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 Ti

2017

Why buy it

✅39.1% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (11 GB vs 8 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 2080 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2017-era hardware with 11 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌16.3% higher power demand at 250W vs 215W.

GeForce RTX 2080

2018

Why buy it

✅9.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅More future proof: Turing (2018−2022) on 12nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 215W instead of 250W, a 35W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 11 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.

GeForce GTX 1080 Ti

2017

GeForce RTX 2080

2018

Why buy it

✅39.1% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (11 GB vs 8 GB).

Why buy it

✅9.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅More future proof: Turing (2018−2022) on 12nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 215W instead of 250W, a 35W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 2080 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2017-era hardware with 11 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌16.3% higher power demand at 250W vs 215W.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 11 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 2080 better than GeForce GTX 1080 Ti?

Yes. GeForce RTX 2080 is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 2080 averages 9.3% more FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 18,676 vs 18,606 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 2080 is a 2018 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while GeForce GTX 1080 Ti is a 2017 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 2080 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2018 generation instead of 2017, 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 2080 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 2080 is in basically the same MSRP band at $699 MSRP versus $699 MSRP, and you are getting 9.3% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 0.4% higher G3D Mark. GeForce GTX 1080 Ti really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

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

No, not for a fresh gaming build. GeForce GTX 1080 Ti is 2017 hardware with 11 GB of VRAM, 18,606 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 Ti Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 2080 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080 Ti	GeForce RTX 2080
1080p
low	153 FPS	159 FPS
medium	136 FPS	141 FPS
high	123 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	105 FPS	104 FPS
1440p
low	131 FPS	135 FPS
medium	107 FPS	109 FPS
high	95 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	74 FPS	80 FPS
medium	63 FPS	68 FPS
high	48 FPS	54 FPS
ultra	42 FPS	47 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Open GeForce RTX 2080

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080 Ti	GeForce RTX 2080
1080p
low	348 FPS	413 FPS
medium	302 FPS	347 FPS
high	225 FPS	282 FPS
ultra	181 FPS	242 FPS
1440p
low	219 FPS	262 FPS
medium	189 FPS	221 FPS
high	154 FPS	192 FPS
ultra	123 FPS	161 FPS
4K
low	106 FPS	126 FPS
medium	89 FPS	108 FPS
high	74 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	58 FPS	72 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Open GeForce RTX 2080

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080 Ti	GeForce RTX 2080
1080p
low	798 FPS	783 FPS
medium	649 FPS	634 FPS
high	558 FPS	560 FPS
ultra	419 FPS	420 FPS
1440p
low	628 FPS	606 FPS
medium	502 FPS	492 FPS
high	419 FPS	420 FPS
ultra	314 FPS	315 FPS
4K
low	419 FPS	409 FPS
medium	335 FPS	331 FPS
high	279 FPS	277 FPS
ultra	209 FPS	210 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Open GeForce RTX 2080

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080 Ti	GeForce RTX 2080
1080p
low	519 FPS	529 FPS
medium	449 FPS	460 FPS
high	386 FPS	395 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	327 FPS
1440p
low	422 FPS	431 FPS
medium	367 FPS	376 FPS
high	299 FPS	307 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	253 FPS
4K
low	259 FPS	272 FPS
medium	246 FPS	257 FPS
high	214 FPS	224 FPS
ultra	180 FPS	185 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Open GeForce RTX 2080

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1080 Ti and GeForce RTX 2080

GeForce GTX 1080 Ti

The GeForce GTX 1080 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 10 2017. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1481 MHz to 1582 MHz. It has 3584 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 18,606 points. Launch price was $699.

GeForce RTX 2080

The GeForce RTX 2080 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 20 2018. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1515 MHz to 1710 MHz. It has 2944 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 215W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 18,676 points. Launch price was $699.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 1080 Ti scores 18,606 and the GeForce RTX 2080 reaches 18,676 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 1080 Ti is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 2080 uses Turing, both on 16 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce GTX 1080 Ti) vs 2,944 (GeForce RTX 2080). Raw compute: 11.34 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1080 Ti) vs 10.07 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 2080). Boost clocks: 1582 MHz vs 1710 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080 Ti	GeForce RTX 2080
G3D Mark Score	18,606	18,676
Architecture	Pascal	Turing
Process Node	16 nm	12 nm
Shading Units	3584+22%	2944
Compute (TFLOPS)	11.34 TFLOPS+13%	10.07 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1582 MHz	1710 MHz+8%
ROPs	88+38%	64
TMUs	224+22%	184
L1 Cache	1.3 MB	2.9 MB+123%
L2 Cache	2.75 MB	4 MB+45%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 2080 supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1080 Ti is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080 Ti	GeForce RTX 2080
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 Ti comes with 11 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 2080 has 8 GB. The GeForce GTX 1080 Ti offers 39.1% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 484 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1080 Ti) vs 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 2080) — a 8% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1080 Ti. Bus width: 352-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 2.75 MB (GeForce GTX 1080 Ti) vs 4 MB (GeForce RTX 2080) — the GeForce RTX 2080 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080 Ti	GeForce RTX 2080
VRAM Capacity	11 GB+39%	7.906 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5X	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	484 GB/s+8%	448 GB/s
Bus Width	352-bit+38%	256-bit
L2 Cache	2.75 MB	4 MB+45%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1080 Ti) vs 12.1 (GeForce RTX 2080). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080 Ti	GeForce RTX 2080
DirectX	12	12.1
Vulkan	1.3+8%	1.2
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 4th gen (GeForce GTX 1080 Ti) vs 6th Gen NVENC (GeForce RTX 2080). Decoder: NVDEC 3rd gen vs 4th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce GTX 1080 Ti) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce RTX 2080).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080 Ti	GeForce RTX 2080
Encoder	NVENC 4th gen	6th Gen NVENC
Decoder	NVDEC 3rd gen	4th Gen NVDEC
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1080 Ti draws 250W versus the GeForce RTX 2080's 215W — a 15.1% difference. The GeForce RTX 2080 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 600W (GeForce GTX 1080 Ti) vs 650W (GeForce RTX 2080). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 80°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080 Ti	GeForce RTX 2080
TDP	250W	215W-14%
Recommended PSU	600W-8%	650W
Power Connector	6-pin + 8-pin	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	267mm	267mm
Height	112mm	116mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75°C-6%	80°C
Perf/Watt	74.4	86.9+17%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1080 Ti launched at $699 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 2080 launched at $699. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 26.6 (GeForce GTX 1080 Ti) vs 26.7 (GeForce RTX 2080) — the GeForce RTX 2080 offers 0.4% better value. The GeForce RTX 2080 is the newer GPU (2018 vs 2017).