GPU

RTX 3060 vs 3080 – Which One Should You Pick Up

The RTX 3060 and the RTX 3080 are two of the most popular GPUs that you can get your hands on. However, at the same time, they are inherently different from each other and that raises some confusion as to which one you should be picking up.

You see, the RTX 3060 vs 3080 debate is something that has been going on for the longest time and while I do personally own an RTX 3080, I have also experienced a good amount of time with the RTX 3060 and I can already tell you that the differences between both GPUs are clearly there but we are going to make matters easier for you and talk about things in detail so you do not have to worry much.

Let’s have a look, shall we?

RTX 3060 vs 3080 – Comparing the Specs

Now, I am going to make it clear right away that the RTX 3060 and the RTX 3080 are inherently different cards. The former is better suited for those who are looking for an entry level experience while the latter is for those who are looking for a higher-end gaming experience with the ability to play games at 4K with ease.

However, comparing specs is one thing that we have to do at all costs, so you can tell which one you should be looking into and have the ability to decide properly and that too, without any issues.  

RTX 3060RTX 3060 Ti
GPUGA106GA108
CUDA Cores3,5848,704
Tensor Cores112272
RT Cores2868
Stream Multiprocessors2868
Memory12GB GDDR610GB GDDR6X
Memory speed15GT/s19GT/s
Memory bandwidth360GB/s760GB/s
Clock speed (base/boost)1,320 MHz / 1,780 MHz1,440 MHz / 1,710 MHz
Power connector1x 8-pin1x 12-pin
TDP170W320W

Looking at these specs, you should have some idea just how different the RTX 3080 is as compared to the RTX 3060. But does this difference actually translate into raw power? That is exactly what we are going to look into and trust me, I can tell you that the performance difference is there.

As I have mentioned in all my past comparisons, the specs that we have mentioned here are all belonging to reference variants and not the after market

RTX 3060 vs 3080 – Performance

Performance is perhaps the most important pat whenever you are looking at a GPU and that is what we are going to focus on. Both GPUs are inherently different and that is something we have already established but we are going to take things further and explore them in detail. The purpose is rather simple, we want everyone to be able to pick the right GPU without any issues.

Now, it is worth noting that the RTX 3060 is better for 1080p gaming whereas RTX 3080 can easily handle 4K gaming, too. Therefore, in order to keep the playing field equal and balanced, we are only going to run games at 1080p to get proper results across the board.

  • Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: 72 average FPS on RTX 3060 and 96 average FPS on RTX 3080
  • Cyberpunk 2077: 61 average FPS on RTX 3060 and 110 average FPS on RTX 3080
  • Hitman 3: 119 average FPS on RTX 3060 and 191 average FPS on RTX 3080
  • Red Dead Redemption 2: 71 average FPS on RTX 3060 and 114 average FPS on RTX 3080
  • Call of Duty Warzone: 127 average FPS on RTX 3060 and 177 average FPS on RTX 3080

All the tests that we conducted were done at 1080p and we had turned off DLSS as well as Raytracing to ensure that the performance is measured properly on both GPUs. If you have been looking to make a decision, this is perhaps the best way to ensure that you are making the right one without confusion coming in your way.

I wouldn’t even say that there is a comparison here because both GPUs are drastically different in terms of the performance so picking up the RTX 3080 would make a lot of sense.

RTX 3060 vs 3080 – Extra Features

With our comparison out of the way, we can finally focus on extra features. So far, the RTX 3080 is a crowning achievement and this is not going to change much further, to be honest.

Why? Well, the RTX 3000 series contains both the RTX 3080 and the RTX 3060 and the feature set is identical, to say the least. However, the RTX 3080 actually comes with higher CUDA, Tensor, and RT cores.  All of these combined ensure that the RTX 3080 comes out on top and that too, without breaking a sweat.

RTX 3060 vs 3080 – Which One Should You Pick Up

The last part before conclusion is all about answering your questions and to be honest, I think the comparison alone has answered all the questions that you might have otherwise. However, if you are still stuck wondering what needs to be done, worry not as we have gotten your back.

When you are talking about picking up either the RTX 3080 or the RTX 3060, the absolute answer is the former because it is faster in almost every single aspect. However, that does not mean that we should forget the fact that just faster is not the only thing; it is also more expensive and consumes more power, which means that you will absolutely have to take care of the fact that you are looking at the right GPU and you have the system built for it or else you will run into bottleneck.

Picking the RTX 3080 is the definitive choice and I cannot really suggest anything else, for that matter.

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Conclusion

Simply put, I think I answered almost everything that one needs to know when they are comparing RTX 3080 with the RTX 3060. The comparison might be a confusing one but the best thing is that it is something simple and straightforward, and for the most part, will allow you to pick up the right GPU without too much of a hassle.

I do understand that budget-minded folk might want to invest in the RTX 3060, but if you have the money and the PC to match, getting the RTX 3060 makes a lot more sense and you will not be disappointed by how good it is.

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