G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs GeForce RTX 3080 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs GeForce RTX 3080: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅Costs $450 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 12.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 35.9 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Draws 180W instead of 320W, a 140W reduction.
✅Measures 173mm instead of 285mm, a 112mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3080 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 10 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.

GeForce RTX 3080

2020

Why buy it

✅84.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅66.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (10 GB vs 6 GB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌
180.7% HIGHER MSRP
$699 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 35.9 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($699 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌77.8% higher power demand at 320W vs 180W.
❌64.7% longer card at 285mm vs 173mm.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 3080 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 84.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 149.1% in PassMark G3D (25,071 vs 10,064), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 3080 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 10 GB vs 6 GB of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 8nm process instead of 16nm, and 68 vs 0 ray-tracing units. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GTX 1060 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $450 cheaper on MSRP at $249 vs $699, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 12.7% (40.4 vs 35.9), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GTX 1060 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and strong 1440p headroom, GeForce RTX 3080 has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 1060 vs GeForce RTX 3080 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

GeForce GTX 1060

The GeForce GTX 1060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 27 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1607 MHz to 1733 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 180W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,064 points. Launch price was $599.

GeForce RTX 3080

The GeForce RTX 3080 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1440 MHz to 1710 MHz. It has 8704 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 320W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 68 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 25,071 points. Launch price was $699.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the GeForce RTX 3080's 25,071 — the GeForce RTX 3080 leads by 149.1%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 3080 uses Ampere, both on 16 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 8,704 (GeForce RTX 3080). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 29.77 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3080). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1710 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3080
G3D Mark Score	10,064	25,071+149%
Architecture	Pascal	Ampere
Process Node	16 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	2560	8704+240%
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS	29.77 TFLOPS+236%
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+1%	1710 MHz
ROPs	64	96+50%
TMUs	160	272+70%
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	8.5 MB+804%
L2 Cache	2 MB	5 MB+150%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3080 supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1060 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3080
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1060 has 6 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3080 carries 10 GB. GeForce RTX 3080 gives you 66.7% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 760 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3080) — a 295.8% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3080. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 and 320-bit on the GeForce RTX 3080. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 5 MB (GeForce RTX 3080) — the GeForce RTX 3080 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3080
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	10 GB+67%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6X
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	760 GB/s+296%
Bus Width	192-bit	320-bit+67%
L2 Cache	2 MB	5 MB+150%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12 Ultimate (12_2) (GeForce RTX 3080). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3080
DirectX	12	12 Ultimate (12_2)
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.5	4.6+2%
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs NVENC (Ampere) (GeForce RTX 3080). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs NVDEC (Ampere). Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3080).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3080
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	NVENC (Ampere)
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	NVDEC (Ampere)
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the GeForce RTX 3080's 320W — a 56% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 750W (GeForce RTX 3080). Power connectors: 6-pin vs 2x 8-pin. Card length: 173mm vs 285mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3080
TDP	180W-44%	320W
Recommended PSU	400W-47%	750W
Power Connector	6-pin	2x 8-pin
Length	173mm	285mm
Height	111mm	112mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	—	75
Perf/Watt	55.9	78.3+40%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 came in at $249, while the GeForce RTX 3080 launched at $699. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1060 was 64.4% cheaper ($450 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 35.9 (GeForce RTX 3080) — the GeForce GTX 1060 offers 12.5% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3080 (2020 vs 2016).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3080
MSRP	$249-64%	$699
Performance per Dollar	40.4+13%	35.9
Codename	GP104	GA102
Release	May 27 2016	September 1 2020
Ranking	#137	#41

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