RTX 2060 Vs GTX 1080 Ti: Full Comparison 2023

While discussing the most successful graphics cards, the mention of the GTX 1080 Ti comes up very often. On the other hand, cards included in the RTX 2000 series, like the RTX 2060, were not well received. In this comparison, I will compare the RTX 2060 vs GTX 1080 Ti to see which one best suits your needs.

Key Takeaways

• Using traditional rendering methods, the GTX 1080 Ti was about 27% faster in games.
• The temperatures between the RTX 2060 and GTX 1080 Ti did not differ substantially in general gaming.
• Ray tracing flipped the tables on our results. The RTX 2060 was about 14% faster in ray-tracing titles, though it was also 9% hotter.

RTX 2060 Vs GTX 1080 Ti

Comparison Table

Architecture

The differences between the Turing and Pascal architectures employed by the RTX 2060 and GTX 1080 Ti are not focused on jumps in performance. Rather, the newer RTX series employed Turing to solve their performance problems in a smarter way. 

This includes using DLSS and shrinking down the manufacturing nodes so that users can enjoy the similar performance while using significantly less power.

Also Read: RTX 2060 Vs GTX 1660 Ti

Memory

The memory situation on the GTX 1080 Ti is fairly standard, with 11 GB of DDR5X memory, which is incredible for the time it launched in. When we come to the RTX 2060, things start to get hazier. 

For starters, the RTX 2060 comes in a couple of variants; the most mainstream ones are the RTX 2060 6 GB and the RTX 2060 12 GB. The 12 GB card was launched quite a bit after the initial release in December 2021. 

For the purposes of these tests, I have used the older RTX 2060 6 GB, but the 12 GB model should give you substantially better performance in modern games that require more and more VRAM.

Design

The GTX 1080 Ti is a substantially longer card than the RTX 2060, coming in at 10.5 inches length-wise. You should remember this while deciding on your purchase, as a graphics card of this size might also warrant a larger case.

Power

The RTX series of graphics cards are discredited for their performance, but they actually did make a significant jump in performance per watt of modern graphics cards.

The TDP of the GTX 1080 Ti is about 90 watts higher than the RTX 2060, giving you yet another factor to keep in mind while purchasing.

Also Check: RTX 2060 Vs AMD RX 6600 XT

GTX 1080 Ti Vs RTX 2060: Gaming Performance

In this comparison section, I will enlist the performance of the RTX 2060 vs GTX 1080 Ti in various titles. To satisfy your curiosity, I have included some ray-tracing benchmarks. All these tests were performed on a controlled test bench at 1080p. The specifications of the test bench are listed below:

• OS – Windows 10 Pro
• CPU – Intel i5-9600k
• Motherboard – Asus ROG Strix Z390-F Gaming
• Graphics Card – RTX 2060 6Gb
• Graphics Card – GTX 1080 Ti 11Gb
• RAM – 16Gb RAM 3200Mhz

Forza Horizon 5 (Ultra Settings)

• In Forza Horizon 5 at ultra settings, the GTX 1080 Ti exhibited exceptional performance with an average of 142 FPS, surpassing the RTX 2060’s 110 FPS.
• During demanding moments in the game, the GTX 1080 Ti maintained superior performance with 1% lows of 107 FPS, beating out the RTX 2060’s 95 FPS.
• The RTX 2060 peaked at 59°C, while the GTX 1080 Ti was significantly hotter at 64°C.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (Ultra Settings)

• When playing Assassin’s Creed Odyssey at ultra settings, the GTX 1080 Ti came out ahead with an average of 76 FPS, surpassing the RTX 2060’s 62 FPS.
• Surprisingly, In this title, the RTX 2060 pulls out ahead with slightly better 1% lows, though the difference between the two cards is insignificant. The RTX 2060 managed to get 48 FPS as its 1% lows, while the GTX 1080 Ti came in a bit lower with 46 FPS.
• The peak temperatures in AC Odyssey were hotter on the RTX 2060, with a peak of 66°C compared to the 61°C on the GTX 1080 Ti.

Also Read: RTX 2060 Vs GTX 1080

Hitman 2 (Ultra Settings)

• When playing Assassin’s Creed Odyssey at ultra settings, the GTX 1080 Ti delivered a remarkable average of 112 FPS, surpassing the RTX 2060’s 85 FPS.
• The GTX 1080 Ti maintained its superiority with 1% lows of 85 FPS in Hitman 2, outperforming the RTX 2060’s 67 FPS.
• Peak temperatures were greater on the GTX card in this game, with a peak of 69°C compared to 65°C on the RTX 2060.

