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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

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).
✅Draws 70W instead of 350W, a 280W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU across 28 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 320), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.

GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU

2021

Why buy it

✅112.2% more average FPS across 28 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅344.4% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (320 vs 72).
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 63.6 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $169 MSRP).
❌400% higher power demand at 350W vs 70W.

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024

GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU

2021

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 0 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Draws 70W instead of 350W, a 280W reduction.

Why buy it

✅112.2% more average FPS across 28 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅344.4% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (320 vs 72).
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU across 28 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 320), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 63.6 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $169 MSRP).
❌400% higher power demand at 350W vs 70W.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU better than GeForce RTX 3050 6GB?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU averages 112.2% more FPS across 28 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 16,233 vs 10,749 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is a 2024 model from an older generation with DLSS Super Resolution. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2024 generation instead of 2021. That makes it the safer long-run choice for modern games.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU is priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus $169 MSRP, and you are getting 112.2% more estimated average FPS across 28 tracked games in our benchmark data and 51.0% higher G3D Mark. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB still holds the G3D-per-dollar lead, so the performance win comes with a real value premium. If you are comfortable paying the premium for the stronger gaming result, GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU is the one to buy. If staying closer to budget matters more, GeForce RTX 3050 6GB still makes more sense on price alone and remains capable enough for modern gaming.

When does GeForce RTX 3050 6GB make more sense than GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It makes more sense if your priority is newer architecture, lower power draw (70W vs 350W), future-proofing, and staying closer to $169 MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU. The trade-off is that GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU currently gives you 51.0% higher G3D Mark and 112.2% more estimated average FPS across 28 tracked games in our benchmark data. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB still holds the G3D-per-dollar lead, so the performance win comes with a real value premium.

Games Benchmarks

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 9800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
1080p
low	109 FPS	253 FPS
medium	92 FPS	236 FPS
high	77 FPS	198 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	147 FPS
1440p
low	95 FPS	221 FPS
medium	81 FPS	183 FPS
high	59 FPS	146 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	114 FPS
4K
low	30 FPS	117 FPS
medium	28 FPS	98 FPS
high	19 FPS	71 FPS
ultra	16 FPS	61 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Open GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
1080p
low	174 FPS	608 FPS
medium	149 FPS	523 FPS
high	118 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	365 FPS
1440p
low	129 FPS	434 FPS
medium	106 FPS	366 FPS
high	83 FPS	304 FPS
ultra	62 FPS	255 FPS
4K
low	74 FPS	223 FPS
medium	62 FPS	190 FPS
high	48 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	136 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Open GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
1080p
low	484 FPS	730 FPS
medium	387 FPS	584 FPS
high	322 FPS	487 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	365 FPS
1440p
low	363 FPS	548 FPS
medium	290 FPS	438 FPS
high	242 FPS	365 FPS
ultra	181 FPS	274 FPS
4K
low	242 FPS	365 FPS
medium	193 FPS	292 FPS
high	161 FPS	243 FPS
ultra	121 FPS	183 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Open GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
1080p
low	243 FPS	730 FPS
medium	210 FPS	584 FPS
high	171 FPS	487 FPS
ultra	144 FPS	365 FPS
1440p
low	185 FPS	548 FPS
medium	166 FPS	438 FPS
high	131 FPS	365 FPS
ultra	109 FPS	274 FPS
4K
low	104 FPS	365 FPS
medium	87 FPS	292 FPS
high	69 FPS	243 FPS
ultra	55 FPS	183 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Open GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3050 6GB and GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU

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.

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.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB scores 10,749 versus the GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU's 16,233 — the GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU leads by 51%. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is built on Ampere while the GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU uses Ampere, both on a 8 nm process. Shader units: 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 10,240 (GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU). Raw compute: 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 34.1 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU). Boost clocks: 1470 MHz vs 1665 MHz. Ray tracing: 18 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 80 (GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU) with 72 Tensor cores vs 320.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
G3D Mark Score	10,749	16,233+51%
Architecture	Ampere	Ampere
Process Node	8 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	2304	10240+344%
Compute (TFLOPS)	6.774 TFLOPS	34.1 TFLOPS+403%
Boost Clock	1470 MHz	1665 MHz+13%
ROPs	32	112+250%
TMUs	72	320+344%
L1 Cache	2.3 MB	10 MB+335%
L2 Cache	2 MB	6 MB+200%
Ray Tracing Cores	18	80+344%
Tensor Cores	72	320+344%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	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

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 168 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU) — a 166.7% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU. Bus width: 96-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) 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 3050 6GB	GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	8 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	168 GB/s	448 GB/s+167%
Bus Width	96-bit	256-bit+167%
L2 Cache	2 MB	6 MB+200%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) 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 3050 6GB	GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12.2+2%
Vulkan	1.3+8%	1.2
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 7th Gen NVENC (GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU). Decoder: NVDEC (7th Gen) vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode) (GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
Encoder	NVENC (5th Gen)	7th Gen NVENC
Decoder	NVDEC (7th Gen)	5th Gen NVDEC
Codecs	H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only)	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode)

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB draws 70W versus the GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU's 350W — a 133.3% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 650W (GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU). Power connectors: None vs Mobile. Card length: 160mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 80°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
TDP	70W-80%	350W
Recommended PSU	300W-54%	650W
Power Connector	None	Mobile
Length	160mm	0mm
Height	—	0mm
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	75°C-6%	80°C
Perf/Watt	153.6+231%	46.4