GeForce RTX 3080 12GB vs Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB
The GeForce RTX 3080 12GB is a big jump in performance — leading the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB by roughly 32% in our performance index.
Maximum Capacity Reached. Remove a model to add another. (2/2)
GeForce RTX 3080 12GB vs Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce RTX 3080 12GB vs Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB
The GeForce RTX 3080 12GB is significantly faster, around 32% ahead of the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to 1440p.
Power & Efficiency
The Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB draws just 160W versus 350W for the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB, and it also delivers more performance per watt — so it runs cooler and quieter and needs less PSU headroom. Its more modern RDNA 4 architecture on a TSMC N4 process is part of why it does more with each watt.
VRAM & Future-Proofing
With 16GB against 12GB, the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB has more headroom for 4K textures and memory-hungry creative/AI tasks where the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB's 12GB can fall short.
Generation & Longevity
The Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB is roughly 3 years newer than the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB (RDNA 4 vs Ampere), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Features & Ecosystem
Beyond raw numbers, the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB brings NVIDIA DLSS upscaling/frame generation and stronger ray tracing, while the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB offers AMD FSR upscaling and strong rasterization value. If you lean on upscaling or ray tracing, that ecosystem difference can matter as much as the frame-rate gap.
Which should you buy: GeForce RTX 3080 12GB or Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB?
The GeForce RTX 3080 12GB is the faster card by about 32%. With live pricing limited for this pair, base your decision on the spec differences above — particularly VRAM and power draw — and check current stock before buying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB better than the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce RTX 3080 12GB or the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB?
Does the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB have enough VRAM advantage to matter?
Which should you buy: GeForce RTX 3080 12GB or Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3080 12GB | Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Ampere | RDNA 4 |
| Process Node | Samsung 8nm | TSMC N4 |
| CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / Stream Processors) | 8,960✓ | 2,048 |
| Ray Tracing Cores | — | 32 |
| Tensor / AI Cores | — | 64 |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3080 12GB | Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,440 MHz | 1,700 MHz✓ |
| Boost Clock | 1,710 MHz | 3,130 MHz✓ |
Memory
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3080 12GB | Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 12 GB | 16 GB✓ |
| Memory Type | GDDR6X | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | 384-bit✓ | 128-bit |
| Memory Speed | 19 Gbps | 20 Gbps✓ |
| Bandwidth | 912 GB/s✓ | 322.3 GB/s |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3080 12GB | Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 5.0 x16 |
| TDP | 350 W | 160 W✓ |
| Power Connectors | 2x 8-pin | 1x 8-pin |
| Released | Jan 2022 | Jun 2025 |