There is no simple answer to the question of which is better, the GTX 1080 vs RTX 3060. Both cards have their own advantages and disadvantages. The GTX 1080 has more raw power and memory, while the RTX 3060 has newer features like ray tracing and DLSS.
Ultimately, it depends on what you want to use your card for. If you’re looking for sheer power, the GTX 1080 is the better choice. If you’re looking for the latest and greatest features, the RTX 3060 is the better choice.
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080
It’s a good thing that thanks to the introduction of the GTX 1080 Ti, the GTX 1080 ‘s price is being reduced. NVIDIA xx80 cards have been characterized by premium prices with performance that opens the door to the most powerful graphics cards – particularly when they are overclocked.
After thoroughly checking this Pascal graphics card in the GTX 1080, we can be sure that it will continue the trend.
The GTX 1080 features 8GB of RAM, compared to the GTX 980s 4GB video memory. However, gaming performance wasn’t as good. Even if the GTX 1080 continuously produces frame rates higher than the GTX 980, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti’s gain is not enough to justify the upgrade.
In 1080p Full HD, it was possible to enjoy Forza Horizon 5, Elden Ring, Marvel’s Avengers, Borderlands 3, and Anthem with 61 frames per second to 75 frames per second and maintained frame rates around 60 fps.
With 1440p Quad HD, the game could enjoy Gears of War 5, Need For Speed: Heat, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Cause 4, and Final Fantasy XV between 62 and 63 frames per second and maintained frame rates at the 62-fps mark.
In 2160p 4K, we could enjoy Forza Horizon 4, Overwatch 2, and Valorant at 65 fps and 153 fps and keep frame rates at 97 frames per second.
Core Configuration
- GPU Name is”GP104″ (GP104-400-A1)
- Fab Process: 16 nm
- Die Size: 14 mmA2
- Transistors 7200 million
- Shaders: 2560
- Compute Units 20
- Core clock 1607 MHz
- ROPs: 64
- TMUs: 160
Memory Configuration
- Memory Type: GDDR5X
- Bus Width: 256 bits
- Memory Speed: 1251 Mhz, 10008 bps effective
- Memory Size: 8192MB / 8 GB
Additional details
- TDP 180 Watts
- Release Date: 27 May 2016.
Reasons to consider GeForce GTX 1080
- Supports PhysX
- Supports G-Sync
- Supports ShadowPlay (allows recording and streaming of games with minimal performance penalties)
- It supports Direct3D 12 async Compute
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
The RTX 3070 could be the mid-priced flagship model of the most current Ampere series of graphics cards. However, the price of these cards keeps them from the reach of most beginning PC gamers.
However, the RTX 3060 is closer to being affordable, costing 329. The good news is that thanks to the launch of the RTX3060 Ti, the RTX3060’s price will be reduced.
NVIDIA the xx60 cards have always been characterized by their entry-level pricing and performance that opens the doors of mid-range graphic cards – mainly when they are overclocked.
After thoroughly examining this Ampere graphics card in the RTX 3060, it is clear with certainty that it is in line with the current trend. The RTX 3060 features 8GB of RAM instead of the 2060s 6GB video memory.
In our tests of synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 3060 screams past the RTX 2060 NVIDIA GeForce, the RTX 2060 Super, and, more impressively, it even beats the RTX 2070 well.
Unfortunately, the gaming performance was not as stunning. Although the RTX 3060 regularly delivers frame rate improvements over the 2060 RTX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER’s performance is insufficient to justify the upgrade.
The legality of the upgrade is contingent on the graphics card you’re replacing. Customers with an RTX 2060 or NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER won’t see an impressive rise in frame rates once they have paid extra for this RTX 3060.
In the same way, users with RX 5700’s RX Vega 56 cards won’t be able to decide to switch teams until. For the 1080p Full HD, we could play Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, God of War, Metro Exodus, Forza Horizon 5, and Elden Ring at 68 FPS, 73 fps, and keep frame rates in the 70 frames per second.
With 1440p Quad HD, it was possible to run Battlefield 2042, Anthem, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Gears of War 5, Need For Speed: Heat from 65 fps to 73 fps and keep frame rates at between 71 and 71 frames per second.
For 2160p 4K, the game was in a position to play Strange Brigade, Fallout 76, Call of Duty Modern Warfare and Forza Horizon 4 and Overwatch 2. The game was played at 61 frames per second to 83 frames per second and maintained frame rates at 69 frames per second.
Core Configuration
- GPU Name GA106 (GA106-300-A1),
- Fab Process: 8 nm
- Die Size: 300 mmA2
- Transistors: 13,250 million, vs. 7,200 million
- Shaders: 3840
- Compute Units 30
- Core clock 1627 MHz
- ROPs: 64
- TMUs: 120
Memory Configuration
- Memory Type: The GDDR6 memory type.
