GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Vs RTX 3060: We Tested 7 Games

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Shehryar Khan

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Pros And Cons

Comparison Table

Architectural Details

1. Process Node: The RTX 3060 utilizes an 8nm process node, showcasing technological progress compared to the GTX 1080 Ti’s 16nm process node from an earlier era.
2. Clock Speed: Moreover, the RTX 3060 boasts a Base Clock of 1320 MHz and a Boost Clock of 1777 MHz, showcasing enhanced performance potential. In contrast, the GTX 1080 Ti features a Base Clock of 1481 MHz and a Boost Clock of 1582 MHz.
3. VRAM: With 12GB of GDDR6 memory, the RTX 3060 surpasses the GTX 1080 Ti’s 11GB GDDR5X VRAM, promising improved data handling capabilities.
4. TDP: In addition, the RTX 3060 maintains a power-efficient stance with a 170W TDP, contrasting the GTX 1080 Ti’s higher 250W TDP, which may impact power consumption considerations.
5. Supported Technologies: Lastly, the RTX 3060 introduces DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) technology, enhancing performance and visual quality, a feature that the GTX 1080 Ti lacks.
   

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Today, we shall compare a relatively new budget GPU with an older flagship and see if you’re better off spending money on a newer GPU, or if the older flagships still have any juice left in them in 2024. The graphics cards in the equation are GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Vs RTX 3060.

GTX 1080 Ti Vs RTX 3060 Gaming Benchmarks

After we’ve gone over the specifications and differences between these GPUs, let’s take a closer look at them by comparing them in some gaming benchmarks. 

• CPU: Intel Core i9 13900K
• Motherboard: Asus ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming
• RAM: XPG Lancer RGB 32GB 7200MT/s DDR5
• SSD – XPG GAMMIX S70 BLADE 2TB NVMe
• PSU – ENERMAX REVOLUTION D.F. X 1050W
• CPU Cooler – Arctic Liquid Freezer II 420 – AIO Water Cooler

Cyberpunk 2077

• Right from the start, the 3060 delivered an average of 37 fps in Cyberpunk 2077, while the 1080 Ti was only 3 frames behind, providing an average of 34 fps.
• When it came to 1% lows, the difference was just a single frame difference in favor of the 3060. It maintained 29 fps for 1% lows, while the 1080 Ti trailed slightly behind at 28 fps.

Forza Horizon 5

• In my thorough testing, I observed a shift in performance in Forza Horizon 5. The GTX 1080 Ti provided an average of 69 fps, while the RTX 3060 was slightly behind, delivering an average of 67 fps, trailing by a mere 2 frames.
• This difference extended to the 1% lows as well, with the 1080 Ti holding an advantage of only 2 frames. It consistently maintained an average of 60 fps for 1% lows, whereas the RTX 3060 averaged nearly 58 fps for the same metric.  

Resident Evil 4 Remake

• In my hands-on evaluation, I observed that the 1080 Ti consistently delivered an average of 53 fps in this demanding title, while the 3060, in contrast, lagged behind by 5 frames, maxing out at 48 fps.
• Although the gap in 1% lows narrowed slightly, the 1080 Ti still maintained an advantage of 6.25%. It achieved 33 1% low fps, with the 3060 closely trailing at 31 1% low fps, lagging by just 2 frames.

Call Of Duty Warzone 2.0

• At Call of Duty Warzone 2.0, both GPUs impressively delivered a solid 60 fps gaming experience. The 3060 led the way with an average of 64 fps, while the 1080 Ti followed closely, maintaining an average of around 61 fps.
• The 1% lows echoed a similar narrative in my opinion, with the 3060 now ahead by a margin of 6.6%. It consistently provided 31 1% low fps, whereas the 1080 Ti lagged slightly with an average of 29 fps for 1% lows.  

