GeForce RTX 2060 12GB vs GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile

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 Mobile 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 Mobile: 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).
✅41.7% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (272 vs 192).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 8 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile is the safer long-term pick here because the hardware is newer and the feature stack is stronger.
❌60% higher power demand at 184W vs 115W.

GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile

2021

Why buy it

✅18.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
✅Draws 115W instead of 184W, a 69W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (192 vs 272), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 33.9 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $470 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 18.1% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1.8% in PassMark G3D (16,214 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 Mobile is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 8nm process instead of 12nm and 48 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 Mobile has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce RTX 2060 12GB vs GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile 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 Mobile

The GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 12 2021. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1110 MHz to 1545 MHz. It has 6144 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 115W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 48 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 16,214 points.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce RTX 2060 12GB scores 15,935 and the GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile reaches 16,214 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.8% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce RTX 2060 12GB is built on Turing while the GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile uses Ampere, both on 12 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 2,176 (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 6,144 (GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile). Raw compute: 7.181 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 18.98 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile). Boost clocks: 1650 MHz vs 1545 MHz. Ray tracing: 34 RT cores (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 48 (GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile) with 272 Tensor cores vs 192.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB	GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile
G3D Mark Score	15,935	16,214+2%
Architecture	Turing	Ampere
Process Node	12 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	2176	6144+182%
Compute (TFLOPS)	7.181 TFLOPS	18.98 TFLOPS+164%
Boost Clock	1650 MHz+7%	1545 MHz
ROPs	48	96+100%
TMUs	136	192+41%
L1 Cache	2.1 MB	6 MB+186%
L2 Cache	3 MB	4 MB+33%
Ray Tracing Cores	34	48+41%
Tensor Cores	272+42%	192

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB	GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile
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 Mobile 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 Mobile) — a 33.3% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 2060 12GB and 256-bit on the GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile) — the GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB	GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile
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	4 MB+33%

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Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 12.2 (GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile). 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 Mobile
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 Mobile). 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 Mobile).

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB	GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile
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 Mobile's 115W — a 46.2% difference. The GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 650W (GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile). 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 Mobile
TDP	184W	115W-38%
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	141.0+63%