GeForce RTX 3050 8GB vs GeForce RTX 2080
GeForce RTX 3050 8GB
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GeForce RTX 2080
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Performance Spectrum - GPU
About G3D Mark
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce RTX 3050 8GB
Performance Per Dollar
Why is GeForce RTX 2080 better than GeForce RTX 3050 8GB?
The battle between the high-end previous-gen GeForce RTX 2080 and the budget enthusiast GeForce RTX 3050 8GB highlights the gap between flagship history and modern entry-level value. In raw rendering benchmarks, the older RTX 2080 generally holds a solid 60-70% lead, representing a higher tier of bandwidth and core muscle that allows it to maintain uncompromised stability at 1440p settings.
Technically, the RTX 2080 wins on absolute architectural scale, featuring superior throughput and raw core muscle for interactive rendering. The RTX 3050 8GB, while modern and more energy-efficient, lacks the sheer bandwidth of the older 80-series flagship to handle pathological texture streaming with the same fluidity. Moving between these two is a choice between a legacy powerhouse and a modern budget gateway. For users seeking the best interactive immersion, the 20-series card remains a powerful foundation for a world-class stationary rig in 2026.
The GeForce RTX 2080 is the winner in absolute raw performance and bandwidth, provide a level of immersion currently unmatched by budget 30-series hardware. it is a world-class enthusiast engine. The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is the winner for budget-conscious builders who priority modern efficiency and more future-proof Ampere features for stable 1080p gaming. however, for any user seeking the most immersion and raw speed, the 20-series flagship is the superior choice.
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce RTX 2080 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 49% higher G3D Mark score. However, the GeForce RTX 3050 8GB offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | GeForce RTX 3050 8GB | GeForce RTX 2080 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-49%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+49%) |
| Longevity | 🏆Elite Architecture (Ampere (2020−2025) / 8nm) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2018 / Turing (2018−2022)) |
| Ecosystem | ✨ DLSS 3/4 + Frame Gen Support | ✨ DLSS 2 Upscaling |
| VRAM | 🎮 High Capacity (8 GB) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | Normal Efficiency | Normal Efficiency |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | Standard Size (267mm) |
💎 Value Proposition
The GeForce RTX 2080 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Although it costs $250 (vs $209), its significant performance lead justifies the premium, offering 24.6% better value per dollar than the GeForce RTX 3050 8GB.
| Insight | GeForce RTX 3050 8GB | GeForce RTX 2080 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+24.6%) |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($209) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($250) |
Performance Check
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 7800X3D 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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3050 8GB and GeForce RTX 2080
GeForce RTX 3050 8GB
The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 4 2022. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1552 MHz to 1777 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 130W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 20 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 12,535 points. Launch price was $249.
GeForce RTX 2080
The GeForce RTX 2080 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 20 2018. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1515 MHz to 1710 MHz. It has 2944 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 215W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 18,676 points. Launch price was $699.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3050 8GB scores 12,535 versus the GeForce RTX 2080's 18,676 — the GeForce RTX 2080 leads by 49%. The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is built on Ampere while the GeForce RTX 2080 uses Turing, both on 8 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 2,944 (GeForce RTX 2080). Raw compute: 9.098 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 10.07 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 2080). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1710 MHz. Ray tracing: 20 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 46 (GeForce RTX 2080) with 80 Tensor cores vs 368.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3050 8GB | GeForce RTX 2080 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 12,535 | 18,676+49% |
| Architecture | Ampere | Turing |
| Process Node | 8 nm | 12 nm |
| Shading Units | 2560 | 2944+15% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 9.098 TFLOPS | 10.07 TFLOPS+11% |
| Boost Clock | 1777 MHz+4% | 1710 MHz |
| ROPs | 32 | 64+100% |
| TMUs | 80 | 184+130% |
| L1 Cache | 2.5 MB | 2.9 MB+16% |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB | 4 MB+100% |
| Ray Tracing Cores | 20 | 46+130% |
| Tensor Cores | 80 | 368+360% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3050 8GB | GeForce RTX 2080 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | DLSS 2.0 | DLSS 2.0 |
| Frame Generation | FSR 3 / AFMF (Compatible) | FSR 3 / AFMF (Compatible) |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | NVIDIA Reflex | NVIDIA Reflex |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 2080 has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB offers 1.2% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 224 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 2080) — a 100% advantage for the GeForce RTX 2080. Bus width: 128-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 4 MB (GeForce RTX 2080) — the GeForce RTX 2080 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3050 8GB | GeForce RTX 2080 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 8 GB+1% | 7.906 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 224 GB/s | 448 GB/s+100% |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 256-bit+100% |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB | 4 MB+100% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 12.1 (GeForce RTX 2080). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3050 8GB | GeForce RTX 2080 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 Ultimate | 12.1 |
| Vulkan | 1.4+17% | 1.2 |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 4 | 4 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 6th Gen NVENC (GeForce RTX 2080). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs 4th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce RTX 2080).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3050 8GB | GeForce RTX 2080 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC 7th gen | 6th Gen NVENC |
| Decoder | NVDEC 5th gen | 4th Gen NVDEC |
| Codecs | H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9 | MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB draws 130W versus the GeForce RTX 2080's 215W — a 49.3% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 650W (GeForce RTX 2080). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 242mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 66°C vs 80°C.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3050 8GB | GeForce RTX 2080 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 130W-40% | 215W |
| Recommended PSU | 450W-31% | 650W |
| Power Connector | 8-pin | 6-pin + 8-pin |
| Length | 242mm | 267mm |
| Height | 112mm | 116mm |
| Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 66°C-18% | 80°C |
| Perf/Watt | 96.4+11% | 86.9 |
Value Analysis
The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB launched at $249 MSRP and currently averages $209, while the GeForce RTX 2080 launched at $699 and now averages $250. The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB costs 16.4% less ($41 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 60.0 (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 74.7 (GeForce RTX 2080) — the GeForce RTX 2080 offers 24.5% better value. The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2018).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3050 8GB | GeForce RTX 2080 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $249-64% | $699 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $209-16% | $250 |
| Performance per Dollar | 60.0 | 74.7+25% |
| Codename | GA106 | TU104 |
| Release | January 4 2022 | September 20 2018 |
| Ranking | #211 | #94 |
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