The price of graphic cards is slowly falling across the board, so now is the ideal moment to get back into the game and purchase a new GPU. You could be interested in purchasing either the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 or NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, depending on your spending limit and other variables. Although both graphics cards are extremely powerful and can easily handle the majority of contemporary games, there are significant variances in their specifications and performance.
Techpotamus compares Gtx 1080 Vs Rtx 3060 on different latest games to see which one is the best. Continue reading if you’re having trouble picking between the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 or if you simply want to see how much NVIDIA has improved in the past five years.
RTX 3060 Specs
Core Configuration
- GRID ID: GA106 (GA106-300-A1),
- 8 nm Fab Process
- 300 mm2 Die Size
- 13,250 million vs 7,200 million transistors
- 3840 shaders
- 30 computing units
- 1627 MHz for the core
- ROPs: 64
- TMUs: 120
Memory Configuration
- GDDR6 memory type
- 192-bit bus width
- Speed of memory: 1750 MHz 14 Gbps actual
- Memory Capacity: 12GB / 12288 Mb
Additional details
- 170 watts, TDP
- Release Date: Jan 12th, 2021
GTX 1080 Specs
Core Configuration
- The GP104 GPU (GP104-400-A1)
- 16 nm Fab Process
- 14 mm2 Die Size
- 7,200 million transistors
- 2560 shaders
- 20 computing units
- CPU frequency: 1607 MHz
- ROPs: 64
- TMUs: 160
Memory Configuration
- Type of Memory: GDDR5X
- 256-bit bus width
- Effective Memory Speed: 1251 MHz 10008 bps
- 8 GB or 8192 MB of memory
Additional details
- 180 watts TDP
- Release Date: 27 May 2016
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Background
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 was the company’s first release, and it was a big success. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 offers gamers amazing performance at high refresh rates and resolutions thanks to its massive 12 GB VRAM. The best graphics card lineup currently offered by NVIDIA is the RTX 3000 series. These are the cards that came before the GeForce 20 generation, and the GeForce 40 generation cards will soon follow. If you have EVGA GeForce RTX 3060 XC then don’t worry it’s also one of the best low-profile graphics cards that you can buy at cheap rates.
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 is a graphics card that uses GDDR6 memory and has a 192-bit memory interface. The RTX 3060 also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate and has additional features that enable it to run raytracing technology and all current and upcoming video game titles. When boosted, the core clock speed of this processor can go from 1320 MHz at the base to 1777 MHz.
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060’s 3D rendering capabilities are highlighted by its 112 texture mapping units, 3584 shading units, and 48 ROPs. Alongside this, there is the previously mentioned hardware ray tracing technology with 28 raytracing acceleration cores, variable-rate shading, and a few more capabilities.
NVIDIA also included 112 tensor cores in the RTX 3060 to speed up machine learning applications. The RTX 3060 also has 3 MB of L2 Cache and 128 KB of L1 Cache, respectively.
When purchasing the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, you will need a power supply unit (PSU) that can handle its maximum TDP of 170 W. It is a dual-slot card that connects to the PCIe 4.0 x16 slot on the motherboard using a 12-pin power connector to draw power. Additionally, the triple slot versions of the RTX 3060 come with two HDMI ports and three DisplayPorts.
The Ampere architecture-based NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 has 12,000 million transistors and is constructed using a very small 8nm process.
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 has enjoyed tremendous success in the gaming community and is still a very well-liked GeForce 30 generation graphics card thanks to the improved technology. Additionally, it is more affordable; the initial price was 329 USD.
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Background
In case you missed it, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 was introduced in May 2016. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 offered players extremely amazing performance thanks to its massive 8 GB VRAM, despite its rather high pricing for the time. It is the GeForce 900 generation’s replacement and the GeForce 20 generation’s predecessor. Nvidia Geforce GTX 1080 is one of the best GPU For the Ryzen 5 3600 which you should buy for this amazing AMD processor.
The GDDR5X memory type is paired with a 256-bit memory interface in the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080. It is constructed using a 16nm process, and DirectX 12 support enables it to run all current games. Additionally, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 has a 1607 MHz base clock speed that can be increased to 1733 MHz.
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 includes 160 texture mapping units, 2560 shading units, and 64 ROPs, all of which can be used for 3D rendering. Additionally, it includes 2 MB of L2 Cache and 48 KB of L1 Cache.
A good PSU is necessary for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 because of its maximum TDP rating of 180W. The card also has an 8-pin power connector that is a dual-slot when referring to the width and is attached to a conventional PCIe 3.0 x16 slot. These include all of the common ports, including DisplayPort 1.4a, DVI, and HDMI.
