GeForce GTX 1080 vs Radeon RX Vega 56
Performance-wise the GeForce GTX 1080 is out front, noticeably faster, roughly 8% up on the Radeon RX Vega 56. It is also the stronger value pick here, so it's the easy recommendation if your budget allows.
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GeForce GTX 1080 vs Radeon RX Vega 56: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce GTX 1080 vs Radeon RX Vega 56
The GeForce GTX 1080 is noticeably faster, around 8% ahead of the Radeon RX Vega 56. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to entry-level 1080p.
Price & Value
Right now the Radeon RX Vega 56 starts at $150 USD against $160 USD for the GeForce GTX 1080. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the GeForce GTX 1080 wins on performance-per-dollar. The Radeon RX Vega 56 is trading below its $399 USD MSRP — a genuine deal. The GeForce GTX 1080 is trading below its $599 USD MSRP — a genuine deal.
Power & Efficiency
The GeForce GTX 1080 sips power at 180W next to the Radeon RX Vega 56's 210W, and still leads on performance-per-watt — quieter, cooler, and gentler on your PSU.
Features & Ecosystem
Beyond raw numbers, the GeForce GTX 1080 brings NVIDIA DLSS upscaling/frame generation and stronger ray tracing, while the Radeon RX Vega 56 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 GTX 1080 or Radeon RX Vega 56?
The GeForce GTX 1080 is the all-round winner here — it's faster and the better value, so buy it if it fits your budget. Only consider the Radeon RX Vega 56 if you find it at a steep discount.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GeForce GTX 1080 better than the Radeon RX Vega 56?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 1080 or the Radeon RX Vega 56?
Is the GeForce GTX 1080 worth the extra $10 USD over the Radeon RX Vega 56?
Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 1080 or Radeon RX Vega 56?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1080 | Radeon RX Vega 56 |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Pascal | GCN 5.0 (Vega) |
| Process Node | TSMC 16nm | GloFo 14nm |
| CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / Stream Processors) | 2,560 | 3,584✓ |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1080 | Radeon RX Vega 56 |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,607 MHz✓ | 1,156 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1,733 MHz✓ | 1,471 MHz |
Memory
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1080 | Radeon RX Vega 56 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5X | HBM2 |
| Memory Bus | 256-bit | 2048-bit✓ |
| Memory Speed | 10 Gbps✓ | 1.6 Gbps |
| Bandwidth | 320 GB/s | 409.6 GB/s✓ |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1080 | Radeon RX Vega 56 |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |
| TDP | 180 W✓ | 210 W |
| Power Connectors | 1x 8-pin | 2x 8-pin |
| Released | May 2016 | Aug 2017 |