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

❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌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.
❌
27.4% HIGHER MSRP
$599 MSRPvs$470 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 26.1 vs 33.9 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs $470 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 2060 12GB

2021

Why buy it

✅Costs $129 less on MSRP ($470 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Delivers 30.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 33.9 vs 26.1 G3D/$ ($470 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 8 GB).
✅More future proof: Turing (2018−2022) on 12nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

GeForce GTX 1080

2016

GeForce RTX 2060 12GB

2021

Why buy it

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

Why buy it

✅Costs $129 less on MSRP ($470 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Delivers 30.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 33.9 vs 26.1 G3D/$ ($470 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 8 GB).
✅More future proof: Turing (2018−2022) on 12nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌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.
❌
27.4% HIGHER MSRP
$599 MSRPvs$470 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 26.1 vs 33.9 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs $470 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 2060 12GB better than GeForce GTX 1080?

Yes. GeForce RTX 2060 12GB is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 15,935 vs 15,609 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 2060 12GB is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, 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?

GeForce RTX 2060 12GB is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2021 generation instead of 2016, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 8 GB, better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, and a 12nm 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?

GeForce RTX 2060 12GB can still make sense if you find it at the right price, especially around $470 MSRP. GeForce RTX 2060 12GB is still the smarter buy for most people, though, because the raw performance is close while the overall package is cleaner. GeForce RTX 2060 12GB is about $129 cheaper on MSRP at $470 MSRP versus $599 MSRP, and you are getting 2.1% higher G3D Mark. Moving to $470 MSRP gets you newer hardware, and DLSS Super Resolution.

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

Yes. GeForce GTX 1080 is still a strong gaming card in 2026: it is very strong for 1080p, good for 1440p, and more limited at 4K. Price is really the swing factor here. If you find it at or below $599 MSRP, it remains a very sensible buy. GeForce RTX 2060 12GB is still the safer recommendation for most fresh builds because it offers a cleaner overall package with newer hardware and DLSS Super Resolution.

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 2060 12GB Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB
1080p
low	153 FPS	155 FPS
medium	135 FPS	137 FPS
high	120 FPS	124 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	105 FPS
1440p
low	131 FPS	132 FPS
medium	106 FPS	107 FPS
high	94 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	85 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	77 FPS	75 FPS
medium	65 FPS	64 FPS
high	52 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	43 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 Open GeForce RTX 2060 12GB

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB
1080p
low	300 FPS	317 FPS
medium	251 FPS	269 FPS
high	187 FPS	218 FPS
ultra	151 FPS	177 FPS
1440p
low	188 FPS	210 FPS
medium	158 FPS	180 FPS
high	126 FPS	146 FPS
ultra	101 FPS	119 FPS
4K
low	106 FPS	111 FPS
medium	87 FPS	93 FPS
high	71 FPS	77 FPS
ultra	55 FPS	59 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 Open GeForce RTX 2060 12GB

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB
1080p
low	702 FPS	717 FPS
medium	562 FPS	574 FPS
high	468 FPS	478 FPS
ultra	351 FPS	359 FPS
1440p
low	527 FPS	538 FPS
medium	421 FPS	430 FPS
high	351 FPS	359 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	269 FPS
4K
low	351 FPS	359 FPS
medium	281 FPS	287 FPS
high	234 FPS	239 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	179 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 Open GeForce RTX 2060 12GB

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB
1080p
low	433 FPS	469 FPS
medium	364 FPS	399 FPS
high	303 FPS	319 FPS
ultra	258 FPS	273 FPS
1440p
low	356 FPS	383 FPS
medium	298 FPS	330 FPS
high	235 FPS	253 FPS
ultra	192 FPS	208 FPS
4K
low	193 FPS	219 FPS
medium	151 FPS	181 FPS
high	137 FPS	166 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	129 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 Open GeForce RTX 2060 12GB

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1080 and GeForce RTX 2060 12GB

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 2060 12GB

The GeForce RTX 2060 12GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 7 2021. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1470 MHz to 1650 MHz. It has 2176 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 184W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 34 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 15,935 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 1080 scores 15,609 and the GeForce RTX 2060 12GB reaches 15,935 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 1080 is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 2060 12GB uses Turing, both on 16 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 2,176 (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 7.181 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1650 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB
G3D Mark Score	15,609	15,935+2%
Architecture	Pascal	Turing
Process Node	16 nm	12 nm
Shading Units	2560+18%	2176
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS+24%	7.181 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+5%	1650 MHz
ROPs	64+33%	48
TMUs	160+18%	136
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	2.1 MB+123%
L2 Cache	2 MB	3 MB+50%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 2060 12GB supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1080 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB
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)

The GeForce GTX 1080 comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 2060 12GB has 12 GB. The GeForce RTX 2060 12GB offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 320 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 336 GB/s (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) — a 5% advantage for the GeForce RTX 2060 12GB. Bus width: 256-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 3 MB (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) — the GeForce RTX 2060 12GB has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB
VRAM Capacity	8 GB	12 GB+50%
Memory Type	GDDR5X	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	320 GB/s	336 GB/s+5%
Bus Width	256-bit+33%	192-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	3 MB+50%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 12.1 (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB
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 2060 12GB). 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 2060 12GB).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB
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 2060 12GB's 184W — a 2.2% difference. The GeForce GTX 1080 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 229mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 88°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB
TDP	180W-2%	184W
Recommended PSU	500W-9%	550W
Power Connector	8-pin	8-pin
Length	267mm	229mm
Height	111mm	113mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75°C-15%	88°C
Perf/Watt	86.7	86.6

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1080 launched at $599 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 2060 12GB launched at $470. The GeForce RTX 2060 12GB costs 21.5% less ($129 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 26.1 (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 33.9 (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) — the GeForce RTX 2060 12GB offers 29.9% better value. The GeForce RTX 2060 12GB is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2016).