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

✅151.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs Unknown).
✅More future proof: Pascal (2016−2021) on 16nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌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.
❌
49.8% HIGHER MSRP
$599 MSRPvs$400 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 26.1 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
❌227.3% higher power demand at 180W vs 55W.

Radeon RX 8050S

2025

Why buy it

✅Costs $199 less on MSRP ($400 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Delivers 55.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 26.1 G3D/$ ($400 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
✅More future proof: RDNA 3.5 on Unknown node with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 55W instead of 180W, a 125W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1080 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.

GeForce GTX 1080

2016

Radeon RX 8050S

2025

Why buy it

✅151.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs Unknown).
✅More future proof: Pascal (2016−2021) on 16nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Costs $199 less on MSRP ($400 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Delivers 55.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 26.1 G3D/$ ($400 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
✅More future proof: RDNA 3.5 on Unknown node with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 55W instead of 180W, a 125W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌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.
❌
49.8% HIGHER MSRP
$599 MSRPvs$400 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 26.1 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
❌227.3% higher power demand at 180W vs 55W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1080 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.

Quick Answers

So, is Radeon RX 8050S better than GeForce GTX 1080?

Yes. Radeon RX 8050S is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce GTX 1080 averages 151.0% more FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 16,167 vs 15,609 in G3D Mark. On top of that, Radeon RX 8050S is a 2025 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 8050S is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2025 generation instead of 2016 and 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. 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?

Radeon RX 8050S is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. Radeon RX 8050S is about $199 cheaper on MSRP at $400 MSRP versus $599 MSRP, and you are getting lower estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 3.6% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 55.1%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

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

Yes. GeForce GTX 1080 is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is very strong for 1080p, good for 1440p, and more limited at 4K. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $599 MSRP, even if Radeon RX 8050S is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

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

Radeon RX 8050S Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080	Radeon RX 8050S
1080p
low	153 FPS	69 FPS
medium	135 FPS	60 FPS
high	120 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	31 FPS
1440p
low	131 FPS	56 FPS
medium	106 FPS	49 FPS
high	94 FPS	33 FPS
ultra	85 FPS	22 FPS
4K
low	77 FPS	24 FPS
medium	65 FPS	22 FPS
high	52 FPS	14 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	12 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 Open Radeon RX 8050S

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080	Radeon RX 8050S
1080p
low	289 FPS	117 FPS
medium	242 FPS	82 FPS
high	181 FPS	55 FPS
ultra	147 FPS	36 FPS
1440p
low	186 FPS	77 FPS
medium	158 FPS	47 FPS
high	127 FPS	35 FPS
ultra	103 FPS	25 FPS
4K
low	106 FPS	37 FPS
medium	88 FPS	25 FPS
high	73 FPS	20 FPS
ultra	57 FPS	14 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 Open Radeon RX 8050S

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080	Radeon RX 8050S
1080p
low	702 FPS	263 FPS
medium	562 FPS	224 FPS
high	468 FPS	150 FPS
ultra	351 FPS	122 FPS
1440p
low	527 FPS	202 FPS
medium	421 FPS	177 FPS
high	351 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	96 FPS
4K
low	351 FPS	125 FPS
medium	281 FPS	107 FPS
high	234 FPS	66 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	45 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 Open Radeon RX 8050S

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080	Radeon RX 8050S
1080p
low	399 FPS	123 FPS
medium	334 FPS	92 FPS
high	281 FPS	71 FPS
ultra	241 FPS	60 FPS
1440p
low	332 FPS	93 FPS
medium	277 FPS	71 FPS
high	220 FPS	54 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	45 FPS
4K
low	180 FPS	58 FPS
medium	141 FPS	44 FPS
high	129 FPS	34 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	26 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 Open Radeon RX 8050S

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1080 and Radeon RX 8050S

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.

Radeon RX 8050S

The Radeon RX 8050S is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 6 2025. It features the RDNA 3.5 architecture. The boost clock speed is 2800 MHz. It has 32 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 55W. G3D Mark benchmark score: 16,167 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 1080 scores 15,609 and the Radeon RX 8050S reaches 16,167 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 32 (Radeon RX 8050S). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 2800 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	Radeon RX 8050S
G3D Mark Score	15,609	16,167+4%
Shading Units	2560+7900%	32
Boost Clock	1733 MHz	2800 MHz+62%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 8050S 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 8050S relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	Radeon RX 8050S
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 8050S has 0 MB. The GeForce GTX 1080 offers 100+% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 320 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 256 GB/s (Max) (Radeon RX 8050S) — a 25% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1080. Bus width: 256-bit vs System Shared.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	Radeon RX 8050S
VRAM Capacity	8 GB	none
Memory Type	GDDR5X	LPDDR5X (Shared)
Memory Bandwidth	320 GB/s+25%	256 GB/s (Max)
Bus Width	256-bit	System Shared

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 12.2 (Radeon RX 8050S). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	Radeon RX 8050S
DirectX	12.1	12.2
Vulkan	1.4	1.4
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 6th gen (GeForce GTX 1080) vs VCN 4.5 (Radeon RX 8050S). Decoder: NVDEC 3rd gen vs VCN 4.5. 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 8050S).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	Radeon RX 8050S
Encoder	NVENC 6th gen	VCN 4.5
Decoder	NVDEC 3rd gen	VCN 4.5
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 8050S's 55W — a 106.4% difference. The Radeon RX 8050S is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 650W (Radeon RX 8050S). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 267mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 85°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	Radeon RX 8050S
TDP	180W	55W-69%
Recommended PSU	500W-23%	650W
Power Connector	8-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	267mm	0mm
Height	111mm	0mm
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	75°C-12%	85°C
Perf/Watt	86.7	293.9+239%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1080 launched at $599 MSRP, while the Radeon RX 8050S launched at $400. The Radeon RX 8050S costs 33.2% less ($199 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 26.1 (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 40.4 (Radeon RX 8050S) — the Radeon RX 8050S offers 54.8% better value. The Radeon RX 8050S is the newer GPU (2025 vs 2016).