Because its 16nm process was smaller than the Maxwell architecture’s 28nm process in the previous, NVIDIA’s Pascal architecture was particularly well-liked by gamers and enthusiasts.
As a result, NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1080, which was based on the Pascal architecture and has 7200 million transistors, has been a very popular product. This allows for great performance at high resolutions and refreshes rates. It’s initial pricing of $599 was more than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060.
Gtx 1080 Vs Rtx 3060: Differences In Specifications
We need to understand the differences in specifications before we dive deeper into the RTX 3060 vs GTX 1080 Comparison. As a result, we can already see some significant differences between the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 from the specifications sheet. The 3060 boasts better technology and architecture than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 because it is a lot more modern card. The 3060 was constructed using the Ampere architecture, whereas the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 was constructed using the older 16nm Pascal architecture. Thus, the 3060 has more transistors than 1080 does.
Also noteworthy is the fact that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 has 4 GB more VRAM than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080. Additionally, the memory type of the 3060 is GDDR6 as opposed to the more dated GDDR5X memory type of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080. Both are quite similar when it comes to core clock rates. Shader units, ROPs, and TMUs, along with other crucial components for generating graphics, are all in the 3060s’ favor.
Raytracing and tensor cores are two additional features included in the GeForce 30 series. Given that, it will be intriguing to see how the older NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 performs against the 3060 and how far technology has advanced over the past five years.
RTX 3060 vs GTX 1080 Gaming Benchmarks
We’ll see YT/Testing Games’ benchmarks in this section to see which GPU performs better than the other in terms of average frame rates, temperatures, power consumption, and other factors. The following test PC was used to compare the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080.
Test System:
- Operating System: Windows 10 Pro
- CPU: Ryzen 9 5900X
- Motherboard: ASUS ROG X570 Crosshair VIII Hero
- CPU Cooler: be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4
- Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 8GB
- RAM: 32Gb RAM DDR4 3800Mhz
- SSD: 2 x SAMSUNG 970 EVO M.2 2280 1TB
- Power Supply: CORSAIR RM850i 850W
Gtx 1080 Vs Rtx 3060: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
The twelfth entry in the Assassin’s Creed series, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, was released in 2020. Ubisoft, which has a poor reputation for PC game optimization, created this game.
Like every other game on this list, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla was put through its paces on the highest settings in 1080p resolution. Even for 2020 standards, the game is very GPU intensive, so you would need a powerful GPU to play it.
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 produced an average of 43 frames per second when operating at a 69°C temperature at regular 1080p resolution. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, on the other hand, was operating at an average frame rate of 54 FPS and a temperature of 54°C. This indicates that while being 11% cooler, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 offered 10% higher average frame rates.
Gtx 1080 Vs Rtx 3060: Crysis 3 Remastered
In 2021, Crysis 3 and its predecessors in the trilogy get a remastered edition. Crysis 3 is an old game that was first released in 2013. It is a tactical first-person shooter with excellent physics and gameplay that has won praise from critics.
We performed 1080p testing with the highest settings on Crysis 3 Remastered. A good GPU is necessary to run Crysis 3, as it is a very beautiful and GPU-intensive game.
In comparison to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, which was producing 68 FPS on average while also being at 55°C, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 was reaching 67°C temperature with an average output of 48 FPS. Overall, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 was 20% cooler and had a nice 30% increase in FPS over 1080.
Gtx 1080 Vs Rtx 3060: Horizon Zero Dawn
Guerilla Games created the action role-playing game Horizon Zero Dawn, which was released in 2017. It’s a gorgeous game, but to render the graphics it needs a powerful graphics card. Having said that, the game was evaluated using both graphic cards at 1080p resolution and the highest settings.
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 ran Horizon Zero Dawn with an average frame rate of 57 and a temperature of 63°C. In contrast, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 was operating at an average temperature of 55°C and averaging 70 frames per second.
We can see that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 had a 19% higher frame rate and was 13% cooler than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080.
Gtx 1080 Vs Rtx 3060: Death Stranding
Kojima Productions created the game Death Stranding, which was released in the autumn of 2019. It is an action game that was well-received by critics and was very profitable for the creators. The highest quality settings for Death Stranding were used during testing at 1080p.
When playing Death Stranding, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 was averaging 83 frames per second and registering a temperature of 61 degrees Celsius, as opposed to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, which was averaging 109 frames per second and registering a much cooler 55 degrees.
Again, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 outperformed the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 by 13% in terms of frame rates. In addition, the temperatures were 10% lower than with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080.