Far Cry A New Dawn (Ultra Settings)

• When playing Far Cry A New Dawn at ultra settings, the GTX 1080 Ti kept its lead with an average of 115 FPS, outperforming the RTX 2060’s 103 FPS.
• The GTX 1080 Ti kept ahead in performance with 1% lows of 83 FPS, surpassing the RTX 2060’s 79 FPS.
• The RTX 2060 reached a peak temperature of 66°C, while the GTX 1080 Ti maintained a lower peak temperature of 62°C.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (Ultra Settings)

• When playing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt at ultra settings, the GTX 1080 Ti shines with an impressive average of 145 FPS, surpassing the RTX 2060’s much lower 104 FPS average.
• The GTX 1080 Ti provided 1% lows of 122 FPS compared to the RTX 2060’s 88 FPS.
• The RTX 2060 peaked at 65°C while the GTX 1080 Ti was slightly hotter at 68°C.

Also Read: RTX 3050 Vs 2060

Ray Tracing – Metro Exodus (Ultra Quality)

• With ultra-quality settings and ray tracing enabled in Metro Exodus, the RTX 2060 showcases a solid average of 65 FPS. The GTX 1080 Ti struggled to maintain 40 FPS because it lacked dedicated RT hardware.
• Regarding challenging game scenes, the RTX 2060 outperformed the GTX 1080 Ti with 1% lows of 50 FPS, compared to the 1080’s 27 FPS.
• The maximum temperature achieved by the RTX 2060 was 70°C, whereas the GTX 1080 Ti reached a much lower peak temperature of 55°C. The use of the 2060’s RT cores is the reason for this much warmer temperature.

Metro Exodus (Ultra Quality)

• The GTX 1080 Ti exhibited superior performance in Metro Exodus with ultra-quality settings and ray tracing disabled, boasting an average of 123 FPS, significantly higher than the RTX 2060’s 102 FPS.
• The GTX 1080 Ti maintained better performance with 1% lows of 85 FPS, leaving the 65 FPS offered by the RTX 2060 in the dust.
• While the RTX 2060 reached a peak temperature of 62°C, the GTX 1080 Ti operated at a higher peak temperature of 65°C.

Ray Tracing – Battlefield V (Ultra Settings)

• When playing Battlefield V with ultra settings and DXR
   (DirectX Raytracing) the GTX 1080 Ti achieved an average of 62 FPS, slightly outperforming the RTX 2060’s 58 FPS.
• During demanding gameplay scenarios, the GTX 1080 Ti performed better with 1% lows of 40 FPS, surpassing the RTX 2060’s 37 FPS. The difference here is practically unnoticeable.
• The RTX 2060 reached a peak temperature of 62°C, while the GTX 1080 Ti operated at a slightly higher peak temperature of 65°C.

Similar Comparisons: RX 6600 Vs RTX 2060

Battlefield V ( Ultra Settings)

• Turning off DXR in Battlefield V at ultra settings, the GTX 1080 Ti showcased impressive performance with an average of 135 FPS, outperforming the RTX 2060’s 103 FPS.
• The GTX 1080 Ti maintained superior performance with 1% lows of 92 FPS, surpassing the RTX 2060’s 87 FPS.
• The RTX 2060 reached a peak temperature of 63°C, while the GTX 1080 Ti ran at a slightly higher peak temperature of 64°C.

Ray Tracing – Shadow Of The Tomb Raider (High Settings)

• Shadow of the Tomb Raider with ray tracing enabled and high settings showed a similar average FPS performance between the RTX 2060 and the GTX 1080 Ti, with the RTX 2060 achieving 51 FPS and the GTX 1080 Ti reaching 50 FPS. This is likely because the implementation of ray tracing in SoTR is primitive enough not to use the RT hardware but basic enough to even the playing field.
• The RTX 2060 performs better with 44 FPS compared to the GTX 1080 Ti’s 31 FPS. This difference showcases the disparity between the modernity of the hardware of the 2060 cards.
• The RTX 2060 reached a peak temperature of 60°C, while the GTX 1080 Ti operated at a slightly cooler temperature of 55°C.

