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 with Max-Q Design

2019

Why buy it

✅228.6% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (368 vs 112).
✅Draws 80W instead of 170W, a 90W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (12,766 vs 16,995).
❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 3060 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 51.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Why buy it

✅+33.1% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 8 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (112 vs 368), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.
❌112.5% higher power demand at 170W vs 80W.

GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design

2019

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Why buy it

✅228.6% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (368 vs 112).
✅Draws 80W instead of 170W, a 90W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+33.1% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 8 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (12,766 vs 16,995).
❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 3060 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 51.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (112 vs 368), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.
❌112.5% higher power demand at 170W vs 80W.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 better than GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 33.1% higher PassMark G3D performance and 12 GB vs 8 GB of VRAM. It also comes from 2021 instead of 2019, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.

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

GeForce RTX 3060 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2021 generation instead of 2019, 33.1% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 8 GB, and a 8nm process instead of 12nm. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce RTX 3060 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 3060 is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $329 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 33.1% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is very strong for 1080p, good for 1440p, and more limited at 4K. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around an unclear MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 3060 is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

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 with Max-Q Design Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 3060 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3060
1080p
low	156 FPS	149 FPS
medium	136 FPS	131 FPS
high	110 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	99 FPS
1440p
low	125 FPS	126 FPS
medium	106 FPS	104 FPS
high	78 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	80 FPS
4K
low	45 FPS	67 FPS
medium	40 FPS	58 FPS
high	25 FPS	39 FPS
ultra	21 FPS	32 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design Open GeForce RTX 3060

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3060
1080p
low	201 FPS	354 FPS
medium	166 FPS	310 FPS
high	141 FPS	249 FPS
ultra	123 FPS	195 FPS
1440p
low	150 FPS	222 FPS
medium	121 FPS	196 FPS
high	104 FPS	160 FPS
ultra	85 FPS	128 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	110 FPS
medium	67 FPS	94 FPS
high	55 FPS	77 FPS
ultra	42 FPS	60 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design Open GeForce RTX 3060

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3060
1080p
low	574 FPS	765 FPS
medium	460 FPS	612 FPS
high	383 FPS	510 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	382 FPS
1440p
low	431 FPS	535 FPS
medium	345 FPS	432 FPS
high	287 FPS	366 FPS
ultra	215 FPS	287 FPS
4K
low	287 FPS	367 FPS
medium	230 FPS	298 FPS
high	191 FPS	221 FPS
ultra	144 FPS	176 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design Open GeForce RTX 3060

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3060
1080p
low	300 FPS	523 FPS
medium	260 FPS	452 FPS
high	217 FPS	383 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	319 FPS
1440p
low	222 FPS	428 FPS
medium	199 FPS	371 FPS
high	161 FPS	298 FPS
ultra	124 FPS	245 FPS
4K
low	130 FPS	279 FPS
medium	111 FPS	259 FPS
high	92 FPS	225 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	186 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design Open GeForce RTX 3060

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design and GeForce RTX 3060

GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design

The GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 29 2019. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 735 MHz to 1095 MHz. It has 2944 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 80W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 12,766 points.

GeForce RTX 3060

The GeForce RTX 3060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 12 2021. 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: 16,995 points. Launch price was $329.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design scores 12,766 versus the GeForce RTX 3060's 16,995 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 33.1%. The GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design is built on Turing while the GeForce RTX 3060 uses Ampere, both on 12 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 2,944 (GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design) vs 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060). Raw compute: 6.447 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design) vs 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060). Boost clocks: 1095 MHz vs 1777 MHz. Ray tracing: 46 RT cores (GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design) vs 28 (GeForce RTX 3060) with 368 Tensor cores vs 112.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3060
G3D Mark Score	12,766	16,995+33%
Architecture	Turing	Ampere
Process Node	12 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	2944	3584+22%
Compute (TFLOPS)	6.447 TFLOPS	12.74 TFLOPS+98%
Boost Clock	1095 MHz	1777 MHz+62%
ROPs	64+33%	48
TMUs	184+64%	112
L1 Cache	2.9 MB	3.5 MB+21%
L2 Cache	4 MB+33%	3 MB
Ray Tracing Cores	46+64%	28
Tensor Cores	368+229%	112

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3060
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	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 RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 has 12 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 384 GB/s (GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design) vs 360 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060) — a 6.7% advantage for the GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design. Bus width: 256-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design) vs 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) — the GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3060
VRAM Capacity	8 GB	12 GB+50%
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	384 GB/s+7%	360 GB/s
Bus Width	256-bit+33%	192-bit
L2 Cache	4 MB+33%	3 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (12_2) (GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3060
DirectX	12 (12_2)	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 6 (GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design) vs NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060). Decoder: NVDEC 4 vs NVDEC 5th Gen. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design) vs AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060).

Feature	GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3060
Encoder	NVENC 6	NVENC 7th Gen
Decoder	NVDEC 4	NVDEC 5th Gen
Codecs	H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1	AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design draws 80W versus the GeForce RTX 3060's 170W — a 72% difference. The GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 0W (GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 3060). Power connectors: None vs 8-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 242mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80 vs 75.