GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel) vs GeForce RTX 3090

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)

2016Core: 1556 MHzBoost: 1734 MHz
GTX family
·······
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3090

2020Core: 1395 MHzBoost: 1695 MHz
RTX family
·······

GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel) vs GeForce RTX 3090 Performance Spectrum

About G3D Mark

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 1080 SLI (móvel) vs GeForce RTX 3090 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 1080 SLI (móvel) vs GeForce RTX 3090: 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 1080 SLI (móvel)

2016

Why buy it

  • Draws 300W instead of 350W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3090 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 16 GB vs 24 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • Older hardware, 16 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 17.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3090

2020

Why buy it

  • 150.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 17.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($1,499 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (24 GB vs 16 GB).
  • Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 16.7% higher power demand at 350W vs 300W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 3090 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 150.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 0.2% in PassMark G3D (26,594 vs 26,543), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3090 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 24 GB vs 16 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 82 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 RTX 3090 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel) vs GeForce RTX 3090 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)

The GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel) is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 16 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1556 MHz to 1734 MHz. It has 5120 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 300W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 26,543 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3090

The GeForce RTX 3090 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1395 MHz to 1695 MHz. It has 10496 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 350W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 82 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 26,594 points. Launch price was $1,499.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel) scores 26,543 and the GeForce RTX 3090 reaches 26,594 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel) is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 3090 uses Ampere, both on 16 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 5,120 (GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)) vs 10,496 (GeForce RTX 3090). Boost clocks: 1734 MHz vs 1695 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)GeForce RTX 3090
G3D Mark Score
26,543
26,594
Architecture
Pascal
Ampere
Process Node
16 nm
8 nm
Shading Units
5120
10496+105%
Boost Clock
1734 MHz+2%
1695 MHz

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3090 supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel) is capped at Upscaling support.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)GeForce RTX 3090
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 1080 SLI (móvel) has 16 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3090 carries 24 GB. GeForce RTX 3090 gives you 50% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 320 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)) vs 936 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3090) — a 192.5% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3090. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel) and 384-bit on the GeForce RTX 3090.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)GeForce RTX 3090
VRAM Capacity
16 GB
24 GB+50%
Memory Type
GDDR5X
GDDR6X
Memory Bandwidth
320 GB/s
936 GB/s+193%
Bus Width
256-bit
384-bit+50%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3090). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 1 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)GeForce RTX 3090
DirectX
12.1
12 Ultimate
Vulkan
1.2
1.4+17%
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
1
4+300%
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 6th Gen NVENC (2x) (GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)) vs NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3090). Decoder: 4th Gen NVDEC vs NVDEC 5th gen. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3090).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)GeForce RTX 3090
Encoder
6th Gen NVENC (2x)
NVENC 7th gen
Decoder
4th Gen NVDEC
NVDEC 5th gen
Codecs
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC
H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel) draws 300W versus the GeForce RTX 3090's 350W — a 15.4% difference. The GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel) is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)) vs 750W (GeForce RTX 3090). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 2x 8-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 312mm, occupying 0 vs 3 slots. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 85°C.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)GeForce RTX 3090
TDP
300W-14%
350W
Recommended PSU
650W-13%
750W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
2x 8-pin
Length
0mm
312mm
Height
0mm
140mm
Slots
0-100%
3
Temp (Load)
85°C
85°C
Perf/Watt
88.5+16%
76.0
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3090 (2020 vs 2016).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)GeForce RTX 3090
MSRP
$1499
Codename
Pascal GP104 SLI
GA102
Release
August 16 2016
September 1 2020
Ranking
#162
#37

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.