GeForce GTX 1080 vs Radeon RX 7800M

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1080

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Radeon RX 7800M

2024Core: 1295 MHzBoost: 2335 MHz

Popular choices:

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.

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

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 26.1 vs 0 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
  • Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Radeon RX 7800M

2024

Why buy it

  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
  • 50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 8 GB).
  • More future proof: RDNA 3.0 on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 26.1 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Radeon RX 7800M better than GeForce GTX 1080?
Yes. Radeon RX 7800M is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 15,984 vs 15,609 in G3D Mark. On top of that, Radeon RX 7800M is a 2024 card with FSR 3 + AFMF, while GeForce GTX 1080 is a 2016 model from an older high-end class with no meaningful modern upscaling stack. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Radeon RX 7800M is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2024 generation instead of 2016, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 8 GB, better upscaling support with FSR 3 (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack and better frame-generation support with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, and a 5nm process instead of 16nm. That extra memory headroom makes it the safer pick for newer games, heavier textures, and higher settings over time.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?
Radeon RX 7800M is the smarter buy by a wide margin. Radeon RX 7800M is priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus $599 MSRP, and you are getting 2.4% 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1080Radeon RX 7800M
1080p
low153 FPS215 FPS
medium135 FPS196 FPS
high120 FPS172 FPS
ultra102 FPS133 FPS
1440p
low131 FPS180 FPS
medium106 FPS147 FPS
high94 FPS128 FPS
ultra85 FPS102 FPS
4K
low77 FPS94 FPS
medium65 FPS78 FPS
high52 FPS59 FPS
ultra45 FPS51 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce GTX 1080Radeon RX 7800M
1080p
low289 FPS452 FPS
medium242 FPS384 FPS
high181 FPS313 FPS
ultra147 FPS276 FPS
1440p
low186 FPS344 FPS
medium158 FPS286 FPS
high127 FPS230 FPS
ultra103 FPS191 FPS
4K
low106 FPS169 FPS
medium88 FPS141 FPS
high73 FPS116 FPS
ultra57 FPS92 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce GTX 1080Radeon RX 7800M
1080p
low702 FPS719 FPS
medium562 FPS575 FPS
high468 FPS480 FPS
ultra351 FPS360 FPS
1440p
low527 FPS539 FPS
medium421 FPS432 FPS
high351 FPS360 FPS
ultra263 FPS270 FPS
4K
low351 FPS360 FPS
medium281 FPS288 FPS
high234 FPS240 FPS
ultra176 FPS180 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce GTX 1080Radeon RX 7800M
1080p
low399 FPS687 FPS
medium334 FPS575 FPS
high281 FPS480 FPS
ultra241 FPS360 FPS
1440p
low332 FPS525 FPS
medium277 FPS432 FPS
high220 FPS360 FPS
ultra182 FPS270 FPS
4K
low180 FPS360 FPS
medium141 FPS288 FPS
high129 FPS240 FPS
ultra106 FPS180 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1080 and Radeon RX 7800M

NVIDIA

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.

AMD

Radeon RX 7800M

The Radeon RX 7800M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 11 2024. It features the RDNA 3.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1295 MHz to 2335 MHz. It has 3840 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 180W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 60 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 15,984 points.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 1080 scores 15,609 and the Radeon RX 7800M reaches 15,984 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 1080 is built on Pascal while the Radeon RX 7800M uses RDNA 3.0, both on 16 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 3,840 (Radeon RX 7800M). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 35.87 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 7800M). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 2335 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1080Radeon RX 7800M
G3D Mark Score
15,609
15,984+2%
Architecture
Pascal
RDNA 3.0
Process Node
16 nm
5 nm
Shading Units
2560
3840+50%
Compute (TFLOPS)
8.873 TFLOPS
35.87 TFLOPS+304%
Boost Clock
1733 MHz
2335 MHz+35%
ROPs
64
96+50%
TMUs
160
240+50%
L1 Cache
960 KB+25%
768 KB
L2 Cache
2 MB
4 MB+100%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 7800M is support for FSR Frame Generation + AFMF. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The GeForce GTX 1080 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce GTX 1080 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon RX 7800M relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1080Radeon RX 7800M
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
FSR 3
Frame Generation
Not Supported
FSR Frame Generation + AFMF
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1080 comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 7800M has 12 GB. The Radeon RX 7800M offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 320 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 432 GB/s (Radeon RX 7800M) — a 35% advantage for the Radeon RX 7800M. Bus width: 256-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 4 MB (Radeon RX 7800M) — the Radeon RX 7800M has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1080Radeon RX 7800M
VRAM Capacity
8 GB
12 GB+50%
Memory Type
GDDR5X
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
320 GB/s
432 GB/s+35%
Bus Width
256-bit+33%
192-bit
L2 Cache
2 MB
4 MB+100%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 12.2 (Radeon RX 7800M). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1080Radeon RX 7800M
DirectX
12.1
12.2
Vulkan
1.4+8%
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4+33%
3
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 6th gen (GeForce GTX 1080) vs VCN 4.0 (Radeon RX 7800M). Decoder: NVDEC 3rd gen vs VCN 4.0. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce GTX 1080) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Radeon RX 7800M).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1080Radeon RX 7800M
Encoder
NVENC 6th gen
VCN 4.0
Decoder
NVDEC 3rd gen
VCN 4.0
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1080 draws 180W versus the Radeon RX 7800M's 180W — a 0% difference. The Radeon RX 7800M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 650W (Radeon RX 7800M). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Mobile. Card length: 267mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 85°C.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1080Radeon RX 7800M
TDP
180W
180W
Recommended PSU
500W-23%
650W
Power Connector
8-pin
Mobile
Length
267mm
0mm
Height
111mm
0mm
Slots
2
0-100%
Temp (Load)
75°C-12%
85°C
Perf/Watt
86.7
88.8+2%
💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon RX 7800M is the newer GPU (2024 vs 2016).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1080Radeon RX 7800M
MSRP
$599
Codename
GP104
Navi 32
Release
May 27 2016
September 11 2024
Ranking
#137
#131