That's because at 1440p Ultra, 1070 gets 72 fps and 1080 gets 90 fps. For a 3rd person game, the 90 fps vs. 72 fps isn't a win. The actual experience at 1440p Ultra on a 1070 and 1080 should be identical. Otoh, at 1440p Ultra, the 980Ti is only at 59 fps, which means it'll be dipping below 60 fps a lot more often. Since both the 1070 and 1080 provide identical gaming experience at 1440p Ultra per NV's benchmarks, it's more fitting to compare those 2 cards under Insane settings.
Does 1080 provide the performance that's worth of its 60%+ price premium? 49.9 fps vs. 43.3 fps. Absolutely not! To be able to play this game on Insane settings at 1440p 60 fps a 1080Ti/Titan XP is needed (or 1070 SLI). Once again the x80 series card proves to be a waste of $ (this is the same trend that has remained consistent when comparing 470 vs. 480, 570 vs. 580, 670 vs. 680, 970 vs. 980). As I have stated since May 30, 2016, 1080 sits in no man's land. If someone wants more performance, they buy 1070 SLI, 1080 SLI or Titan XP. In 99% of modern games, it appears that in situations where 1070 cannot provide solid gaming experience, neither can the 1080. I think I saw only 2 games or so (The Division and DE:MD where the 1080 is actually significantly faster).
Maybe they are not, but I expect a card that costs $630-700 to provide a measurably superior gaming experience under the most extreme settings. What else is the point of paying $630-700 for a 1080 over a $390 1070? If you compare Ultra settings, the 1070 is just as good (> 60 fps easily), and 1080 cannot enable higher IQ or 60 fps with Insane, which only proves my point that 1080 is a waste of $.
As demand for 1070 subsides, prices will continue dropping -- such as recent sales of
$357,
$357 and
$348. At these prices, soon it'll be possible to purchase AIB GTX1070
SLI for the price of a single 1080 (certainly a single 1080 FE). In that comparison, the 1080 will get
absolutely destroyed as 1070 SLI ~ Titan XP. The more GTX 1070 drops in price and the more 1080 fails to show big benefits over it in modern titles, the less enticing the 1080 looks. We are almost at a point where 1070 SLI costs as much as a GTX1080. Just like 570 SLI, 670 SLI, 970 SLI wiped the floor with 580, 680 and 980, despite 1070's theoretical disadvantage, the same will come to fruition. Therefore, I feel that my point about 1080 showing only a 15% advantage at 1440p Insane in GoW4 is a legit criticism.