- Bus Width:192 bit
- Memory Speed 1750 MHz, 14 Gbps efficient
- Memory Size: 12288 Mb/ 12 GB
Additional details
- TDP 170 Watts
- Release Date: 12th January 2021
The reasons to consider GeForce RTX 3060
- 23% better gaming performance.
- Supports PhysX
- Supports G-Sync
- Supports ShadowPlay (allows streaming and recording of games at the least performance penalty)
- It supports Direct3D 12 async Compute
- It supports DirectX Raytracing (DXR)
- The software supports Deep Learning Super-Sampling (DLSS)
GTX 1080 vs RTX 3060
1. Differences In Specifications
Before we get deep into the RTX 3060 vs . GTX 1080 Comparison, it is essential to be aware of the difference in terms of specs. So, from the specs sheet, we can draw a few key distinctions between the NVIDIA GeForce 3060 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080.
The 3060 is an older card compared with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080, which indicates that it has upgraded technology and improved architecture.
Although NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 was built using an earlier 16nm Pascal architecture, The 3060 was constructed using an Ampere architecture. The 3060 is equipped with more transistors than 1080.
It’s also worth noting that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 is equipped with an additional 4GB of VRAM compared to its predecessor, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080.
Additionally, the memory type is GDDR6 instead of NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080’s previous GDDR5X memory. When it comes to basic clock speeds, they are both very similar. Other crucial factors in rendering graphics, such as ROPs, shader units and TMUs, all favor the use that of 3060.
Other features in the GeForce 30 series include the ray-tracing feature and the tensor cores. It will be fascinating to know how the previous NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 performs with the 3060 regarding performance and the number of improvements we can expect over five years.
2. RTX 3060 vs. GTX 1080 Gaming Benchmarks
This section will look at tests performed by YT/TestingGames to determine which GPU is superior to the other concerning average frame rates and temperatures, power consumption and many others. The following test computer was utilized to conduct this NVIDIA GeForce 3060 RTX and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 comparison.
Test System:
- Operating System: Windows 10 Pro
- CPU: Ryzen 9 5900X
- Motherboard: ASUS ROGX570 Crosshair VIII Hero
- CPU Cooler: be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4
- Graphics Card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 3060 12GB/ NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 8GB
- RAM 32Gb RAM DDR4 3800Mhz
- SSD 2x Samsung 970 EVO M.2 2280 1TB
- The Power Supply is CORSAIR RRM850i 850W
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is the 12th installment of the Assassin’s creed franchise. It was released in 2020. The game was developed by Ubisoft, which has a poor reputation for optimizing games for PC.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla was tested at 1080p resolution, just like the other games in this list with the highest settings. It will require a premium GPU to play this game since it is GPU-demanding, even by 2020 standards.
In the standard resolution of 1080p, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 produced the equivalent of 43 FPS, achieving 69degC temperatures. In contrast, the NVIDIA GeForce 3060 was hitting 54 FPS on average and temperatures of 54 degrees Celsius. This implies that NVIDIA GeForce 3060 RTX had 10 percent more average frame rates and was 11 percent cooler.
Crysis 3 Remastered
Crysis 3 is an old game (originally made available in 2013) that was upgraded to a new version in 2021, as did the trilogy’s previous installments. It’s a strategic FPS game with unique mechanics and gameplay that were praised with acclaim by critics.
Crysis 3 Remastered was tested at the highest setting at 1080p resolution. Crysis 3 is a gorgeous game that requires a high-end GPU to play because it’s a game that is highly GPU-intensive.
At an average speed in FPS of just 48, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 had been averaging 67degC temperatures compared to NVIDIA GeForce 3060 RTX, which had an average of 68 FPS, as well as being at 55degC. Overall, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 offered an increase of 30% in FPS over 1080 and was 20 percent cooler.
Horizon Zero Dawn
Horizon Zero Dawn is an action-based role-playing game created by Guerilla Games and released in 2017. It’s a beautiful video game that requires a powerful graphics card to display the graphic. However, it was tested using the highest settings of 1080p resolution for both graphics cards.
Horizon Zero Dawn saw an average of 57 FPS for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080, while it was able to reach a temperature of 63degC. On the other hand, the NVIDIA GeForce 3060 RTX achieved an average frame rate of 70 FPS, with temperatures of 55degC.
It is evident how the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 3060 is 19% faster in FPS, compared with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 and was also 13 percent cooler.
Death Stranding
Death Stranding is a game created by Kojima Productions and released in the autumn of 2019. It’s an action-oriented game that has received acclaim from critics and was a massive success for its creators. Death Stranding was tested using the most extreme settings, which was 1080p.
