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

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 26.1 vs 0 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU

2023

Why buy it

✅37.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅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.

Trade-offs

❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 26.1 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1080

2016

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU

2023

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 26.1 vs 0 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Why buy it

✅37.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅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.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 26.1 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU better than GeForce GTX 1080?

Yes. GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU averages 37.9% more FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 17,400 vs 15,609 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is a 2023 card with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, 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 4060 Laptop GPU is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2016, 11.5% more raw performance headroom, better upscaling support with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack and better frame-generation support with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, and a 5nm 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 4060 Laptop GPU is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus $599 MSRP, and you are getting 37.9% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 11.5% higher G3D Mark. 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 4060 Laptop GPU Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU
1080p
low	153 FPS	177 FPS
medium	135 FPS	162 FPS
high	120 FPS	142 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	124 FPS
1440p
low	131 FPS	143 FPS
medium	106 FPS	118 FPS
high	94 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	85 FPS	93 FPS
4K
low	77 FPS	93 FPS
medium	65 FPS	79 FPS
high	52 FPS	66 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	59 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 Open GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU
1080p
low	289 FPS	416 FPS
medium	242 FPS	348 FPS
high	181 FPS	282 FPS
ultra	147 FPS	225 FPS
1440p
low	186 FPS	269 FPS
medium	158 FPS	226 FPS
high	127 FPS	188 FPS
ultra	103 FPS	154 FPS
4K
low	106 FPS	117 FPS
medium	88 FPS	97 FPS
high	73 FPS	82 FPS
ultra	57 FPS	64 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 Open GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU
1080p
low	702 FPS	783 FPS
medium	562 FPS	626 FPS
high	468 FPS	522 FPS
ultra	351 FPS	392 FPS
1440p
low	527 FPS	587 FPS
medium	421 FPS	470 FPS
high	351 FPS	392 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	294 FPS
4K
low	351 FPS	392 FPS
medium	281 FPS	313 FPS
high	234 FPS	261 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	196 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 Open GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU
1080p
low	399 FPS	775 FPS
medium	334 FPS	626 FPS
high	281 FPS	522 FPS
ultra	241 FPS	392 FPS
1440p
low	332 FPS	587 FPS
medium	277 FPS	470 FPS
high	220 FPS	392 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	294 FPS
4K
low	180 FPS	374 FPS
medium	141 FPS	313 FPS
high	129 FPS	261 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	196 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1080 Open GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1080 and GeForce RTX 4060 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 4060 Laptop GPU

The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU 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: 17,400 points. Launch price was $399.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1080 scores 15,609 versus the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU's 17,400 — the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU leads by 11.5%. The GeForce GTX 1080 is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU uses Ada Lovelace, both on 16 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 4,352 (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 22.06 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 2535 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU
G3D Mark Score	15,609	17,400+11%
Architecture	Pascal	Ada Lovelace
Process Node	16 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	2560	4352+70%
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS	22.06 TFLOPS+149%
Boost Clock	1733 MHz	2535 MHz+46%
ROPs	64+33%	48
TMUs	160+18%	136
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	4.3 MB+357%
L2 Cache	2 MB	32 MB+1500%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU 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 GTX 1080 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1080 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	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)

Both cards feature 8 GB of video memory. Memory bandwidth: 320 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 256 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) — a 25% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1080. Bus width: 256-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 32 MB (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) — the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU
VRAM Capacity	8 GB	8 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5X	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	320 GB/s+25%	256 GB/s
Bus Width	256-bit+100%	128-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	32 MB+1500%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4060 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 4060 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 (8th Gen) (GeForce RTX 4060 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,VP9 (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU
Encoder	NVENC 6th gen	NVENC (8th Gen)
Decoder	NVDEC 3rd gen	NVDEC (5th Gen)
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1	H.264,HEVC,AV1,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1080 draws 180W versus the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU's 160W — a 11.8% difference. The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 1080) vs 650W (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Mobile. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 80°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1080	GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU
TDP	180W	160W-11%
Recommended PSU	500W-23%	650W
Power Connector	8-pin	Mobile
Length	267mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	75°C-6%	80°C
Perf/Watt	86.7	108.8+25%