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

✅+18.5% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 26.1 vs 0 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU across 37 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌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.

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022

Why buy it

✅3.1% more average FPS across 37 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (13,170 vs 15,609).
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 26.1 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1080

2016

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022

Why buy it

✅+18.5% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 26.1 vs 0 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).

Why buy it

✅3.1% more average FPS across 37 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU across 37 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌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.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (13,170 vs 15,609).
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 26.1 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU better than GeForce GTX 1080?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU averages 3.1% more FPS across 37 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 13,170 vs 15,609 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is a 2022 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 3060 Laptop GPU is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2022 generation instead of 2016, better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, and a 8nm 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 3060 Laptop GPU is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus $599 MSRP, and you are getting 3.1% more estimated average FPS across 37 tracked games in our benchmark data and a lower G3D Mark (13,170 vs 15,609). 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.

GeForce GTX 1080 Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
1080p
low	153 FPS	109 FPS
medium	135 FPS	98 FPS
high	120 FPS	84 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	70 FPS
1440p
low	131 FPS	95 FPS
medium	106 FPS	83 FPS
high	94 FPS	70 FPS
ultra	85 FPS	59 FPS
4K
low	77 FPS	48 FPS
medium	65 FPS	43 FPS
high	52 FPS	30 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	26 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 Open GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
1080p
low	289 FPS	357 FPS
medium	242 FPS	310 FPS
high	181 FPS	248 FPS
ultra	147 FPS	195 FPS
1440p
low	186 FPS	221 FPS
medium	158 FPS	190 FPS
high	127 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	103 FPS	123 FPS
4K
low	106 FPS	108 FPS
medium	88 FPS	89 FPS
high	73 FPS	72 FPS
ultra	57 FPS	55 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 Open GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
1080p
low	702 FPS	593 FPS
medium	562 FPS	474 FPS
high	468 FPS	395 FPS
ultra	351 FPS	296 FPS
1440p
low	527 FPS	444 FPS
medium	421 FPS	356 FPS
high	351 FPS	296 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	222 FPS
4K
low	351 FPS	296 FPS
medium	281 FPS	237 FPS
high	234 FPS	198 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	148 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 Open GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
1080p
low	399 FPS	565 FPS
medium	334 FPS	474 FPS
high	281 FPS	395 FPS
ultra	241 FPS	296 FPS
1440p
low	332 FPS	444 FPS
medium	277 FPS	356 FPS
high	220 FPS	296 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	222 FPS
4K
low	180 FPS	296 FPS
medium	141 FPS	237 FPS
high	129 FPS	198 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	148 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 Open GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1080 and GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

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 3060 Laptop GPU

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 12 2022. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1320 MHz to 1777 MHz. It has 3584 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 170W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 28 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 13,170 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1080 scores 15,609 versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU's 13,170 — the GeForce GTX 1080 leads by 18.5%. The GeForce GTX 1080 is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU uses Ampere, both on 16 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1777 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
G3D Mark Score	15,609+19%	13,170
Architecture	Pascal	Ampere
Process Node	16 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	2560	3584+40%
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS	12.74 TFLOPS+44%
Boost Clock	1733 MHz	1777 MHz+3%
ROPs	64+33%	48
TMUs	160+43%	112
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	3.5 MB+272%
L2 Cache	2 MB	3 MB+50%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1080 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
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 3060 Laptop GPU has 6 GB. The GeForce GTX 1080 offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 320 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 336 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) — a 5% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU. Bus width: 256-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
VRAM Capacity	8 GB+33%	6 GB
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 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
DirectX	12.1	12 Ultimate
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 NVENC (7th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Decoder: NVDEC 3rd gen vs NVDEC (5th Gen). Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce GTX 1080) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
Encoder	NVENC 6th gen	NVENC (7th Gen)
Decoder	NVDEC 3rd gen	NVDEC (5th Gen)
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1	H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1080 draws 180W versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU's 170W — a 5.7% difference. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 500W (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Mobile. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 75°C.