NVIDIA GeForce GT 755M vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB Comparison

The Verdict

The data in this comparison is unambiguous. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB is in a completely different performance class than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 755M. The RTX 3080 12 GB sits at the 28th percentile of all GPUs in the database, while the GT 755M sits at the 24th percentile. While those percentile rankings look close, the actual benchmark scores tell a different story. The RTX 3080 12 GB records a single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4791, which is its average benchmark score. The GT 755M averages 4033 across its recorded Geekbench Metal and OpenCL tests. The RTX 3080 12 GB is roughly 18.8% ahead of the GT 755M in average recorded score, but this gap understates the architectural divide between them.

For gamers and workstation users running modern DX12 titles, the RTX 3080 12 GB is the only viable choice. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), which includes hardware ray tracing and mesh shaders. The GT 755M supports DirectX 12 (11_0), which is a feature-limited implementation. For anyone running modern 3D applications, the RTX 3080 12 GB is mandatory. The GT 755M is only suitable for legacy applications or very light workloads where power consumption is the primary concern, as it draws 50 W compared to 350 W.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural eras. The RTX 3080 12 GB uses the GA102 chip built on Ampere architecture, fabricated on Samsung's 8 nm process. The GT 755M uses the GK107 chip built on Kepler architecture, fabricated on TSMC's 28 nm process. The transistor counts reflect this generational leap: the RTX 3080 12 GB packs 28,300 million transistors on a 628 mm² die, while the GT 755M has 1,270 million transistors on an 118 mm² die. Transistor density is 45.1 million per mm² for the RTX 3080 12 GB versus 10.8 million per mm² for the GT 755M.

The compute resources are drastically different. The RTX 3080 12 GB has 8960 shading units, 280 texture mapping units, and 96 raster operation units. It also includes 70 ray tracing cores and 280 tensor cores. The GT 755M has 384 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs, with no ray tracing or tensor cores at all. The FP32 compute throughput is 30.64 TFLOPS for the RTX 3080 12 GB versus 783.4 GFLOPS for the GT 755M. The RTX 3080 12 GB also supports FP16 at 30.64 TFLOPS (1:1), while the GT 755M has no recorded FP16 capability.

Memory architecture is another major divider. The RTX 3080 12 GB has 12 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus, delivering 912.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The GT 755M has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, delivering 86.40 GB/s. Clock speeds also differ: the RTX 3080 12 GB runs at 1260 MHz base and 1710 MHz boost, while the GT 755M runs at 980 MHz base and 1020 MHz boost. The RTX 3080 12 GB memory runs at 19 Gbps effective, while the GT 755M memory runs at 5.4 Gbps effective.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 3080 12 GB wins in every performance-oriented scenario. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4791 demonstrates strong DirectX 12 performance. The GT 755M has no recorded DX12 benchmark, which means the RTX 3080 12 GB is the only one of the two with measurable modern API performance. The RTX 3080 12 GB also supports Vulkan 1.4 and OpenGL 4.6, while the GT 755M supports Vulkan 1.2.175 and OpenGL 4.6.

The GT 755M wins only in scenarios where power efficiency and physical size matter. It draws 50 W versus 350 W for the RTX 3080 12 GB. The GT 755M is an MXM module with no power connectors, designed for portable devices. The RTX 3080 12 GB is a dual-slot card requiring a 12-pin power connector and a 750 W suggested power supply. The GT 755M has display outputs that are portable device dependent, while the RTX 3080 12 GB has 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs.

For mobile or compact systems, the GT 755M is the only option because the RTX 3080 12 GB is a full-size card. The RTX 3080 12 GB measures 285 mm in length, 112 mm in height, and 40 mm in width. The GT 755M has no recorded dimensions, but its MXM form factor is designed for laptops. The RTX 3080 12 GB also uses PCIe 4.0 x16, while the GT 755M uses PCIe 3.0 x16.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher raw compute throughput?

A: The RTX 3080 12 GB delivers 30.64 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, while the GT 755M delivers 783.4 GFLOPS. The RTX 3080 12 GB is roughly 39 times faster in FP32 throughput.

Q: What are the memory bandwidth figures for each GPU?

A: The RTX 3080 12 GB has 912.4 GB/s of bandwidth from 12 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus. The GT 755M has 86.40 GB/s from 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus.

Q: Does the GT 755M support ray tracing?

A: No. The GT 755M has no ray tracing cores. The RTX 3080 12 GB has 70 ray tracing cores and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), which includes ray tracing features.

Q: What is the power draw difference?

A: The RTX 3080 12 GB has a TDP of 350 W, while the GT 755M has a TDP of 50 W. The GT 755M requires no power connectors, while the RTX 3080 12 GB requires a 12-pin connector and a 750 W suggested power supply.