The Witcher 3 (Next Gen Patch)

• In my experience, I found that The Witcher 3 favored the GTX 1080 Ti over the RTX 3060, offering 7.7% more average frames. The 1080 Ti provided an impressive average frame rate of 40 fps, while the 3060 maxed out at 37 fps.
• The difference there ballooned to a substantial 9.5% in favor of the 1080 Ti. The 1% lows generated by the RTX 3060 averaged around 30, whereas the 1080 Ti led by a margin of 3 frames, yielding an average of 33 1% low fps.  

A Plague Tale Requiem

• My time spent playing A Plague Tale Requiem confirmed that the 1080 Ti excelled with an impressive average of 53 frames, while the 3060 faced some struggles, falling slightly below the 50 fps mark with an average of 49.
• For 1% lows, the RTX 3060 hovered around 31, while the 1080 Ti held a slight lead with an average of 32 for 1% low frame rate.

Spiderman Miles Morales

• While testing the Spider-Man: Miles Morales, I observed one of the smallest differences. The 1080 Ti consistently delivered an average of 64 frames, while the 3060, this time, was not far behind, offering an average of 63 frames.
• However, the 1% lows told a different story altogether. The 3060 now provided a 54% boost in 1% low frame rates. It managed to maintain an average of 56 frames for 1% lows, while the 1080 Ti struggled to reach 32 frames for the same metric.  
  

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Overall Gaming Performance 

From what I saw, the Nvidia Geforce GTX 1080 Ti ended up outperforming the Geforce RTX 3060 by an average of about 2.42% at 1440p in terms of average fps. 1% lows were in favor of the RTX 3060.  On average, I observed a 7.4% difference.

Editor`s Note

In terms of RAW performance, the 1080Ti may seem to give competition to the RTX 3060, but the Pascal architecture has started showing its age. The new games will make use of the shaders that 1080 Ti can not provide.

– Shehryar Khan

Thermal Efficiency

During the course of the benchmark, the Geforce RTX 3060 ran marginally hotter than the Geforce GTX 1080 Ti. The difference in thermals roughly came down to 3.14% in favor of the GTX 1080 Ti. 

Pricing And Availability

This makes the GTX 1080 Ti a whopping 72% more expensive than the RTX 3060 at the launch price. However, luckily, this GPU has been out for a while now, and it does not sell anywhere near this price, and you can find it for much cheaper at around $400.

Which One Would I Recommend?

RTX 3060: At launch price, the RTX 3060, in my opinion, is a much easier recommendation out of the two since it provides much more value for the price it’s being sold at. It is roughly 72% cheaper than the GTX 1080 Ti, and on average, it performs 2% worse in games. It can also get by on a smaller PSU as it consumes 38% less power. Lastly, it boasts a superior architecture, with additional perks such as Ray Tracing, DLSS, and longer driver support. 

GTX 1080 Ti: For 1080 Ti to be worth getting, you must find it for a much lower price than what it was released for. That should not be a problem, as it has been out for a while, so you should be able to find it for cheaper. On average, it goes anywhere between $300-500 depending on the variant. However, I’d only recommend you to consider it if you can find it around $300 cause only then it starts to become a good recommendation compared to the 3060. 

The GeForce RTX 3060 and Geforce GTX 1080 Ti, as of now, are two of the most popular GPUs that you could find between the $300-400 price range in their respective series. However, which one you should get will depend greatly on your use case and how much you are willing to spend.

More from GTX 1080 Ti:

• GTX 1080 Ti Vs RTX 2060
• GTX 1080 Ti Vs RTX 2080 Ti
• GTX 1080 Vs RTX 2080

More from RTX 3060:

• RTX 3060 Vs 3060 Ti
• RTX 3050 Vs RTX 3060
• RX 5700 XT Vs RTX 3060

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Shehryar Khan

[Comparisons Expert]

Shehryar Khan, a seasoned PC hardware expert, brings over three years of extensive experience and a deep passion for the world of technology. With a love for building PCs and a genuine enthusiasm for exploring the latest advancements in components, his expertise shines through his work and dedication towards this field. Currently, Shehryar is rocking a custom loop setup for his built.

Get In Touch: shehryar@tech4gamers.com