Does the RTX 4060 even come close to the RTX 3080?
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We’ve been doing a ton of RTX 4060 comparisons now that the 4060 is here! So, it’s time to check out RTX 4060 vs RTX 3080. These two cards represent different levels of the spectrum, with the 4060 sitting at the lower mid-range of the 40-series, and the RTX 3080 is high end for its generation, the 30-series. However, since there is a generational gap here, it’s worth comparing the two.
It’s time to discuss all the similarities and differences between these two Nvidia GPUs, from the specs to the price. Even though it’s widely available, there are plenty of interesting points to talk about before you should buy a 4060 for yourself. The popular 3080 has been out since 2020 – followed by a 12GB variant in 2022.
High quality and well designed
Overclocked model provides better performance over factory models
Value of the 4060 worse than previous generations
High model cost over other AIBs not too great for value
Cooling overdesigned and large for the graphics power of the card
Very good build quality
Attractive design
The building blocks for the world’s fastest, most efficient GPU
Axial-Tech Fan Design
Quite pricey
The first thing we want to talk about between RTX 4060 vs RTX 3080 is the architecture. Since we’re jumping from 30-series to 40-series, there is an upgrade in the architecture to consider. This is perhaps one of the biggest upgrades to think about, especially since the two cards can’t be compared as closely as the 4060 vs 3060 in terms of power.
Nevertheless, the 40-series architecture offers a valuable upgrade. The RTX 4060 is part of the Ada Lovelace architecture, while the RTX 3080 is on last-gen Ampere. When we move up to Ada Lovelace, we see upgrades such as better ray tracing performance, DLSS 3 frame generation and other AI-based acceleration from the 4th generation Tensor Cores. There is also a considerable increase in power efficiency, which you’ll notice in the specs below. This is in part thanks to the new process node which is dropped from Samsung’s 8nm to TSMC’s smaller 4nm node.
| RTX 4060 | RTX 3080 | |
|---|---|---|
| GPU | AD107 | GA102 |
| Architecture | Ada Lovelace | Ampere |
| GPU process | TSMC 5nm | Samsung 8nm |
| CUDA cores | 3072 | 8960 (12GB) / 8704 (10GB) |
| Base clock speed | 1830 MHz | 1440 MHz |
| Boost clock speed | 2460 MHz | 1710 MHz |
| VRAM | 8GB | 10GB / 12GB GDDR6X |
| Memory bandwidth | 272 GB/s | 760.3 GB/s |
| Memory bus | 128-bit | 320-bit |
| Memory clock | 2125 MHz / 17 Gbps effective | 1188 MHz / 19 Gbps effective |
| TDP | 115W | 320W |
There is a clear difference seen in the specs between the RTX 4060 and RTX 3080. It’s no surprise that the 3080 is considerably more powerful than the 4060 when it comes to raw hardware specs. Even though the 4060 has a better, more efficient GPU process, the 3080 has more than double the CUDA cores and way more VRAM & memory bandwidth to help it accommodate high-end gaming at higher resolutions such as 1440p or 4K.
The clock speeds are higher in the 4060, but this is expected for a newer card and doesn’t tell the whole story. Since the RTX 4060 only sits at 8GB VRAM, it can’t compare to the RTX 3080 at high resolutions – especially the 12GB refresh. However, the much lower TDP of 115W makes it less power hungry and more efficient than the 3080.
Now on to performance. For the RTX 4060, Nvidia released some results which make use of DLSS 3 to show off their better frame generation tech, boasting between 80-100 FPS on titles like Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p ray traced. However, considering this kind of tech can cause input delay or diminished graphical fidelity, raw performance is a must for many gamers. The RTX 3080 is a high performance graphics card, and it out performs the 4060 across the board.
The RTX 4060’s 8GB of VRAM limits it more to 1080p gaming, while the RTX 3080 is capable at 4K over 60 FPS in many titles. The 40-series architecture upgrade does need to be taken into account though if you’ll be making full use of DLSS 3 and improved ray tracing, which will help the 4060 performance in comparison. It is worth remembering that not every game supports DLSS 3, though it is becoming more commonplace.
Just based on the RTX 4060 Ti benchmarks vs RTX 3080, the regular 4060 won’t be a close match. TechSpot’s 15 game average demonstrates the RTX 4060 reaching 91 FPS at 1080p and 61 FPS at 1440p. At lower resolutions, frame rates can get a step closer to the RTX 3080 if all the DLSS and frame generation settings are optimized. The RTX 4060’s massively lower power consumption will be a selling point for many budget PC builders. And the card will be ideal for full HD gaming.
Since we’re talking about two cards that are at different levels in the hierarchy, you can obviously expect different prices. The RTX 3080 has been around for a while though, which does help when seeking out deals or price drops – or even second-hand solutions. Let’s first check out the MSRP at launch.
Obviously the RTX 4060 is more cost effective choice at just $299. When the RTX 3080 released, the GPU market was seeing so many inflated prices. Luckily, much of that has calmed down now and you can find the 3080 under $600 in some cases, even for the 12GB variant. It all depends on manufacturer though, as we’ve even spotted some still sat above the $1000 mark.
If you’re only looking for a GPU which runs at lower resolutions, something like the 4060 or 4060 Ti is the way to go. If aiming for 4K, the RTX 3080 is a much better choice, but the price reflects that.
Overall, the RTX 3080 is more powerful, which makes it better by many people’s metrics. However, figuring out which is best for you depends on a number of factors. Thanks to the jump to 40-series Ada Lovelace architecture, the RTX 4060 can reach great 1080p performance while being much less demanding in terms of power consumption. This will make it better for you if you want a budget option which won’t put too much stress on your system or generate tons of heat.
The RTX 3080 is no doubt better at higher resolutions, and is the only choice here if you’re looking to play at 4K. At 1440p, the RTX 4060 may be practical in less demanding titles, but generally isn’t designed for it and will see worse performance. You’ll have to dig deeper into the bank account though when searching for an RTX 3080, but there is a varied amount of choice between the 10GB and 12GB variants.
Core clock speed
1,830MHz base, 2460MHz boost
CUDA cores
3,072
Memory size
8GB GDDR6
Dimensions
210.1 x 225.0 x 39.9 mm / 8.27 x 8.86 x 1.57 inches (2-slot)
PSU required
550W
TBP
115W
Clock Speed
1815MHz Boost Clock (OC)
VRAM
10GB GDDRX
Thermal Design
TRI FROZR Cooling Solution
The RTX 4060 isn’t designed for 4K gaming, especially as it only has 8GB of VRAM. The mid-range graphics card is instead designed for 1080p. The RTX 3080 on the other hand is a good GPU for 4K gaming, especially the 12GB variant.
The RTX 3080 is in the high-end of Nvidia’s 30-series, meaning it’s a more expensive GPU. Prices were much higher when it released while the GPU market was much more inflated, but we now see prices brought down closer to or below the MSRP of $699.
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