Q: Which GPU has higher pixel and texture rates?

A: The RTX 3080 12 GB has a pixel rate of 164.2 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 478.8 GTexel/s. The GT 755M has a pixel rate of 8.160 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 32.64 GTexel/s.

Q: What are the recorded benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 3080 12 GB scores 4791 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. The GT 755M scores 3132 in Geekbench Metal and 4934 in Geekbench OpenCL, averaging 4033.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

There are no direct head-to-head benchmark entries in the database for these two GPUs. The comparison relies on their individual recorded scores. The RTX 3080 12 GB has one benchmark entry: 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 with a score of 4791. The GT 755M has two entries: Geekbench Metal at 3132 and Geekbench OpenCL at 4934. The average benchmark score for the RTX 3080 12 GB is 4791, while the GT 755M averages 4033. This gives the RTX 3080 12 GB a lead of 758 points, or about 18.8% over the GT 755M average.

The nearest rivals for the RTX 3080 12 GB illustrate its position in the database. The AMD Radeon R5 M255 scores 4788, which is 0.1% behind the RTX 3080 12 GB. The AMD Radeon R5 M335 scores 4752, 0.8% behind. The NVIDIA GeForce 940MX scores 4844, which is 1.1% ahead. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M scores 4855, 1.3% ahead. These rivals are all much older or lower-tier parts, which puts the RTX 3080 12 GB's 4791 score into perspective: it is competitive with those parts in this specific benchmark, despite being a high-end Ampere card.

The GT 755M's nearest rivals show a similar pattern. The AMD FirePro M4150 scores 4013, 0.5% behind the GT 755M. The Intel HD Graphics 630 scores 4075, 1% ahead. The AMD Radeon HD 6850 X2 scores 3977, 1.4% behind. The AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 8 GB scores 4093, 1.5% ahead. These rivals are integrated graphics or older discrete parts, confirming that the GT 755M sits in the lower performance tier.

The lack of shared benchmark tests means the 18.8% gap in average scores is the only direct numerical comparison available. The RTX 3080 12 GB dominates on paper in every architectural metric, so the benchmark gap likely understates the real-world difference in modern workloads. The GT 755M has no DX12 benchmark entry, which means its performance in modern APIs is unmeasured in the database.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in nearly every specification field. The RTX 3080 12 GB uses the GA102 chip on Ampere architecture, while the GT 755M uses GK107 on Kepler. The process nodes are 8 nm for the RTX 3080 12 GB and 28 nm for the GT 755M. The foundries are Samsung and TSMC, respectively. Transistor counts are 28,300 million versus 1,270 million. Die sizes are 628 mm² versus 118 mm². Transistor density is 45.1 million per mm² versus 10.8 million per mm².

Clock speeds differ: the RTX 3080 12 GB runs at 1260 MHz base and 1710 MHz boost, while the GT 755M runs at 980 MHz base and 1020 MHz boost. Memory clocks are 1188 MHz with 19 Gbps effective for the RTX 3080 12 GB, versus 1350 MHz with 5.4 Gbps effective for the GT 755M. Memory size is 12 GB versus 2 GB. Memory type is GDDR6X versus GDDR5. Bus width is 384-bit versus 128-bit. Bandwidth is 912.4 GB/s versus 86.40 GB/s.

Compute resources differ: shading units are 8960 versus 384. TMUs are 280 versus 32. ROPs are 96 versus 16. The RTX 3080 12 GB has 70 ray tracing cores and 280 tensor cores; the GT 755M has none. Pixel rates are 164.2 GPixel/s versus 8.160 GPixel/s. Texture rates are 478.8 GTexel/s versus 32.64 GTexel/s. FP32 throughput is 30.64 TFLOPS versus 783.4 GFLOPS. FP16 is 30.64 TFLOPS (1:1) for the RTX 3080 12 GB, with no FP16 data for the GT 755M.

Power and physical specifications also diverge. TDP is 350 W versus 50 W. The RTX 3080 12 GB is dual-slot with a 12-pin connector and a 750 W suggested PSU. The GT 755M is an MXM module with no power connectors and no suggested PSU. Bus interfaces are PCIe 4.0 x16 versus PCIe 3.0 x16. Display outputs are 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a for the RTX 3080 12 GB, versus portable device dependent for the GT 755M. The RTX 3080 12 GB measures 285 mm by 112 mm by 40 mm, while the GT 755M has no recorded dimensions. API support differs: DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) versus DirectX 12 (11_0), Vulkan 1.4 versus 1.2.175, and OpenGL 4.6 for both. Release dates are January 2022 for the RTX 3080 12 GB and June 2013 for the GT 755M. The RTX 3080 12 GB has a launch MSRP of 799 USD.