Shadow Of The Tomb Raider (High Settings)

• Shadow of the Tomb Raider running at high settings showcased the superior performance of the GTX 1080 Ti, achieving an impressive average of 128 FPS. Meanwhile, the RTX 2060 delivers a respectable average of 99 FPS.
• The GTX 1080 Ti maintained better performance with 1% lows of 80 FPS, while the RTX 2060 lags with 70 FPS.
• The RTX 2060 reached a peak temperature of 71°C, while the GTX 1080 Ti maintained a slightly lower peak of 66°C.

Also Check: RTX 2060 Vs 3060

Overall Gaming Performance

In this section of the RTX 2060 vs GTX 1080 Ti comparison, I will discuss the findings of the gaming benchmarks in terms of 1% lows, averages, and temperatures over 9 games. I will also give my insights into the difference between the traditionally rastorized performance vs the ray-traced performance in each metric.

Frame Rates

During the benchmarks, the GTX 1080 dominated the RTX 2060 without fail in traditionally rendered titles by a good margin.

• The RT 2060 had an average of 96 FPS over 9 games, whereas the GTX 1080 Ti brought up its average to about 122 FPS.
• The difference is these metrics is about 27% in favor of the GTX card.

However, the ray-traced performance tells a different story.

• In ray-traced titles, the RTX 2060 got about 58 FPS on average, while the GTX 1080 Ti managed to get about 50 FPS.
• This disparity was about 14% in favor of the RTX card.

Though both cards are not recommended to be used in junction with ray tracing, the RTX 2060 outperforms the GTX 1080 Ti.

Also, note that only one of the three “ray-traced” was a tried and true implementation, as Battlefield V and SoTR do not use full ray-tracing.

Switch gears to an arguably more important metric. The average 1% lows on these cards were very acceptable.

• The RTX 2060 had an average of 75 FPS in rasterized games, whereas the GTX 1080 Ti had an average of 87.5 FPS. Both of these are well above the enjoyable threshold.
• These cards do not give satisfying results for 1% lows in ray-traced games. The RTX 2060 comes in at about a 44 FPS average, whereas the GTX 1080 Ti underperforms even further with an average of 33 FPS. 

Note that these benchmarks were not taken in the most modern titles, and they may fall with more demanding games. 

These cards perform great in rasterized titles but are not enjoyable to play with ray tracing.

Temperatures

The peak temperatures on both cards were very comparable in rasterized titles.

• The RTX 2060 had an average peak temperature of 64.4°C, whereas the GTX 1080 Ti was marginally warmer at 64.5°C. This difference can be chalked up to the margin of error. 
• Going over the temperatures with ray-tracing enabled, the RTX 2060 heated up substantially. It had an average temperature of 64°C compared to 58°C on the GTX 1080 Ti. 

Anyhow, ray tracing or not, the temperatures on these cards are well within safe margins, and you should not worry about overheating if you get your hands on these cards in good condition.

Also Read: RTX 2060 Vs RX Vega 56

RTX 2060 Vs 1080 Ti: Price And Availability

The RTX 2060 had a modest MSRP of $349 at launch, whereas the GTX 1080 Ti represented the absolute best from Nvidia at the time of launch, appropriately reflected in its price tag of $699.

Buying these cards so late in their life cycle for their full MSRP would be an unwise decision. For this reason, we would recommend buying these cards from used resalers, further sweetening the value proposition. You can find a  GTX 1080 Ti for around $170 on eBay, whereas the RTX 2060 comes a bit cheaper, selling around the $150 mark. 

You will unlikely find these cards at bring brand stores so late in their lifecycle, though you can get them new and used from online resellers.

Which One Should You Go For?

After discussing the real-world performance of both these cards, in this section of the RTX 2060 vs 1080 Ti comparison, I will highlight which card is the better choice for your gaming needs.

If you need a card that will last you longer, I recommend the 1080 Ti. Despite it being much older than the RTX 2060, it still has noticeable performance gains over that card. This and the extra VRAM allow it to be much more future-proofed. Sure, you get a noticeable performance hit in ray-traced games, but turning on ray-tracing with the RTX 2060 is not an enjoyable experience either.

Similar Comparisons: GTX 1080 Ti Vs RTX 2080 Ti

On the other hand, if you need a cheaper card that gets you almost all the way there, the RTX 2060 is a great deal. Turning on DLSS ensures great performance at 1080p high, no matter the game.

Overall, both these graphics cards represent solid value for their costs.

Pros And Cons