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 SLI (móvel)

2016

Why buy it

✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 12 GB).
✅Draws 300W instead of 350W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 16 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 21.3 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $1,250 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3080 12GB

2022

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 21.3 vs 0 G3D/$ ($1,250 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 12 GB vs 16 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌16.7% higher power demand at 350W vs 300W.

GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)

2016

GeForce RTX 3080 12GB

2022

Why buy it

✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 12 GB).
✅Draws 300W instead of 350W, a 50W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 21.3 vs 0 G3D/$ ($1,250 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 16 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 21.3 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $1,250 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 12 GB vs 16 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌16.7% higher power demand at 350W vs 300W.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3080 12GB better than GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3080 12GB is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 26,569 vs 26,543 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3080 12GB is a 2022 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel) 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 3080 12GB 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 3080 12GB can still make sense if you find it at the right price, especially around $1,250 MSRP. GeForce RTX 3080 12GB is still the smarter buy for most people, though, because the raw performance is close while the overall package is cleaner. GeForce RTX 3080 12GB is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $1,250 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 0.1% higher G3D Mark. Moving to $1,250 MSRP gets you newer hardware, and DLSS Super Resolution.

Is GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel) still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel) is still a strong gaming card in 2026: it is excellent for 1080p, very strong for 1440p, and still capable at 4K with sensible settings or upscaling. Price is really the swing factor here. If you find it at or below an unclear MSRP, it remains a very sensible buy. GeForce RTX 3080 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 SLI (móvel) Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 3080 12GB Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)	GeForce RTX 3080 12GB
1080p
low	224 FPS	212 FPS
medium	207 FPS	198 FPS
high	173 FPS	174 FPS
ultra	141 FPS	132 FPS
1440p
low	207 FPS	176 FPS
medium	173 FPS	147 FPS
high	136 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	96 FPS
4K
low	105 FPS	88 FPS
medium	93 FPS	74 FPS
high	67 FPS	56 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	50 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)Open GeForce RTX 3080 12GB

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)	GeForce RTX 3080 12GB
1080p
low	194 FPS	593 FPS
medium	148 FPS	505 FPS
high	109 FPS	409 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	372 FPS
1440p
low	121 FPS	432 FPS
medium	82 FPS	353 FPS
high	64 FPS	280 FPS
ultra	52 FPS	242 FPS
4K
low	54 FPS	205 FPS
medium	40 FPS	172 FPS
high	34 FPS	147 FPS
ultra	27 FPS	124 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)Open GeForce RTX 3080 12GB

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)	GeForce RTX 3080 12GB
1080p
low	922 FPS	999 FPS
medium	826 FPS	956 FPS
high	739 FPS	797 FPS
ultra	597 FPS	598 FPS
1440p
low	651 FPS	897 FPS
medium	586 FPS	717 FPS
high	510 FPS	598 FPS
ultra	445 FPS	448 FPS
4K
low	388 FPS	564 FPS
medium	332 FPS	478 FPS
high	268 FPS	399 FPS
ultra	218 FPS	299 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)Open GeForce RTX 3080 12GB

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)	GeForce RTX 3080 12GB
1080p
low	430 FPS	543 FPS
medium	363 FPS	488 FPS
high	295 FPS	409 FPS
ultra	247 FPS	330 FPS
1440p
low	350 FPS	421 FPS
medium	297 FPS	383 FPS
high	221 FPS	319 FPS
ultra	180 FPS	252 FPS
4K
low	178 FPS	279 FPS
medium	142 FPS	256 FPS
high	124 FPS	226 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	189 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)Open GeForce RTX 3080 12GB

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel) and GeForce RTX 3080 12GB

GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)

The GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel) is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 16 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1556 MHz to 1734 MHz. It has 5120 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 300W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 26,543 points.

GeForce RTX 3080 12GB

The GeForce RTX 3080 12GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 11 2022. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1260 MHz to 1710 MHz. It has 8960 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 350W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 70 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 26,569 points. Launch price was $799.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel) scores 26,543 and the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB reaches 26,569 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel) is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB uses Ampere, both on 16 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 5,120 (GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)) vs 8,960 (GeForce RTX 3080 12GB). Boost clocks: 1734 MHz vs 1710 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)	GeForce RTX 3080 12GB
G3D Mark Score	26,543	26,569
Architecture	Pascal	Ampere
Process Node	16 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	5120	8960+75%
Boost Clock	1734 MHz+1%	1710 MHz

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3080 12GB supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel) is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)	GeForce RTX 3080 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 SLI (móvel) comes with 16 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB has 12 GB. The GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel) offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 320 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)) vs 912 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3080 12GB) — a 185% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB. Bus width: 256-bit vs 384-bit.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)	GeForce RTX 3080 12GB
VRAM Capacity	16 GB+33%	12 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5X	GDDR6X
Memory Bandwidth	320 GB/s	912 GB/s+185%
Bus Width	256-bit	384-bit+50%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3080 12GB). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 1 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)	GeForce RTX 3080 12GB
DirectX	12.1	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.2	1.4+17%
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	1	4+300%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 6th Gen NVENC (2x) (GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)) vs NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3080 12GB). Decoder: 4th Gen NVDEC vs NVDEC 5th gen. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3080 12GB).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)	GeForce RTX 3080 12GB
Encoder	6th Gen NVENC (2x)	NVENC 7th gen
Decoder	4th Gen NVDEC	NVDEC 5th gen
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel) draws 300W versus the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB's 350W — a 15.4% difference. The GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel) is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)) vs 750W (GeForce RTX 3080 12GB). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 2x 8-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 285mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 80°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080 SLI (móvel)	GeForce RTX 3080 12GB
TDP	300W-14%	350W
Recommended PSU	650W-13%	750W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	2x 8-pin
Length	0mm	285mm
Height	0mm	112mm
Slots	0-100%	2
Temp (Load)	85°C	80°C-6%
Perf/Watt	88.5+17%	75.9