GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER vs GeForce RTX 3060 12GB
The GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER pulls ahead here — clearly quicker, about 17% ahead of the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB. But the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is the better value, undercutting it by $195 CAD for the performance you get.
Maximum Capacity Reached. Remove a model to add another. (2/2)
GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER vs GeForce RTX 3060 12GB: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER vs GeForce RTX 3060 12GB
The GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER is noticeably faster, around 17% ahead of the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to 1080p.
Price & Value
Pricing has the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB at $300 CAD, $195 CAD under the GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER's $495 CAD. Despite being slower, the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB offers the better performance-per-dollar (~41% better value), so budget-focused buyers should weigh it carefully. The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is trading below its $329 CAD MSRP — a genuine deal. The GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER is trading below its $699 CAD MSRP — a genuine deal.
Power & Efficiency
Power draw favors the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB (170W vs 250W), and it's the more efficient card too, so it's the easy pick if thermals or a smaller PSU matter. Its more modern Ampere architecture on a Samsung 8nm process is part of why it does more with each watt.
VRAM & Future-Proofing
The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB carries 12GB versus 8GB on the GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER. The extra 4GB helps at 4K, with high-resolution texture packs, and for content-creation or local-AI workloads that exhaust smaller buffers. The GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER's memory is also faster — 496 GB/s versus 360 GB/s (256-bit vs 192-bit bus) — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.
Generation & Longevity
The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is roughly 2 years newer than the GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER (Ampere vs Turing), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Which should you buy: GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER or GeForce RTX 3060 12GB?
Choose the GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER if you want the most performance and can absorb the higher price. If you're optimizing for value, the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB stretches your money further for only slightly lower performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER better than the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER or the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB?
Is the GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER worth the extra $195 CAD over the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB?
Does the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB have enough VRAM advantage to matter?
Which should you buy: GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER or GeForce RTX 3060 12GB?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Turing | Ampere |
| Process Node | TSMC 12nm | Samsung 8nm |
| CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / CUDA Cores) | 3,072 | 3,584✓ |
| Ray Tracing Cores | 48✓ | 28 |
| Tensor / AI Cores | 384✓ | 112 |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,650 MHz✓ | 1,320 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1,815 MHz✓ | 1,777 MHz |
Memory
| Specification | GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 8 GB | 12 GB✓ |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | 256-bit✓ | 192-bit |
| Memory Speed | 15.5 Gbps✓ | 15 Gbps |
| Bandwidth | 496.1 GB/s✓ | 360 GB/s |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 |
| TDP | 250 W | 170 W✓ |
| Power Connectors | 1x 8-pin, 1x 6-pin | 1x 8-pin |
| Released | Jul 2019 | Feb 2021 |
Related Reading
How to Run Powerful Local LLMs on a Budget GPU in 2026
An 8GB GPU can now run near-flagship open models locally. Here's how QAT, MoE, llama.cpp offloading and MTP turn a budget PC into a private AI rig in 2026.
Intel Arc Alchemist in 2026: Is a Used A580, A750 or A770 Still Worth Buying?
Every Arc Alchemist card is discontinued, and Battlemage replaced them. So what does a used A580, A750 or A770 still buy you — and at what price does it beat a new Arc B580? An honest retrospective on Intel's first discrete GPUs.