Death Stranding makes it possible to see the NVIDIA GeForce GTX1080 hitting average speeds of 83 FPS, with temperatures of 61 degrees Celsius, when compared to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, which had an average speed of 109 FPS, and also a cooler 55degC temperature.
A nice increase of 13% in FPS was seen from the NVIDIA GeForce 3060 RTX, which significantly improved over NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080. Additionally, temperatures were 10 percent cooler when compared to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080.
Far Cry 6
Far Cry 6 is the most recent installment of the Far Cry franchise, which was launched in October 2021. The game was created by Ubisoft and required a powerful graphic card for rendering the images. The game was tested at 1080p resolution and the highest settings.
It is evident that, In Far Cry 6, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 had reached an average of 63 FPS while running close to 68 degrees hot. In contrast, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 achieved an average frame rate of 82 FPS when the temperature was 54degC.
We can confidently say that NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 is 24% better in giving an average frame rate and is also 21 percent cooler than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080.
Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 came out in late 2020 and was created in the late 2020s by CD Projekt RED. When it first launched, it faced several problems and was generally rife with bugs.
Additionally, it is poorly optimized, and even the best graphics cards can’t give a great experience. Cyberpunk 2077 has also been tested at the most powerful settings, at 1080p resolution.
In Cyberpunk 2077 and Cyberpunk 2077, we saw at least 28 frames per second for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 despite being 66 degrees hot. Additionally, the NVIDIA GeForce 3060 achieved an average FPS of 40 and operated at 60degC temperatures simultaneously.
This means that the NVIDIA GeForce 3060 was 30 percent better than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 when it came to FPS. It was also 10 percent cooler—another victory in favor of the 3060.
Days Gone
Days Gone is an action-adventure game made by Bend Studio. The game takes place in a post-apocalyptic, post-human world dominated by zombies. It requires a powerful GPU capability to create zombie-infested hordes and crowds. Days Gone was also tested using the highest settings and 1080p resolution.
To test the Days Gone benchmarks, we observed that the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 achieved an average speed of 67 FPS when operating at 68 degrees Celsius. In contrast, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 3060 had at least 93 FPS at an average temperature of 63 degrees Celsius.
Based on math, it appears that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 has an impressive 28% higher FPS compared to its predecessor, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 and was 8 percent more comfortable than NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2 was created by Rockstar and released in 2018. Attention to detail that is evident in the graphics and mechanics makes it stand out from contemporary PC games. The graphics still stand out four years on.
Red Dead Redemption 2 requires a high-end graphics card to render all the specifics. It is GPU-heavy yet well-optimized. As with all the games on this list, RDR2 was tested with the highest settings with 1080p resolution.
We can observe this NVIDIA GeForce GTX1080 achieving the average frame rate of 43 FPS while operating at around 67degC hot compared to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30,60, which had an average frame rate of 57 FPS with temperatures of 57 degrees Celsius.
Red Dead Redemption 2 also offered a significant boost to those who own the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, with it being 25% more efficient in terms of FPS output than its predecessor, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080. The NVIDIA GeForce 3060 was also 15 percent cooler than NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080.
Microsoft Flight Simulator
Microsoft Flight Simulator was officially launched in the year 2020 and is regarded as to be an authentic flight simulator. Graphics are an essential factor in making the experience authentic. Microsoft Flight Simulator was also evaluated in 1080p resolution at high settings.
In the context of Microsoft Flight Simulator, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 had the average frame output of 39 FPS at 72 degrees Celsius compared to NVIDIA GeForce 3060’s 54 FPS at 58degC.
This implies that NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 has an increase of 10% in frame output than NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080. It was also 20 percent cooler overall.
The Witcher 3
The Witcher 3 is still a viral game and was released in 2015. In addition, it was released by CDProjekt Red. The game is a fantastic version of the action role-playing game genre. It received praise from critics and was an immense success for the creators.
In the final Witcher 3 benchmark, we can see the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 achieving its all-time average frame speed of 65FPS when operating at a temperature of 69 degrees Celsius.
On the other hand, we observe this NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 reaching an average of 86 FPS frame rate at a temperature of 57 degrees Celsius, which is significantly less. As with other benchmarks, this benchmark it was the NVIDIA GeForce 3060 was 25% faster when it came to generating frames and 18 percent cooler.
