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 4060

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $700 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 81.8% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 65.4 vs 36.0 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Draws 115W instead of 360W, a 245W reduction.
✅Measures 240mm instead of 304mm, a 64mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 5080 across 14 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 16 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (96 vs 336), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 5080 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.

GeForce RTX 5080

2025

Why buy it

✅76.2% more average FPS across 14 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅250% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (336 vs 96).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 8 GB).
✅More future proof: Blackwell 2.0 (2025−2026) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌
234.1% HIGHER MSRP
$999 MSRPvs$299 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 36.0 vs 65.4 G3D/$ ($999 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌213% higher power demand at 360W vs 115W.
❌26.7% longer card at 304mm vs 240mm.

GeForce RTX 4060

2023

GeForce RTX 5080

2025

Why buy it

✅Costs $700 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 81.8% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 65.4 vs 36.0 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Draws 115W instead of 360W, a 245W reduction.
✅Measures 240mm instead of 304mm, a 64mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Why buy it

✅76.2% more average FPS across 14 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅250% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (336 vs 96).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 8 GB).
✅More future proof: Blackwell 2.0 (2025−2026) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 5080 across 14 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 16 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (96 vs 336), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 5080 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.

Trade-offs

❌
234.1% HIGHER MSRP
$999 MSRPvs$299 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 36.0 vs 65.4 G3D/$ ($999 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌213% higher power demand at 360W vs 115W.
❌26.7% longer card at 304mm vs 240mm.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 5080 better than GeForce RTX 4060?

Yes. GeForce RTX 5080 is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 76.2% more average FPS across 14 tracked games in our benchmark data, 83.8% higher PassMark G3D performance, 336 vs 96 Tensor cores, and 16 GB vs 8 GB of VRAM. It also comes from 2025 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 5080 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2025 generation instead of 2023, 83.8% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 16 GB instead of 8 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 4 Super Resolution (2025) instead of DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) and better frame-generation support with DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025) instead of DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023). 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 5080 is about 234.1% more expensive on MSRP at $999 MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and you are getting 76.2% more estimated average FPS across 14 tracked games in our benchmark data and 83.8% higher G3D Mark. GeForce RTX 4060 still holds the G3D-per-dollar lead, so the performance win comes with a real value premium. If you are comfortable paying the premium for the stronger gaming result, GeForce RTX 5080 is the one to buy. If staying closer to budget matters more, GeForce RTX 4060 still makes more sense on price alone and remains capable enough for modern gaming.

Is GeForce RTX 4060 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. GeForce RTX 4060 is still a strong gaming GPU in 2026: it is very strong for 1080p, good for 1440p, and more limited at 4K. This mostly comes down to price. If you want to stay closer to $299 MSRP, it remains a strong choice; if you are comfortable paying more, GeForce RTX 5080 earns that extra money with a clearly stronger gaming result and a more complete overall package.

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 4060 Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 5080 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 4060	GeForce RTX 5080
1080p
low	167 FPS	350 FPS
medium	152 FPS	334 FPS
high	134 FPS	280 FPS
ultra	115 FPS	221 FPS
1440p
low	137 FPS	326 FPS
medium	114 FPS	274 FPS
high	99 FPS	215 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	173 FPS
4K
low	86 FPS	194 FPS
medium	74 FPS	160 FPS
high	62 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	55 FPS	108 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4060 Open GeForce RTX 5080

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 4060	GeForce RTX 5080
1080p
low	392 FPS	822 FPS
medium	334 FPS	651 FPS
high	268 FPS	511 FPS
ultra	211 FPS	447 FPS
1440p
low	240 FPS	651 FPS
medium	209 FPS	536 FPS
high	169 FPS	434 FPS
ultra	137 FPS	360 FPS
4K
low	119 FPS	360 FPS
medium	98 FPS	306 FPS
high	82 FPS	277 FPS
ultra	63 FPS	234 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4060 Open GeForce RTX 5080

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 4060	GeForce RTX 5080
1080p
low	812 FPS	944 FPS
medium	642 FPS	772 FPS
high	551 FPS	699 FPS
ultra	440 FPS	604 FPS
1440p
low	535 FPS	731 FPS
medium	443 FPS	598 FPS
high	379 FPS	529 FPS
ultra	329 FPS	452 FPS
4K
low	365 FPS	506 FPS
medium	297 FPS	419 FPS
high	234 FPS	377 FPS
ultra	186 FPS	317 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4060 Open GeForce RTX 5080

