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 3060 Ti

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $300 less on MSRP ($399 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 41.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 50.9 vs 35.9 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Draws 200W instead of 320W, a 120W reduction.
✅Measures 242mm instead of 285mm, a 43mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (20,312 vs 25,071).
❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 10 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (152 vs 272), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.

GeForce RTX 3080

2020

Why buy it

✅+23.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅78.9% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (272 vs 152).
✅25% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (10 GB vs 8 GB).

Trade-offs

❌
75.2% HIGHER MSRP
$699 MSRPvs$399 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 35.9 vs 50.9 G3D/$ ($699 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).
❌60% higher power demand at 320W vs 200W.
❌17.8% longer card at 285mm vs 242mm.

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

2020

GeForce RTX 3080

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $300 less on MSRP ($399 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 41.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 50.9 vs 35.9 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Draws 200W instead of 320W, a 120W reduction.
✅Measures 242mm instead of 285mm, a 43mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Why buy it

✅+23.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅78.9% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (272 vs 152).
✅25% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (10 GB vs 8 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (20,312 vs 25,071).
❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 10 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (152 vs 272), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.

Trade-offs

❌
75.2% HIGHER MSRP
$699 MSRPvs$399 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 35.9 vs 50.9 G3D/$ ($699 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).
❌60% higher power demand at 320W vs 200W.
❌17.8% longer card at 285mm vs 242mm.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3080 better than GeForce RTX 3060 Ti?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3080 is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 23.4% higher PassMark G3D performance, 272 vs 152 Tensor cores, and 10 GB vs 8 GB of VRAM.

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

GeForce RTX 3080 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 23.4% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 10 GB instead of 8 GB, and 78.9% more ray-tracing hardware. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.

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

GeForce RTX 3080 is about 75.2% more expensive on MSRP at $699 MSRP versus $399 MSRP, and you are getting 23.4% higher G3D Mark. GeForce RTX 3060 Ti 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 is the one to buy. If staying closer to budget matters more, GeForce RTX 3060 Ti still makes more sense on price alone and remains capable enough for modern gaming.

Is GeForce RTX 3060 Ti still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is still a strong gaming GPU in 2026: it is excellent for 1080p, very strong for 1440p, and still capable at 4K with sensible settings or upscaling. This mostly comes down to price. If you want to stay closer to $399 MSRP, it remains a strong choice; if you are comfortable paying more, GeForce RTX 3080 earns that extra money with a clearly stronger gaming result and a more complete overall package.

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 3060 Ti Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 3080 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	GeForce RTX 3080
1080p
low	152 FPS	164 FPS
medium	137 FPS	150 FPS
high	118 FPS	129 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	113 FPS
1440p
low	131 FPS	139 FPS
medium	107 FPS	116 FPS
high	91 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	82 FPS	88 FPS
4K
low	77 FPS	85 FPS
medium	65 FPS	72 FPS
high	50 FPS	56 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	50 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Open GeForce RTX 3080

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	GeForce RTX 3080
1080p
low	425 FPS	579 FPS
medium	366 FPS	493 FPS
high	296 FPS	390 FPS
ultra	248 FPS	338 FPS
1440p
low	272 FPS	386 FPS
medium	229 FPS	322 FPS
high	190 FPS	257 FPS
ultra	156 FPS	219 FPS
4K
low	133 FPS	178 FPS
medium	114 FPS	153 FPS
high	96 FPS	131 FPS
ultra	73 FPS	110 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Open GeForce RTX 3080

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	GeForce RTX 3080
1080p
low	859 FPS	869 FPS
medium	693 FPS	706 FPS
high	602 FPS	617 FPS
ultra	457 FPS	539 FPS
1440p
low	658 FPS	686 FPS
medium	529 FPS	555 FPS
high	452 FPS	475 FPS
ultra	343 FPS	408 FPS
4K
low	434 FPS	472 FPS
medium	346 FPS	386 FPS
high	275 FPS	325 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	270 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Open GeForce RTX 3080

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	GeForce RTX 3080
1080p
low	580 FPS	647 FPS
medium	514 FPS	588 FPS
high	424 FPS	490 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	455 FPS
1440p
low	478 FPS	524 FPS
medium	427 FPS	472 FPS
high	335 FPS	396 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	358 FPS
4K
low	285 FPS	344 FPS
medium	266 FPS	314 FPS
high	234 FPS	289 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	261 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Open GeForce RTX 3080

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 Ti and GeForce RTX 3080

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1410 MHz to 1665 MHz. It has 4864 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 38 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 20,312 points. Launch price was $399.

GeForce RTX 3080

The GeForce RTX 3080 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1440 MHz to 1710 MHz. It has 8704 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 320W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 68 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 25,071 points. Launch price was $699.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti scores 20,312 versus the GeForce RTX 3080's 25,071 — the GeForce RTX 3080 leads by 23.4%. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is built on Ampere while the GeForce RTX 3080 uses Ampere, both on a 8 nm process. Shader units: 4,864 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 8,704 (GeForce RTX 3080). Raw compute: 16.2 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 29.77 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3080). Boost clocks: 1665 MHz vs 1710 MHz. Ray tracing: 38 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 68 (GeForce RTX 3080) with 152 Tensor cores vs 272.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	GeForce RTX 3080
G3D Mark Score	20,312	25,071+23%
Architecture	Ampere	Ampere
Process Node	8 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	4864	8704+79%
Compute (TFLOPS)	16.2 TFLOPS	29.77 TFLOPS+84%
Boost Clock	1665 MHz	1710 MHz+3%
ROPs	80	96+20%
TMUs	152	272+79%
L1 Cache	4.8 MB	8.5 MB+77%
L2 Cache	4 MB	5 MB+25%
Ray Tracing Cores	38	68+79%
Tensor Cores	152	272+79%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	GeForce RTX 3080
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 3060 Ti comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3080 has 10 GB. The GeForce RTX 3080 offers 25% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 760 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3080) — a 69.6% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3080. Bus width: 256-bit vs 320-bit. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 5 MB (GeForce RTX 3080) — the GeForce RTX 3080 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	GeForce RTX 3080
VRAM Capacity	8 GB	10 GB+25%
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6X
Memory Bandwidth	448 GB/s	760 GB/s+70%
Bus Width	256-bit	320-bit+25%
L2 Cache	4 MB	5 MB+25%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (12_2) (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 12 Ultimate (12_2) (GeForce RTX 3080). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	GeForce RTX 3080
DirectX	12 Ultimate (12_2)	12 Ultimate (12_2)
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Ampere) (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs NVENC (Ampere) (GeForce RTX 3080). Decoder: NVDEC (Ampere) vs NVDEC (Ampere). Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3080).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	GeForce RTX 3080
Encoder	NVENC (Ampere)	NVENC (Ampere)
Decoder	NVDEC (Ampere)	NVDEC (Ampere)
Codecs	H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1	H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti draws 200W versus the GeForce RTX 3080's 320W — a 46.2% difference. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 600W (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 750W (GeForce RTX 3080). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 2x 8-pin. Card length: 242mm vs 285mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 75.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	GeForce RTX 3080
TDP	200W-38%	320W
Recommended PSU	600W-20%	750W
Power Connector	8-pin	2x 8-pin
Length	242mm	285mm
Height	112mm	112mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75	75
Perf/Watt	101.6+30%	78.3

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti launched at $399 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 3080 launched at $699. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti costs 42.9% less ($300 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 50.9 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 35.9 (GeForce RTX 3080) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti offers 41.8% better value.