GPU Comparison
Select up to 2 GPUs to analyze their pricing, performance, and specifications side-by-side.
Market Value Leader
Only verified data for GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is available. Benchmarks for other models are currently being processed.
The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is significantly faster than the GeForce GTX 1080 Laptop, leading by roughly 29% in our performance index.
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GeForce RTX 3060 12GB vs GeForce GTX 1080 Laptop: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce RTX 3060 12GB vs GeForce GTX 1080 Laptop
The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is significantly faster, around 29% ahead of the GeForce GTX 1080 Laptop. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to 1080p. The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB packs 3,584 CUDA cores versus 2,560 on the GeForce GTX 1080 Laptop.
Power & Efficiency
The GeForce GTX 1080 Laptop pulls less power (150W vs 170W), so it's the easier card to cool and the lighter load on your PSU. The faster GeForce RTX 3060 12GB 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 12GB against 8GB, the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB has more headroom for 4K textures and memory-hungry creative/AI tasks where the GeForce GTX 1080 Laptop's 8GB can fall short. The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB's memory is also faster — 360 GB/s versus 320 GB/s (192-bit vs 256-bit bus) — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.
Generation & Longevity
The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is roughly 5 years newer than the GeForce GTX 1080 Laptop (Ampere vs Pascal), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 1080 Laptop or GeForce RTX 3060 12GB?
The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is the faster card by about 29%. 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 3060 12GB better than the GeForce GTX 1080 Laptop?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 1080 Laptop or the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB?
Does the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB have enough VRAM advantage to matter?
Can the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB or GeForce GTX 1080 Laptop handle ray tracing?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1080 Laptop | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Pascal | Ampere |
| Process Node | TSMC 16nm | Samsung 8nm |
| CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / CUDA Cores) | 2,560 | 3,584✓ |
| Ray Tracing Cores | 0 | 28✓ |
| Tensor / AI Cores | 0 | 112✓ |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1080 Laptop | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,556 MHz✓ | 1,320 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1,733 MHz | 1,777 MHz✓ |
Memory
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1080 Laptop | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 8 GB | 12 GB✓ |
| Memory Type | GDDR5X | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | 256-bit✓ | 192-bit |
| Memory Speed | 10 Gbps | 15 Gbps✓ |
| Bandwidth | 320 GB/s | 360 GB/s✓ |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1080 Laptop | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 |
| TDP | 150 W✓ | 170 W |
| Power Connectors | None | 1x 8-pin |
| Released | Aug 2016 | Feb 2021 |
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