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 3080 12GB

2022

Why buy it

✅4.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅105.9% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (280 vs 136).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 8 GB).

Trade-offs

❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
❌
213.3% HIGHER MSRP
$1,250 MSRPvs$399 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 21.3 vs 56.8 G3D/$ ($1,250 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).
❌118.8% higher power demand at 350W vs 160W.

GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $851 less on MSRP ($399 MSRP vs $1,250 MSRP).
✅Delivers 167.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 56.8 vs 21.3 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs $1,250 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 160W instead of 350W, a 190W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3080 12GB across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (136 vs 280), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.

GeForce RTX 3080 12GB

2022

GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

2023

Why buy it

✅4.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅105.9% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (280 vs 136).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 8 GB).

Why buy it

✅Costs $851 less on MSRP ($399 MSRP vs $1,250 MSRP).
✅Delivers 167.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 56.8 vs 21.3 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs $1,250 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 160W instead of 350W, a 190W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
❌
213.3% HIGHER MSRP
$1,250 MSRPvs$399 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 21.3 vs 56.8 G3D/$ ($1,250 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).
❌118.8% higher power demand at 350W vs 160W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3080 12GB across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (136 vs 280), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3080 12GB better than GeForce RTX 4060 Ti?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3080 12GB is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 4.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data, 17.3% higher PassMark G3D performance, 280 vs 136 Tensor cores, and 12 GB vs 8 GB of VRAM. It also comes from 2022 instead of 2023, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2022, 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 8nm. 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 is still the better GPU overall, but GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is probably the smarter buy today for most people. GeForce RTX 3080 12GB is about 213.3% more expensive on MSRP at $1,250 MSRP versus $399 MSRP, and you are getting 4.1% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 17.3% higher G3D Mark. GeForce RTX 4060 Ti still holds the G3D-per-dollar lead, so the performance win comes with a real value premium. Paying about 213.3% more on MSRP for only 4.1% more estimated average FPS is just a weak value trade on paper.

When does GeForce RTX 4060 Ti make more sense than GeForce RTX 3080 12GB?

Yes. GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is still a very sensible gaming buy in 2026: it is excellent for 1080p, very strong for 1440p, and still capable at 4K with sensible settings or upscaling. Around $399 MSRP, you are saving about $851 on MSRP and only giving up lower estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. GeForce RTX 4060 Ti still holds the G3D-per-dollar lead, so the performance win comes with a real value premium.

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 3080 12GB Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3080 12GB	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
1080p
low	165 FPS	177 FPS
medium	150 FPS	162 FPS
high	132 FPS	142 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	124 FPS
1440p
low	139 FPS	143 FPS
medium	115 FPS	118 FPS
high	98 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	85 FPS	93 FPS
4K
low	80 FPS	93 FPS
medium	67 FPS	79 FPS
high	51 FPS	66 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	59 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3080 12GB Open GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3080 12GB	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
1080p
low	553 FPS	433 FPS
medium	473 FPS	363 FPS
high	383 FPS	294 FPS
ultra	345 FPS	240 FPS
1440p
low	415 FPS	278 FPS
medium	344 FPS	238 FPS
high	273 FPS	194 FPS
ultra	233 FPS	161 FPS
4K
low	198 FPS	123 FPS
medium	168 FPS	102 FPS
high	144 FPS	84 FPS
ultra	120 FPS	65 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3080 12GB Open GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3080 12GB	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
1080p
low	892 FPS	855 FPS
medium	724 FPS	693 FPS
high	631 FPS	609 FPS
ultra	551 FPS	510 FPS
1440p
low	705 FPS	660 FPS
medium	567 FPS	527 FPS
high	484 FPS	452 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	382 FPS
4K
low	485 FPS	447 FPS
medium	394 FPS	355 FPS
high	331 FPS	308 FPS
ultra	275 FPS	255 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3080 12GB Open GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3080 12GB	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
1080p
low	456 FPS	775 FPS
medium	413 FPS	639 FPS
high	339 FPS	558 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	492 FPS
1440p
low	366 FPS	613 FPS
medium	334 FPS	503 FPS
high	273 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	233 FPS	378 FPS
4K
low	245 FPS	375 FPS
medium	226 FPS	322 FPS
high	191 FPS	298 FPS
ultra	166 FPS	255 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3080 12GB Open GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3080 12GB and GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

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.

GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 18 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 2310 MHz to 2535 MHz. It has 4352 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 160W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 34 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 22,651 points. Launch price was $399.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB scores 26,569 versus the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti's 22,651 — the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB leads by 17.3%. The GeForce RTX 3080 12GB is built on Ampere while the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti uses Ada Lovelace, both on 8 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 8,960 (GeForce RTX 3080 12GB) vs 4,352 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti). Raw compute: 30.64 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3080 12GB) vs 22.06 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti). Boost clocks: 1710 MHz vs 2535 MHz. Ray tracing: 70 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3080 12GB) vs 34 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) with 280 Tensor cores vs 136.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3080 12GB	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
G3D Mark Score	26,569+17%	22,651
Architecture	Ampere	Ada Lovelace
Process Node	8 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	8960+106%	4352
Compute (TFLOPS)	30.64 TFLOPS+39%	22.06 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1710 MHz	2535 MHz+48%
ROPs	96+100%	48
TMUs	280+106%	136
L1 Cache	8.8 MB+105%	4.3 MB
L2 Cache	6 MB	32 MB+433%
Ray Tracing Cores	70+106%	34
Tensor Cores	280+106%	136

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 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 3080 12GB lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB is capped at DLSS 2 Super Resolution.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3080 12GB	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
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 3080 12GB comes with 12 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 3080 12GB offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 912 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3080 12GB) vs 288 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) — a 216.7% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB. Bus width: 384-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 6 MB (GeForce RTX 3080 12GB) vs 32 MB (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) — the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3080 12GB	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+50%	8 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6X	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	912 GB/s+217%	288 GB/s
Bus Width	384-bit+200%	128-bit
L2 Cache	6 MB	32 MB+433%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3080 12GB) vs 12.2 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3080 12GB	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12.2+2%
Vulkan	1.4+8%	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3080 12GB) vs 8th Gen NVENC (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3080 12GB) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3080 12GB	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
Encoder	NVENC 7th gen	8th Gen NVENC
Decoder	NVDEC 5th gen	5th Gen NVDEC
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3080 12GB draws 350W versus the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti's 160W — a 74.5% difference. The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 750W (GeForce RTX 3080 12GB) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti). Power connectors: 2x 8-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 285mm vs 240mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 70°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3080 12GB	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
TDP	350W	160W-54%
Recommended PSU	750W	550W-27%
Power Connector	2x 8-pin	8-pin
Length	285mm	240mm
Height	112mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	80°C	70°C-13%
Perf/Watt	75.9	141.6+87%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3080 12GB launched at $1250 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti launched at $399. The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti costs 68.1% less ($851 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 21.3 (GeForce RTX 3080 12GB) vs 56.8 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) — the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti offers 166.7% better value. The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2022).