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 2080 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 RTX 2080 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 RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design

2019

Why buy it

✅39.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅411.1% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (368 vs 72).
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).

Trade-offs

❌GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the safer long-term pick here because the hardware is newer and the feature stack is stronger.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 63.6 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $169 MSRP).

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).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 2080 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.
❌Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (72 vs 368), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 39.6% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 18.8% in PassMark G3D (12,766 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: a 8nm process instead of 12nm and a newer 2024 generation instead of 2019. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

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 RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Technical Specifications

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

GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design

The GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 29 2019. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 735 MHz to 1095 MHz. It has 2944 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 80W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 12,766 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.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design scores 12,766 versus the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB's 10,749 — the GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design leads by 18.8%. The GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design is built on Turing while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB uses Ampere, both on 12 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 2,944 (GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design) vs 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Raw compute: 6.447 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design) vs 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Boost clocks: 1095 MHz vs 1470 MHz. Ray tracing: 46 RT cores (GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design) vs 18 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) with 368 Tensor cores vs 72.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
G3D Mark Score	12,766+19%	10,749
Architecture	Turing	Ampere
Process Node	12 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	2944+28%	2304
Compute (TFLOPS)	6.447 TFLOPS	6.774 TFLOPS+5%
Boost Clock	1095 MHz	1470 MHz+34%
ROPs	64+100%	32
TMUs	184+156%	72
L1 Cache	2.9 MB+26%	2.3 MB
L2 Cache	4 MB+100%	2 MB
Ray Tracing Cores	46+156%	18
Tensor Cores	368+411%	72

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
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

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design has 8 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB carries 6 GB. GeForce RTX 2080 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: 384 GB/s (GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design) vs 168 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) — a 128.6% advantage for the GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design and 96-bit on the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design) vs 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) — the GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
VRAM Capacity	8 GB+33%	6 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	384 GB/s+129%	168 GB/s
Bus Width	256-bit+167%	96-bit
L2 Cache	4 MB+100%	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (12_2) (GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
DirectX	12 (12_2)	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 6 (GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design) vs NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Decoder: NVDEC 4 vs NVDEC (7th Gen). Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB).

Feature	GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
Encoder	NVENC 6	NVENC (5th Gen)
Decoder	NVDEC 4	NVDEC (7th Gen)
Codecs	H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1	H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only)

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design draws 80W versus the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB's 70W — a 13.3% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 0W (GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design) vs 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Power connectors: None vs None. Card length: 0mm vs 160mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80 vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
TDP	80W	70W-13%
Recommended PSU	0W-100%	300W
Power Connector	None	None
Length	0mm	160mm
Height	0mm	—
Slots	0-100%	2
Temp (Load)	80	75°C-6%
Perf/Watt	159.6+4%	153.6

💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB (2024 vs 2019).

Feature	GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
MSRP	—	$169
Codename	TU104B	GA107
Release	January 29 2019	February 2 2024
Ranking	#174	#252

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