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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 16 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌20% higher power demand at 180W vs 150W.

GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU

2021

Why buy it

✅96.3% more average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅166.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 150W instead of 180W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU

2021

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Why buy it

✅96.3% more average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅166.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 150W instead of 180W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 16 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌20% higher power demand at 180W vs 150W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU better than GeForce GTX 1060?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU averages 96.3% more FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 19,108 vs 10,064 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while GeForce GTX 1060 is a 2016 model from an older generation with no meaningful modern upscaling stack. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2021 generation instead of 2016, 89.9% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 16 GB instead of 6 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU is priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus $249 MSRP, and you are getting 96.3% more estimated average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data and 89.9% higher G3D Mark. GeForce GTX 1060 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is GeForce GTX 1060 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. GeForce GTX 1060 is 2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM, 10,064 in G3D Mark, and no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

Games Benchmarks

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 9800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

GeForce GTX 1060 Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU
1080p
low	117 FPS	255 FPS
medium	105 FPS	238 FPS
high	91 FPS	198 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	173 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	247 FPS
medium	87 FPS	207 FPS
high	76 FPS	158 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	142 FPS
4K
low	55 FPS	163 FPS
medium	49 FPS	135 FPS
high	41 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	85 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU
1080p
low	216 FPS	574 FPS
medium	181 FPS	500 FPS
high	148 FPS	416 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	361 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	418 FPS
medium	107 FPS	362 FPS
high	87 FPS	301 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	249 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	218 FPS
medium	51 FPS	189 FPS
high	49 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	133 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU
1080p
low	453 FPS	860 FPS
medium	362 FPS	688 FPS
high	302 FPS	573 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	430 FPS
1440p
low	340 FPS	645 FPS
medium	272 FPS	516 FPS
high	226 FPS	430 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	322 FPS
4K
low	226 FPS	430 FPS
medium	181 FPS	344 FPS
high	151 FPS	287 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	215 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU
1080p
low	358 FPS	801 FPS
medium	302 FPS	688 FPS
high	260 FPS	573 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	430 FPS
1440p
low	299 FPS	645 FPS
medium	254 FPS	516 FPS
high	208 FPS	430 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	322 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	430 FPS
medium	133 FPS	344 FPS
high	123 FPS	287 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	215 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU

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 Ti Laptop GPU

The GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 31 2021. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1365 MHz to 1665 MHz. It has 10240 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 80 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 19,108 points. Launch price was $1,199.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU's 19,108 — the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU leads by 89.9%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU uses Ampere, both on 16 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 10,240 (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 34.1 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1665 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU
G3D Mark Score	10,064	19,108+90%
Architecture	Pascal	Ampere
Process Node	16 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	2560	10240+300%
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS	34.1 TFLOPS+284%
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+4%	1665 MHz
ROPs	64	112+75%
TMUs	160	320+100%
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	10 MB+964%
L2 Cache	2 MB	6 MB+200%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

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

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU
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 comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU has 16 GB. The GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU offers 166.7% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 512 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU) — a 166.7% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 6 MB (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU) — the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	16 GB+167%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	512 GB/s+167%
Bus Width	192-bit	256-bit+33%
L2 Cache	2 MB	6 MB+200%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU). 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 Ti Laptop GPU
DirectX	12	12 Ultimate
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 5th gen (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs NVDEC 7th gen. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs H.264,H.265,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	NVENC 5th gen
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	NVDEC 7th gen
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	H.264,H.265,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU's 150W — a 18.2% difference. The GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 650W (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU). Power connectors: 6-pin vs Mobile. Card length: 173mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU
TDP	180W	150W-17%
Recommended PSU	400W-38%	650W
Power Connector	6-pin	Mobile
Length	173mm	0mm
Height	111mm	0mm
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	—	80°C
Perf/Watt	55.9	127.4+128%