Gtx 1080 Vs Rtx 3060: Far Cry 6
The most recent game in the Far Cry series, Far Cry 6, came out in October 2021. Ubisoft created the game, and a powerful graphics card is needed to render the graphics. The highest quality 1080p settings was used for testing.
We can see that the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 in Far Cry 6 averaged 63 frames per second while operating at a temperature of nearly 68 degrees. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, on the other hand, has an average frame rate of 82 FPS at 54°C. We can easily conclude from this that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 was 21% cooler and 24% better at providing a higher average frame rate than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080.
Gtx 1080 Vs Rtx 3060: Cyberpunk 2077
The end of 2020 saw the release of CD Projekt RED’s Cyberpunk 2077. It had several problems upon launch and was generally riddled with bugs.
Even the most powerful graphics cards can’t deliver a good experience due to the game’s terrible optimization. At 1080p resolution, Cyberpunk 2077 was also tested using the highest settings.
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 delivered an average frame rate of 28 FPS while operating at a temperature of 66°C in Cyberpunk 2077. Additionally, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 was operating at a temperature of 60 °C and averaging 40 frames per second. In light of this, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 was 10% cooler and had a 30% higher frame rate than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080. One more triumph for the 3060.
Gtx 1080 Vs Rtx 3060: Days Gone
Bend Studio created the action-adventure title Days Gone. The game is set in a post-apocalyptic world where zombies have taken over, and rendering zombie hordes and crowds in particular calls for a powerful GPU. Days Gone was also put through its paces at 1080p resolution with the highest settings.
In the Days Gone benchmarks, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 averaged 67 frames per second while operating at a temperature of 68°C, whereas the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 achieved an average of 93 frames per second while operating at a temperature of 63°C.
Mathematically speaking, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 produced a staggering 28% more frames per second than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 while running 8% cooler.
Gtx 1080 Vs Rtx 3060: Red Dead Redemption 2
Rockstar created and published Red Dead Redemption 2 in 2018. It stands out among contemporary PC games thanks to the meticulous attention to physics and aesthetics, and the visuals are still breathtaking four years after.
Red Dead Redemption 2 requires a powerful graphics card in order to render all of those intricacies. Although the game is really well optimized, it is quite GPU intensive. RDR2 was tested at 1080p resolution with the highest settings, much like every other game on this list.
In comparison to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, which was averaging 57 FPS while operating at a temperature of 57°C, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 was able to achieve an average frame rate of 43 FPS while operating at a temperature of 67°C.
Additionally, Red Dead Redemption 2 saw a nice improvement for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, which produced 25% more frames per second than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080. Also 15% cooler than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 was the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060.
Gtx 1080 Vs Rtx 3060: Microsoft Flight Simulator
2020 saw the official release of Microsoft Flight Simulator, which is regarded as a very realistic flight simulator. The experience feels incredibly realistic because of the graphics. A 1080p resolution test using high settings was also performed on Microsoft Flight Simulator.
Using Microsoft Flight Simulator as an example, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 saw an average frame output of 39 FPS while operating at a temperature of 72°C, as opposed to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060’s 54 FPS at 58°C.
This indicates that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 was 20% cooler overall and produced 10% more frames than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080.
Gtx 1080 Vs Rtx 3060: The Witcher 3
Despite its 2015 release, The Witcher 3 is still a beloved game. The game is also a breathtaking interpretation of the action role-playing videogame genre from CDProjekt Red. It received favorable reviews and was a huge financial success for the creators.
Last but not least, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 achieves an average frame rate of 65 FPS while operating at a temperature of 69°C in the Witcher 3 benchmark.
On the other hand, we can observe that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 operates at a significantly lower temperature of 57°C, averaging 86 frames per second. Similar to other benchmarks, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 performed 18% cooler and output frames 25% faster in this one.
Gtx 1080 Vs Rtx 3060: Which One Should You Get?
Finally, we’ve gathered some information from our NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 comparison that should be set out before you decide which one to purchase.
First off, we are aware that the 3060 has more recent technology than the 1080 and is the more contemporary graphics card. Nobody anticipated 1080 to compete so well, despite its faster clock speeds and additional VRAM.
Having said that, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 outperformed the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 in every game that was evaluated, with a frame rate that was on average 25% higher. It’s also important to note that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 performed 15% cooler than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 across all games tested.
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 can also run all of these games in the playable FPS range at 1080p resolution, despite the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 being a significant upgrade over its old predecessor.
Consider purchasing a 3060 if you require the extra frames and want an experience that is more future-proof. If not, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 will be much less expensive and offer sufficient performance to last for a few more years before it becomes genuinely out of date.