3. Specifications
There are also other specs of the graphic card to think about. While the design may differ, a few components are standard. We will review what they might have to offer them.
| GTX 1080 Ti | RTX 3060 Ti | |
|---|---|---|
| GPU | GP102-350 | GA104-200 |
| CUDA cores | 3,584 | 4,864 |
| RT cores | 0 | 38 |
| TMUs | 224 | 152 |
| Memory | 11GB GDDR5X | 8GB GDDR6 |
| Base clock | 1,481MHz | 1,410MHz |
| Boost clock | 1,582MHz | 1,665MHz |
| Memory clock | 11 Gbps | 14 Gbps |
| Card bus | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 |
| Memory bandwidth | 484.4 GB/s | 448 GB/s |
| TDP/TBP | 250W | 200W |
4. GPU die cores
The cores are the components that comprise the GPU chip. Each one is unique in the area they do. They work together to produce the final graphic scenes for the show. Notably, we have shaders that create shadows and shade for the scene. In addition, we have RT cores, which calculate the real-time ray tracer to enhance the graphics, and TMUs to create 3D models using bitmaps.
Between two cards, two cards have some distinctions. Regarding CUDA cores, the 1080 Ti is equipped with 3,584, while that of the 3060 Tis 4,864. In addition to the likely enhancements shortly. In TMUs, there is the possibility of a reduction from 234 to 152.
This could be due to a possible optimization, shifting the burden away from them, or simply having less. While in RT cores, the Pascal card cannot do any. This option was only made available when you installed RTX as well. The Ampere card has 38. To do any ray-tracing ray-tracing, you’ll require this option.
5. Video memory
VRAM is the storage device for the image information on your display after it’s processed. It is essentially a buffer. It allows the smooth and smooth experience of your graphics by allowing frames per second and latency.
And It is essential for high-end 3D graphics and higher resolutions that require more excellent resolution and more pixels available for rendering.
There are some distinctions a couple of years apart. For instance, the ten series card comes with 11GB of GDDR5X, while the 30 series card includes eight GB of GDDR6.
It is reducing the capacity. However, it comes with a better version. This is faster by 14 Gbps in comparison to 11. However, the 3060 Ti has smaller memory buses and therefore has a less speed of 448 GB/s, instead of 484.4 GB/s.
6. Frequency
The clock rate or frequency is the speed at which chips process information to create graphics. It measures the speed at which silicon crystals turn inside the chip that processes the graphics. While it is not the sole factor of performance, it’s subject to overclocking on the consumer side to get the maximum performance from them.
Regarding 1080 Ti and 3060 Ti, there’s some variation between the leads. 1080 Ti comes with an improved base clock, which is 1,481 MHz, compared to 1410 to 1,410MHz. The 3060 Ti has an increased boost clock of 166 MHz rather than 1,582.
7. TDP
The TDP refers to an indication of the power that thermal designs can provide to the graphics card. It’s how much power the card will consume at its maximum utilization. That means the amount you’ll pay to run it and the heat it releases to the system.
Between the two alternatives, the older card has a higher cost with a higher 50W rate of 250W instead of the more efficient and modern card with 200W.
8. PCIe bus
The card bus is the connection to the graphics card as well as the motherboard. It’s how the two components communicate and interact. SIGGRAPH establishes PCIe standards, and all generations come with different capabilities and speeds.
In between the generations, there’s been a shift. The 10 series features PCIe 3.0 x16, while the 30 series comes with PCIe 4.0 16×16. This increases the bandwidth available on each card by 15.754 gigabytes per second to 31.508 GB/s. This allows the card to perform better to the card.
9. 1080 Ti vs 3060 Ti performance
To evaluate the performance, we visit 3DMark, which gives us an analysis of the visual performance of both. In 3DMark, the 3060 Ti gets 11700 points, with the price-to-performance ratio being 29. At the same time, the 1080 Ti achieves 9,899 and an R-value of 14. It’s a more significant performance than the previous one.
When it comes to game performance, we refer to reviews. Notably, we look at Gamers Nexus review with gaming all-round. With 4k resolution for SOTTR, The 3060 Ti is ahead by 18%, whereas with 1440p at 1080p at 1440p, the leads are only 15 percent.
While the same lead might not apply to all games, the 3060 Ti is leading for the most part. However, at 4k, the 1080 Ti, with its larger VRAM, can lead in certain games.
10. 1080 Ti vs 3060 Ti price
Finally, we look at our MSRP and asking price on the card. Since the 1080 Ti is EOL, it’s not likely to sell shortly. Therefore, we examine the asking price to determine their value.
When it first became available, the GTX 1080 Ti had an MSRP of USD 699/PS699. The GTX 3060 Ti is surprisingly inexpensive in comparison. It will be available at USD 399/PS369. This means you will receive more value and performance when you choose the option.
Why is Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 better than Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080?
- 4.51 TFLOPS more floating-point performance
- Lower TDP 10W
- 5 MHz more effective memory clock speed
- 1.5x more VRAM
- 40GB/s or more memory bandwidth
- 1024 additional shading units
- 6050 million transistors more
- 0.8 more recent version of OpenCL
