GPU Comparison
Select up to 2 GPUs to analyze their pricing, performance, and specifications side-by-side.
The GeForce RTX 3080 is dramatically faster than the GeForce GTX 1080, leading by roughly 169% in our performance index. It is also the stronger value pick here, so it's the easy recommendation if your budget allows.
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GeForce RTX 3080 vs GeForce GTX 1080: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce RTX 3080 vs GeForce GTX 1080
The GeForce RTX 3080 is dramatically faster, around 169% ahead of the GeForce GTX 1080. That gap is enough to move it up a tier: the GeForce RTX 3080 is comfortable at 1440p, while the GeForce GTX 1080 is better matched to entry-level 1080p. The GeForce RTX 3080 packs 8,704 CUDA cores versus 2,560 on the GeForce GTX 1080.
Price & Value
Right now the GeForce GTX 1080 starts at $350 CAD against $580 CAD for the GeForce RTX 3080. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the GeForce RTX 3080 wins on performance-per-dollar by about 62%. The GeForce GTX 1080 is trading below its $599 CAD MSRP — a genuine deal. The GeForce RTX 3080 is trading below its $699 CAD MSRP — a genuine deal.
Power & Efficiency
The GeForce GTX 1080 pulls less power (180W vs 320W), so it's the easier card to cool and the lighter load on your PSU. The faster GeForce RTX 3080 draws more overall but extracts more performance from each watt — plan for a sturdier power supply if you pick it. Its more modern Ampere architecture on a Samsung 8nm process is part of why it does more with each watt.
VRAM & Future-Proofing
With 10GB against 8GB, the GeForce RTX 3080 has more headroom for 4K textures and memory-hungry creative/AI tasks where the GeForce GTX 1080's 8GB can fall short. The GeForce RTX 3080's memory is also faster — 760 GB/s versus 320 GB/s (320-bit vs 256-bit bus) — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.
Generation & Longevity
The GeForce RTX 3080 is roughly 4 years newer than the GeForce GTX 1080 (Ampere vs Pascal), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 1080 or GeForce RTX 3080?
The GeForce RTX 3080 is the all-round winner here — it's faster and the better value, so buy it if it fits your budget. Only consider the GeForce GTX 1080 if you find it at a steep discount.