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 RTX 2080

2018

Why buy it

✅3.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅283.3% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (368 vs 96).

Trade-offs

❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 4060 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
❌
133.8% HIGHER MSRP
$699 MSRPvs$299 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 26.7 vs 65.4 G3D/$ ($699 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌87% higher power demand at 215W vs 115W.

GeForce RTX 4060

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $400 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 144.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 65.4 vs 26.7 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 115W instead of 215W, a 100W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 2080 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (96 vs 368), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.

GeForce RTX 2080

2018

GeForce RTX 4060

2023

Why buy it

✅3.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅283.3% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (368 vs 96).

Why buy it

✅Costs $400 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 144.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 65.4 vs 26.7 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 115W instead of 215W, a 100W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 4060 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
❌
133.8% HIGHER MSRP
$699 MSRPvs$299 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 26.7 vs 65.4 G3D/$ ($699 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌87% higher power demand at 215W vs 115W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 2080 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (96 vs 368), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4060 better than GeForce RTX 2080?

Yes. GeForce RTX 4060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 2080 averages 3.9% more FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 19,548 vs 18,676 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 4060 is a 2023 card with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, while GeForce RTX 2080 is a 2018 model from an older generation with DLSS Super Resolution. 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 4060 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2018, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 8 GB, better upscaling support with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) instead of DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) and better frame-generation support with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023) instead of DLSS Super Resolution, and a 5nm process instead of 12nm. 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 4060 can still make sense if you find it at the right price, especially around $299 MSRP. GeForce RTX 4060 is still the smarter buy for most people, though, because the raw performance is close while the overall package is cleaner. GeForce RTX 4060 is about $400 cheaper on MSRP at $299 MSRP versus $699 MSRP, and you are getting lower estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 4.7% higher G3D Mark. Moving to $299 MSRP gets you newer hardware, lower power draw (115W vs 215W), and DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation.

Is GeForce RTX 2080 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. GeForce RTX 2080 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 $699 MSRP, it remains a very sensible buy. GeForce RTX 4060 is still the safer recommendation for most fresh builds because it offers a cleaner overall package with newer hardware and DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation.

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 RTX 2080 Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 4060 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 2080	GeForce RTX 4060
1080p
low	159 FPS	167 FPS
medium	141 FPS	152 FPS
high	123 FPS	134 FPS
ultra	104 FPS	115 FPS
1440p
low	135 FPS	137 FPS
medium	109 FPS	114 FPS
high	96 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	90 FPS
4K
low	80 FPS	86 FPS
medium	68 FPS	74 FPS
high	54 FPS	62 FPS
ultra	47 FPS	55 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 2080 Open GeForce RTX 4060

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 2080	GeForce RTX 4060
1080p
low	413 FPS	392 FPS
medium	347 FPS	334 FPS
high	282 FPS	268 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	211 FPS
1440p
low	262 FPS	240 FPS
medium	221 FPS	209 FPS
high	192 FPS	169 FPS
ultra	161 FPS	137 FPS
4K
low	126 FPS	119 FPS
medium	108 FPS	98 FPS
high	91 FPS	82 FPS
ultra	72 FPS	63 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 2080 Open GeForce RTX 4060

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 2080	GeForce RTX 4060
1080p
low	783 FPS	812 FPS
medium	634 FPS	642 FPS
high	560 FPS	551 FPS
ultra	420 FPS	440 FPS
1440p
low	606 FPS	535 FPS
medium	492 FPS	443 FPS
high	420 FPS	379 FPS
ultra	315 FPS	329 FPS
4K
low	409 FPS	365 FPS
medium	331 FPS	297 FPS
high	277 FPS	234 FPS
ultra	210 FPS	186 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 2080 Open GeForce RTX 4060

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 2080	GeForce RTX 4060
1080p
low	529 FPS	746 FPS
medium	460 FPS	613 FPS
high	395 FPS	536 FPS
ultra	327 FPS	440 FPS
1440p
low	431 FPS	594 FPS
medium	376 FPS	486 FPS
high	307 FPS	421 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	330 FPS
4K
low	272 FPS	358 FPS
medium	257 FPS	308 FPS
high	224 FPS	285 FPS
ultra	185 FPS	220 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 2080 Open GeForce RTX 4060

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 2080 and GeForce RTX 4060

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.

GeForce RTX 4060

The GeForce RTX 4060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 18 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1830 MHz to 2460 MHz. It has 3072 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 115W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 24 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 19,548 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce RTX 2080 scores 18,676 and the GeForce RTX 4060 reaches 19,548 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 4.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce RTX 2080 is built on Turing while the GeForce RTX 4060 uses Ada Lovelace, both on 12 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 2,944 (GeForce RTX 2080) vs 3,072 (GeForce RTX 4060). Raw compute: 10.07 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 2080) vs 15.11 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060). Boost clocks: 1710 MHz vs 2460 MHz. Ray tracing: 46 RT cores (GeForce RTX 2080) vs 24 (GeForce RTX 4060) with 368 Tensor cores vs 96.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2080	GeForce RTX 4060
G3D Mark Score	18,676	19,548+5%
Architecture	Turing	Ada Lovelace
Process Node	12 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	2944	3072+4%
Compute (TFLOPS)	10.07 TFLOPS	15.11 TFLOPS+50%
Boost Clock	1710 MHz	2460 MHz+44%
ROPs	64+33%	48
TMUs	184+92%	96
L1 Cache	2.9 MB	3 MB+3%
L2 Cache	4 MB	24 MB+500%
Ray Tracing Cores	46+92%	24
Tensor Cores	368+283%	96

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060 is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. 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 RTX 2080 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 4060 supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce RTX 2080 is capped at DLSS 2 Super Resolution.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2080	GeForce RTX 4060
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution
Frame Generation	Not Supported	DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction	No	Yes (DLSS 3.5)
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 2080 comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 4060 has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 4060 offers 1.2% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 2080) vs 272 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4060) — a 64.7% advantage for the GeForce RTX 2080. Bus width: 256-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 2080) vs 24 MB (GeForce RTX 4060) — the GeForce RTX 4060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2080	GeForce RTX 4060
VRAM Capacity	7.906 GB	8 GB+1%
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	448 GB/s+65%	272 GB/s
Bus Width	256-bit+100%	128-bit
L2 Cache	4 MB	24 MB+500%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce RTX 2080) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4060). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2080	GeForce RTX 4060
DirectX	12.1	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.2	1.3+8%
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 6th Gen NVENC (GeForce RTX 2080) vs NVENC 8th gen (GeForce RTX 4060). Decoder: 4th Gen NVDEC vs NVDEC 5th gen. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce RTX 2080) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4060).

Feature	GeForce RTX 2080	GeForce RTX 4060
Encoder	6th Gen NVENC	NVENC 8th gen
Decoder	4th Gen NVDEC	NVDEC 5th gen
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 2080 draws 215W versus the GeForce RTX 4060's 115W — a 60.6% difference. The GeForce RTX 4060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 2080) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 4060). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 240mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 73°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2080	GeForce RTX 4060
TDP	215W	115W-47%
Recommended PSU	650W	550W-15%
Power Connector	6-pin + 8-pin	8-pin
Length	267mm	240mm
Height	116mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	80°C	73°C-9%
Perf/Watt	86.9	170.0+96%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 2080 launched at $699 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 4060 launched at $299. The GeForce RTX 4060 costs 57.2% less ($400 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 26.7 (GeForce RTX 2080) vs 65.4 (GeForce RTX 4060) — the GeForce RTX 4060 offers 144.9% better value. The GeForce RTX 4060 is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2018).