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 4060	GeForce RTX 5080
1080p
low	746 FPS	999 FPS
medium	613 FPS	944 FPS
high	536 FPS	831 FPS
ultra	440 FPS	742 FPS
1440p
low	594 FPS	800 FPS
medium	486 FPS	698 FPS
high	421 FPS	614 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	537 FPS
4K
low	358 FPS	581 FPS
medium	308 FPS	513 FPS
high	285 FPS	457 FPS
ultra	220 FPS	400 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4060 Open GeForce RTX 5080

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 4060 and GeForce RTX 5080

GeForce RTX 4060

The GeForce RTX 4060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 18 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1830 MHz to 2460 MHz. It has 3072 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 115W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 24 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 19,548 points. Launch price was $299.

GeForce RTX 5080

The GeForce RTX 5080 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 30 2025. It features the Blackwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 2295 MHz to 2617 MHz. It has 10752 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 360W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 84 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 35,924 points. Launch price was $999.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 4060 scores 19,548 versus the GeForce RTX 5080's 35,924 — the GeForce RTX 5080 leads by 83.8%. The GeForce RTX 4060 is built on Ada Lovelace while the GeForce RTX 5080 uses Blackwell 2.0, both on a 5 nm process. Shader units: 3,072 (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 10,752 (GeForce RTX 5080). Raw compute: 15.11 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 56.28 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 5080). Boost clocks: 2460 MHz vs 2617 MHz. Ray tracing: 24 RT cores (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 84 (GeForce RTX 5080) with 96 Tensor cores vs 336.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060	GeForce RTX 5080
G3D Mark Score	19,548	35,924+84%
Architecture	Ada Lovelace	Blackwell 2.0
Process Node	5 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	3072	10752+250%
Compute (TFLOPS)	15.11 TFLOPS	56.28 TFLOPS+272%
Boost Clock	2460 MHz	2617 MHz+6%
ROPs	48	112+133%
TMUs	96	336+250%
L1 Cache	3 MB	10.5 MB+250%
L2 Cache	24 MB	64 MB+167%
Ray Tracing Cores	24	84+250%
Tensor Cores	96	336+250%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Both cards support Frame Generation, but the GeForce RTX 5080 is on a newer tier with DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation, while the GeForce RTX 4060 tops out at DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation.The GeForce RTX 5080 supports the newer DLSS 4 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce RTX 4060 is capped at DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060	GeForce RTX 5080
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution	DLSS 4 Super Resolution
Frame Generation	DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation	DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation+14%
Ray Reconstruction	Yes (DLSS 3.5)	Yes (DLSS 4)+14%
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 4060 comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 5080 has 16 GB. The GeForce RTX 5080 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 272 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 1024 GB/s (GeForce RTX 5080) — a 276.5% advantage for the GeForce RTX 5080. Bus width: 128-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 24 MB (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 64 MB (GeForce RTX 5080) — the GeForce RTX 5080 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060	GeForce RTX 5080
VRAM Capacity	8 GB	16 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR7
Memory Bandwidth	272 GB/s	1024 GB/s+276%
Bus Width	128-bit	256-bit+100%
L2 Cache	24 MB	64 MB+167%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 12.2 (GeForce RTX 5080). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060	GeForce RTX 5080
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12.2+2%
Vulkan	1.3	1.4+8%
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 8th gen (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 9th Gen NVENC (2x) (GeForce RTX 5080). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs 6th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 5080).

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060	GeForce RTX 5080
Encoder	NVENC 8th gen	9th Gen NVENC (2x)
Decoder	NVDEC 5th gen	6th Gen NVDEC
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4060 draws 115W versus the GeForce RTX 5080's 360W — a 103.2% difference. The GeForce RTX 4060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 850W (GeForce RTX 5080). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 16-pin (12VHPWR). Card length: 240mm vs 304mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 73°C vs 80°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060	GeForce RTX 5080
TDP	115W-68%	360W
Recommended PSU	550W-35%	850W
Power Connector	8-pin	16-pin (12VHPWR)
Length	240mm	304mm
Height	111mm	137mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	73°C-9%	80°C
Perf/Watt	170.0+70%	99.8

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 4060 launched at $299 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 5080 launched at $999. The GeForce RTX 4060 costs 70.1% less ($700 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 65.4 (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 36.0 (GeForce RTX 5080) — the GeForce RTX 4060 offers 81.7% better value. The GeForce RTX 5080 is the newer GPU (2025 vs 2023).