GeForce RTX 2060 12GB vs GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU

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 RTX 2060 12GB vs GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU 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 RTX 2060 12GB vs GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU: 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 RTX 2060 12GB

2021

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 33.9 vs 0 G3D/$ ($470 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 8 GB).
✅Draws 184W instead of 350W, a 166W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (272 vs 320), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.
❌GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU is the safer long-term pick here because the hardware is newer and the feature stack is stronger.

GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU

2021

Why buy it

✅40.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅17.6% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (320 vs 272).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 33.9 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $470 MSRP).
❌90.2% higher power demand at 350W vs 184W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 40.1% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1.9% in PassMark G3D (16,233 vs 15,935), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 8nm process instead of 12nm and 80 vs 34 ray-tracing units. That gives it the more rounded hardware package for newer games.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce RTX 2060 12GB makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and lighter 1440p, GeForce RTX 2060 12GB is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and lighter 1440p headroom, GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce RTX 2060 12GB vs GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU Technical Specifications

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

GeForce RTX 2060 12GB

The GeForce RTX 2060 12GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 7 2021. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1470 MHz to 1650 MHz. It has 2176 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 184W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 34 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 15,935 points.

GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU

The GeForce RTX 3080 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 350W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 80 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 16,233 points. Launch price was $1,199.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce RTX 2060 12GB scores 15,935 and the GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU reaches 16,233 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce RTX 2060 12GB is built on Turing while the GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU uses Ampere, both on 12 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 2,176 (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 10,240 (GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU). Raw compute: 7.181 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 34.1 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU). Boost clocks: 1650 MHz vs 1665 MHz. Ray tracing: 34 RT cores (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 80 (GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU) with 272 Tensor cores vs 320.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB	GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
G3D Mark Score	15,935	16,233+2%
Architecture	Turing	Ampere
Process Node	12 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	2176	10240+371%
Compute (TFLOPS)	7.181 TFLOPS	34.1 TFLOPS+375%
Boost Clock	1650 MHz	1665 MHz
ROPs	48	112+133%
TMUs	136	320+135%
L1 Cache	2.1 MB	10 MB+376%
L2 Cache	3 MB	6 MB+100%
Ray Tracing Cores	34	80+135%
Tensor Cores	272	320+18%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB	GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 2060 12GB has 12 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU carries 8 GB. GeForce RTX 2060 12GB gives you 50% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 336 GB/s (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU) — a 33.3% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 2060 12GB and 256-bit on the GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 6 MB (GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU) — the GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB	GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+50%	8 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	336 GB/s	448 GB/s+33%
Bus Width	192-bit	256-bit+33%
L2 Cache	3 MB	6 MB+100%

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Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 12.2 (GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB	GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
DirectX	12.1	12.2
Vulkan	1.3+8%	1.2
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 6.0 (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 7th Gen NVENC (GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP9 vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode) (GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU).

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB	GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
Encoder	NVENC 6.0	7th Gen NVENC
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP9	5th Gen NVDEC
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode)

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 2060 12GB draws 184W versus the GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU's 350W — a 62.2% difference. The GeForce RTX 2060 12GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 650W (GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Mobile. Card length: 229mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 88°C vs 80°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB	GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
TDP	184W-47%	350W
Recommended PSU	550W-15%	650W
Power Connector	8-pin	Mobile
Length	229mm	0mm
Height	113mm	0mm
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	88°C	80°C-9%
Perf/Watt	86.6+87%	46.4