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 with Max-Q Design vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB 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 with Max-Q Design vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB: 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 with Max-Q Design

2017

Why buy it

✅24.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).

Trade-offs

❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌2017 hardware with 8 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 63.6 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $169 MSRP).
❌114.3% higher power demand at 150W vs 70W.

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 0 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
✅Draws 70W instead of 150W, a 80W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 24.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 7.6% in PassMark G3D (11,566 vs 10,749), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: the newer upscaling stack, DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 8nm process instead of 16nm, 18 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2024 generation instead of 2017. That gives it the more rounded hardware package for newer games.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design

The GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 27 2017. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1290 MHz to 1468 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 11,566 points.

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 2 2024. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1042 MHz to 1470 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 70W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 18 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,749 points. Launch price was $179.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design scores 11,566 versus the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB's 10,749 — the GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design leads by 7.6%. The GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB uses Ampere, both on 16 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design) vs 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Raw compute: 7.516 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design) vs 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Boost clocks: 1468 MHz vs 1470 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
G3D Mark Score	11,566+8%	10,749
Architecture	Pascal	Ampere
Process Node	16 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	2560+11%	2304
Compute (TFLOPS)	7.516 TFLOPS+11%	6.774 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1468 MHz	1470 MHz
ROPs	64+100%	32
TMUs	160+122%	72
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	2.3 MB+145%
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
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 with Max-Q Design has 8 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB carries 6 GB. GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design gives you 33.3% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 256 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design) vs 168 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) — a 52.4% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design and 96-bit on the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
VRAM Capacity	8 GB+33%	6 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5X	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	256 GB/s+52%	168 GB/s
Bus Width	256-bit+167%	96-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
DirectX	12.1	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.1	1.3+18%
OpenGL	4.5	4.6+2%
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 4.0 (GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design) vs NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs NVDEC (7th Gen). Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
Encoder	NVENC 4.0	NVENC (5th Gen)
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6	NVDEC (7th Gen)
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC	H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only)

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design draws 150W versus the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB's 70W — a 72.7% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design) vs 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs None. Card length: 0mm vs 160mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
TDP	150W	70W-53%
Recommended PSU	500W	300W-40%
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	None
Length	0mm	160mm
Height	0mm	—
Slots	0-100%	2
Temp (Load)	80°C	75°C-6%
Perf/Watt	77.1	153.6+99%

💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB (2024 vs 2017).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080 with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
MSRP	—	$169
Codename	GP104	GA107
Release	June 27 2017	February 2 2024
Ranking	#257	#252

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