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 Ti Laptop GPU

2021

Why buy it

✅29.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 12 GB).

Trade-offs

❌50% higher power demand at 150W vs 100W.

RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 100W instead of 150W, a 50W reduction.
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 12 GB vs 16 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.

GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU

2021

RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

2023

Why buy it

✅29.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 12 GB).

Why buy it

✅Draws 100W instead of 150W, a 50W reduction.
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌50% higher power demand at 150W vs 100W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 12 GB vs 16 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU better than RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 29.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data, 2.9% higher PassMark G3D performance, DLSS 2 Super Resolution, and 320 vs 160 Tensor cores. It also comes from 2021 instead of 2023, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.

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

RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2021, the stronger feature stack with no meaningful modern upscaling stack 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 Ti Laptop GPU is priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 29.3% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and a lower G3D Mark (19,108 vs 19,656). G3D-per-dollar is basically tied between them. If you are comfortable paying the premium for the stronger gaming result, GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU is the one to buy. If staying closer to budget matters more, RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU still makes more sense on price alone and remains capable enough for modern gaming.

When does RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU make more sense than GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU?

Yes. RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is very strong for 1080p, good for 1440p, and more limited at 4K. It makes more sense if your priority is newer architecture, lower power draw (100W vs 150W), future-proofing, and staying closer to an unclear MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU. The trade-off is that GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU currently gives you a lower G3D Mark (19,108 vs 19,656) and 29.3% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. G3D-per-dollar is basically tied between them.

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 Ti Laptop GPU Benchmark Check

RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
1080p
low	255 FPS	143 FPS
medium	238 FPS	124 FPS
high	198 FPS	109 FPS
ultra	173 FPS	77 FPS
1440p
low	247 FPS	114 FPS
medium	207 FPS	95 FPS
high	158 FPS	76 FPS
ultra	142 FPS	53 FPS
4K
low	163 FPS	51 FPS
medium	135 FPS	44 FPS
high	95 FPS	33 FPS
ultra	85 FPS	28 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU Open RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
1080p
low	574 FPS	379 FPS
medium	500 FPS	327 FPS
high	416 FPS	265 FPS
ultra	361 FPS	230 FPS
1440p
low	418 FPS	282 FPS
medium	362 FPS	236 FPS
high	301 FPS	190 FPS
ultra	249 FPS	156 FPS
4K
low	218 FPS	132 FPS
medium	189 FPS	113 FPS
high	159 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	133 FPS	72 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU Open RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
1080p
low	860 FPS	826 FPS
medium	688 FPS	680 FPS
high	573 FPS	590 FPS
ultra	430 FPS	442 FPS
1440p
low	645 FPS	628 FPS
medium	516 FPS	510 FPS
high	430 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	322 FPS	332 FPS
4K
low	430 FPS	406 FPS
medium	344 FPS	324 FPS
high	287 FPS	268 FPS
ultra	215 FPS	212 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU Open RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
1080p
low	801 FPS	301 FPS
medium	688 FPS	260 FPS
high	573 FPS	217 FPS
ultra	430 FPS	190 FPS
1440p
low	645 FPS	239 FPS
medium	516 FPS	211 FPS
high	430 FPS	177 FPS
ultra	322 FPS	151 FPS
4K
low	430 FPS	142 FPS
medium	344 FPS	121 FPS
high	287 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	215 FPS	79 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU Open RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU and RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU

The GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 31 2021. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1365 MHz to 1665 MHz. It has 10240 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 80 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 19,108 points. Launch price was $1,199.

RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

The RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 21 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1110 MHz to 1545 MHz. It has 5120 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 40 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 19,656 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU scores 19,108 and the RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU reaches 19,656 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU is built on Ampere while the RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU uses Ada Lovelace, both on 8 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 10,240 (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU) vs 5,120 (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU). Raw compute: 34.1 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU) vs 15.82 TFLOPS (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU). Boost clocks: 1665 MHz vs 1545 MHz. Ray tracing: 80 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU) vs 40 (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU) with 320 Tensor cores vs 160.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
G3D Mark Score	19,108	19,656+3%
Architecture	Ampere	Ada Lovelace
Process Node	8 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	10240+100%	5120
Compute (TFLOPS)	34.1 TFLOPS+116%	15.82 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1665 MHz+8%	1545 MHz
ROPs	112+75%	64
TMUs	320+100%	160
L1 Cache	10 MB+100%	5 MB
L2 Cache	6 MB	48 MB+700%
Ray Tracing Cores	80+100%	40
Tensor Cores	320+100%	160

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU supports the newer Upscaling support, whereas the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU is capped at DLSS 2 Super Resolution.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU comes with 16 GB of VRAM, while the RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU has 12 GB. The GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 512 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU) vs 432 GB/s (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU) — a 18.5% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU. Bus width: 256-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 6 MB (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU) vs 48 MB (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU) — the RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
VRAM Capacity	16 GB+33%	12 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	512 GB/s+19%	432 GB/s
Bus Width	256-bit+33%	192-bit
L2 Cache	6 MB	48 MB+700%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU) vs 12 Ultimate (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 5th gen (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU) vs NVENC 8th gen (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU). Decoder: NVDEC 7th gen vs NVDEC 5th gen. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
Encoder	NVENC 5th gen	NVENC 8th gen
Decoder	NVDEC 7th gen	NVDEC 5th gen
Codecs	H.264,H.265,AV1	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU draws 150W versus the RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU's 100W — a 40% difference. The RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU) vs 150W (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU). Power connectors: Mobile vs Mobile. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 80°C.