even the RTX 5080. At Ultra, 4K, and RT Ultra without DLSS, it barely reached 20 fps, occasionally spiking to 40 fps and averaging 30 fps. Activating DLAA with MFG improved it to 95 fps, and Ultra Performance mode achieved 172 fps.

Marvel Rivals, a game I never struggled with, required precision. At Ultra, 4K without DLSS, the RTX 5080 delivered 65 fps with 45ms latency. With DLSS set to Native and MFG, it reached 182 fps but with a higher 50ms latency. The best balance was found with Performance mode and standard frame generation (2x), yielding 189 fps and a 28ms latency, matching the performance without frame generation.

Lastly, I ran the benchmark tool for Black Myth Wukong, limited to standard frame generation. At Cinematic, 4K, DLSS 40% with RT Very High, it managed 42 fps. Enabling frame generation increased it to 69 fps. Multi-frame Generation could theoretically double this, potentially reaching 123 fps on my hardware.

The raw GPU performance alone was disappointing, a result of my older PC components and the modest raw performance leap in the RTX 50-series. Yet, DLSS 4 revolutionized my gaming experience.

You Don’t Need a New PC for a New GPU

While DLSS 4 and Multi-Frame Generation have their drawbacks, they're not perfect. I noticed some fuzziness in environmental textures and artifacts in inventory screens. DLSS 4 sacrifices raw fidelity for higher frame rates and an optimized visual experience, which can enhance or mimic the real thing. It's beneficial for poorly optimized ports, but I hope developers don't rely solely on this technology for game optimization.

The key takeaway from my experience is that new GPUs can significantly enhance performance even in less-than-ideal setups. I considered removing my motherboard fan to fit the RTX 5080 into the PCIe x16 slot, but DLSS 4's capabilities made it unnecessary.

You don't need to overhaul your entire PC to benefit from a new graphics card. A new power supply (the RTX 5080 requires 850W) and appropriate power cables might be necessary, but that's it. GPUs are costly and hard to find, so there's no need to rush into buying multiple PC parts.

I'm unsure how long my current setup will last before a full upgrade is needed, but DLSS 4 and Multi-Frame Generation have certainly extended its lifespan, giving me at least a few more minutes to greet Wesker.