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 GTX 1080

2016

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 2070 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

GeForce RTX 2070

2018

Why buy it

✅9.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅Less risky long-term buy than GeForce GTX 1080: it remains the more sensible modern option while GeForce GTX 1080 is already legacy-tier future-proofing.

Trade-offs

❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 8 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.

GeForce GTX 1080

2016

GeForce RTX 2070

2018

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Why buy it

✅9.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅Less risky long-term buy than GeForce GTX 1080: it remains the more sensible modern option while GeForce GTX 1080 is already legacy-tier future-proofing.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 2070 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Trade-offs

❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 8 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 2070 better than GeForce GTX 1080?

Yes. GeForce RTX 2070 is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 9.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data, 2.9% higher PassMark G3D performance, and DLSS 2 Super Resolution. It also comes from 2018 instead of 2016, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.

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

GeForce RTX 2070 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2018 generation instead of 2016, better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, and a 12nm process instead of 16nm. That broader feature stack should age better as more games lean on modern upscaling and frame-generation support.

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

GeForce RTX 2070 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 2070 is in basically the same MSRP band at $599 MSRP versus $599 MSRP, and you are getting 9.6% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 2.9% higher G3D Mark. GeForce GTX 1080 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is GeForce GTX 1080 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. GeForce GTX 1080 is 2016 hardware with 8 GB of VRAM, 15,609 in G3D Mark, and no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

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 GTX 1080 Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 2070 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 2070
1080p
low	153 FPS	152 FPS
medium	135 FPS	134 FPS
high	120 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	131 FPS	131 FPS
medium	106 FPS	107 FPS
high	94 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	85 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	77 FPS	74 FPS
medium	65 FPS	63 FPS
high	52 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	42 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 Open GeForce RTX 2070

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 2070
1080p
low	289 FPS	321 FPS
medium	242 FPS	269 FPS
high	181 FPS	219 FPS
ultra	147 FPS	184 FPS
1440p
low	186 FPS	218 FPS
medium	158 FPS	182 FPS
high	127 FPS	150 FPS
ultra	103 FPS	122 FPS
4K
low	106 FPS	123 FPS
medium	88 FPS	105 FPS
high	73 FPS	85 FPS
ultra	57 FPS	64 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 Open GeForce RTX 2070

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 2070
1080p
low	702 FPS	723 FPS
medium	562 FPS	578 FPS
high	468 FPS	482 FPS
ultra	351 FPS	362 FPS
1440p
low	527 FPS	542 FPS
medium	421 FPS	434 FPS
high	351 FPS	362 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	271 FPS
4K
low	351 FPS	362 FPS
medium	281 FPS	289 FPS
high	234 FPS	241 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	181 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 Open GeForce RTX 2070

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 2070
1080p
low	399 FPS	434 FPS
medium	334 FPS	367 FPS
high	281 FPS	297 FPS
ultra	241 FPS	257 FPS
1440p
low	332 FPS	361 FPS
medium	277 FPS	309 FPS
high	220 FPS	239 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	199 FPS
4K
low	180 FPS	206 FPS
medium	141 FPS	170 FPS
high	129 FPS	158 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	124 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 Open GeForce RTX 2070

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1080 and GeForce RTX 2070

GeForce GTX 1080

The GeForce GTX 1080 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 27 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1607 MHz to 1733 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 180W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 15,609 points. Launch price was $599.

GeForce RTX 2070

The GeForce RTX 2070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 17 2018. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1410 MHz to 1620 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 175W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 36 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 16,068 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 1080 scores 15,609 and the GeForce RTX 2070 reaches 16,068 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 1080 is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 2070 uses Turing, both on 16 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 2,304 (GeForce RTX 2070). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 7.465 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 2070). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1620 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 2070
G3D Mark Score	15,609	16,068+3%
Architecture	Pascal	Turing
Process Node	16 nm	12 nm
Shading Units	2560+11%	2304
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS+19%	7.465 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+7%	1620 MHz
ROPs	64	64
TMUs	160+11%	144
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	2.3 MB+145%
L2 Cache	2 MB	4 MB+100%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 2070 supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1080 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 2070
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards feature 8 GB of video memory. Memory bandwidth: 320 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 2070) — a 40% advantage for the GeForce RTX 2070. Bus width: 256-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 4 MB (GeForce RTX 2070) — the GeForce RTX 2070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 2070
VRAM Capacity	8 GB	8 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5X	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	320 GB/s	448 GB/s+40%
Bus Width	256-bit	256-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	4 MB+100%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 12.1 (GeForce RTX 2070). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 2070
DirectX	12.1	12.1
Vulkan	1.4+8%	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 6th gen (GeForce GTX 1080) vs NVENC 6.0 (GeForce RTX 2070). Decoder: NVDEC 3rd gen vs PureVideo HD VP9. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce GTX 1080) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (GeForce RTX 2070).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 2070
Encoder	NVENC 6th gen	NVENC 6.0
Decoder	NVDEC 3rd gen	PureVideo HD VP9
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1080 draws 180W versus the GeForce RTX 2070's 175W — a 2.8% difference. The GeForce RTX 2070 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 2070). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 80°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 2070
TDP	180W	175W-3%
Recommended PSU	500W-9%	550W
Power Connector	8-pin	8-pin
Length	267mm	267mm
Height	111mm	112mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75°C-6%	80°C
Perf/Watt	86.7	91.8+6%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1080 launched at $599 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 2070 launched at $599. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 26.1 (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 26.8 (GeForce RTX 2070) — the GeForce RTX 2070 offers 2.7% better value. The GeForce RTX 2070 is the newer GPU (2018 vs 2016).