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 3060 vs GeForce RTX 4080 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 3060 vs GeForce RTX 4080: 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 3060

2021

Why buy it

✅Costs $870 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $1,199 MSRP).
✅Delivers 79.8% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 28.7 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $1,199 MSRP).
✅Draws 170W instead of 320W, a 150W reduction.
✅Measures 242mm instead of 310mm, a 68mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4080 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 12 GB vs 16 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌GeForce RTX 4080 is the safer long-term pick here because the hardware is newer and the feature stack is stronger.

GeForce RTX 4080

2022

Why buy it

✅68.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 12 GB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌
264.4% HIGHER MSRP
$1,199 MSRPvs$329 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 28.7 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($1,199 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌88.2% higher power demand at 320W vs 170W.
❌28.1% longer card at 310mm vs 242mm.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 4080 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 68.4% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 102.7% in PassMark G3D (34,445 vs 16,995), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce RTX 4080 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 16 GB vs 12 GB of VRAM, the newer feature stack, with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) and DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023), while GeForce RTX 3060 is limited to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) and no comparable frame-generation support, a 5nm process instead of 8nm, and 76 vs 28 ray-tracing units. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce RTX 3060 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $870 cheaper on MSRP at $329 vs $1,199, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 79.8% (51.7 vs 28.7), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and lighter 1440p, GeForce RTX 3060 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1440p and 4K headroom, GeForce RTX 4080 has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce RTX 3060 vs GeForce RTX 4080 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce RTX 3060

The GeForce RTX 3060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 12 2021. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1320 MHz to 1777 MHz. It has 3584 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 170W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 28 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 16,995 points. Launch price was $329.

GeForce RTX 4080

The GeForce RTX 4080 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 20 2022. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 2205 MHz to 2505 MHz. It has 9728 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 320W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 76 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 34,445 points. Launch price was $1,199.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the GeForce RTX 4080's 34,445 — the GeForce RTX 4080 leads by 102.7%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the GeForce RTX 4080 uses Ada Lovelace, both on 8 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 9,728 (GeForce RTX 4080). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 48.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4080). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 2505 MHz. Ray tracing: 28 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 76 (GeForce RTX 4080) with 112 Tensor cores vs 304.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	GeForce RTX 4080
G3D Mark Score	16,995	34,445+103%
Architecture	Ampere	Ada Lovelace
Process Node	8 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	3584	9728+171%
Compute (TFLOPS)	12.74 TFLOPS	48.74 TFLOPS+283%
Boost Clock	1777 MHz	2505 MHz+41%
ROPs	48	112+133%
TMUs	112	304+171%
L1 Cache	3.5 MB	9.5 MB+171%
L2 Cache	3 MB	64 MB+2033%
Ray Tracing Cores	28	76+171%
Tensor Cores	112	304+171%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the GeForce RTX 4080 is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The GeForce RTX 3060 does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce RTX 4080 supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce RTX 3060 is capped at DLSS 2 Super Resolution.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	GeForce RTX 4080
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution
Frame Generation	Not Supported	DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction	No	Yes (DLSS 3.5)
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3060 has 12 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 4080 carries 16 GB. GeForce RTX 4080 gives you 33.3% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 360 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 736 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4080) — a 104.4% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4080. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060 and 256-bit on the GeForce RTX 4080. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 64 MB (GeForce RTX 4080) — the GeForce RTX 4080 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	GeForce RTX 4080
VRAM Capacity	12 GB	16 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6X
Memory Bandwidth	360 GB/s	736 GB/s+104%
Bus Width	192-bit	256-bit+33%
L2 Cache	3 MB	64 MB+2033%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4080). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	GeForce RTX 4080
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs NVENC 8th gen (GeForce RTX 4080). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs NVDEC 5th gen. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 4080).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	GeForce RTX 4080
Encoder	NVENC 7th Gen	NVENC 8th gen
Decoder	NVDEC 5th Gen	NVDEC 5th gen
Codecs	AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the GeForce RTX 4080's 320W — a 61.2% difference. The GeForce RTX 3060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 750W (GeForce RTX 4080). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 16-pin. Card length: 242mm vs 310mm, occupying 2 vs 3 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 70°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	GeForce RTX 4080
TDP	170W-47%	320W
Recommended PSU	550W-27%	750W
Power Connector	8-pin	16-pin
Length	242mm	310mm
Height	112mm	140mm
Slots	2-33%	3
Temp (Load)	75	70°C-7%
Perf/Watt	100.0	107.6+8%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3060 came in at $329, while the GeForce RTX 4080 launched at $1199. On MSRP, GeForce RTX 3060 was 72.6% cheaper ($870 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 28.7 (GeForce RTX 4080) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 80.1% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 4080 (2022 vs 2021).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	GeForce RTX 4080
MSRP	$329-73%	$1199
Performance per Dollar	51.7+80%	28.7
Codename	GA106	AD103
Release	January 12 2021	September 20 2022
Ranking	#114	#7

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