NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile represent two very different approaches to GPU design, separated by nearly four years of architectural evolution. The desktop 2080 SUPER, built on the 12 nm Turing architecture, is a large, power-hungry card, while the 4060 Mobile, built on the 5 nm Ada Lovelace architecture, is an efficient mobile processor. Benchmark data shows a clear pattern: the 2080 SUPER wins all nine head-to-head comparisons, but the 4060 Mobile is far from a slouch, offering competitive performance in a dramatically smaller and more efficient package. The data reveals a classic desktop-versus-mobile trade-off where raw performance and power draw are pitted against efficiency and portability.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The RTX 2080 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 24170, while the RTX 4060 Mobile scores 22729, giving the desktop card a lead of approximately 6.3%.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in the Geekbench Vulkan test?

A: The RTX 2080 SUPER scores 111284, which is 24.2% higher than the 4060 Mobile’s score of 89569, marking the largest single-benchmark gap between the two.

Q: Does the RTX 4060 Mobile win any head-to-head benchmark?

A: No. The data shows the RTX 2080 SUPER wins all 9 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, with the 4060 Mobile having 0 wins.

Q: What is the difference in process node and die size?

A: The RTX 2080 SUPER uses a 12 nm process with a 545 mm² die, while the RTX 4060 Mobile uses a much smaller 159 mm² die on a 5 nm process.

Q: Which GPU has a higher transistor count?

A: Despite its smaller size, the RTX 4060 Mobile has 18,900 million transistors, compared to 13,600 million in the RTX 2080 SUPER.

Q: What are the memory bandwidth figures for each?

A: The RTX 2080 SUPER has a memory bandwidth of 495.9 GB/s on a 256-bit bus, while the RTX 4060 Mobile has 256.0 GB/s on a 128-bit bus.

Architecture Differences

The architecture gap between these two GPUs is substantial, reflecting a major generational shift. The RTX 2080 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture, manufactured on TSMC’s 12 nm process. Its chip, the TU104, is a large design with a die size of 545 mm² and a transistor density of 25.0M / mm². In contrast, the RTX 4060 Mobile uses the Ada Lovelace architecture on a 5 nm process, with the AD107 chip fitting into a much smaller 159 mm² die. The newer process allows for a significantly higher transistor density of 118.9M / mm², enabling the 4060 Mobile to pack 18,900 million transistors into a fraction of the space.

Core configurations differ markedly as well. Both GPUs have 3072 shading units, but the 2080 SUPER has 192 TMUs and 64 ROPs, while the 4060 Mobile has 96 TMUs and 48 ROPs. The 2080 SUPER also features more RT cores (48 vs 24) and more tensor cores (384 vs 96). This means the older card has more dedicated hardware for ray tracing and AI workloads. The FP32 performance is nearly identical (11.15 TFLOPS vs 11.61 TFLOPS), but FP16 capability is different: the 2080 SUPER achieves 22.30 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio, while the 4060 Mobile is limited to 11.61 TFLOPS at a 1:1 ratio.

The memory subsystems are also architecturally distinct. The 2080 SUPER uses a 256-bit bus with 8 GB of GDDR6, delivering 495.9 GB/s of bandwidth. The 4060 Mobile also has 8 GB of GDDR6, but on a 128-bit bus, resulting in 256.0 GB/s. This halving of bandwidth is a direct consequence of the mobile design’s power and space constraints. The bus interface differs too: the 2080 SUPER uses PCIe 3.0 x16, while the 4060 Mobile uses the newer PCIe 4.0 x8 standard.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the RTX 2080 SUPER outperforms the RTX 4060 Mobile in every single test. The largest win for the desktop card comes in the Geekbench Vulkan test, where it scores 111284 against 89569, a 24.2% advantage. This is followed by the Passmark DirectX 10 test, where the 2080 SUPER’s 140 score beats the 4060 Mobile’s 107 by 30.8%. The Passmark G2D test shows a 26% gap, with scores of 920 and 730 respectively.

In compute workloads, the 2080 SUPER also holds a clear lead. The Passmark GPU Compute score is 8290 for the desktop card, 21.6% higher than the 4060 Mobile’s 6816. The Geekbench OpenCL test shows an 11% difference, with 99226 versus 89420. The Passmark G3D score, a general gaming metric, is 19490 for the 2080 SUPER, which is 11.6% ahead of the 4060 Mobile’s 17469.

The margins narrow considerably in some legacy DirectX tests. In Passmark DirectX 11, the 2080 SUPER scores 165, just 5.1% ahead of the 4060 Mobile’s 157. Similarly, in DirectX 9, the scores are 227 and 216, also a 5.1% difference. The DirectX 12 test shows the smallest gap at 2.7%, with scores of 75 and 73. These results suggest that while the newer architecture is competitive in older APIs, the 2080 SUPER’s raw throughput gives it a decisive edge in modern and compute-heavy workloads.

Specification Differences

The most striking specification differences between these two GPUs are in physical size and power requirements. The RTX 2080 SUPER is a dual-slot desktop card measuring 267 mm in length, with a TDP of 250 W and requiring both a 6-pin and 8-pin power connector. It also needs a 600 W PSU. The RTX 4060 Mobile, by contrast, is an IGP (Integrated Graphics Processor) with no slot width, no power connectors, and a TDP of just 115 W. Its dimensions are listed as null, as it is designed to be soldered onto a laptop motherboard.

Clock speeds are also different. The 2080 SUPER has a base clock of 1650 MHz and a boost clock of 1815 MHz. The 4060 Mobile has a lower base clock of 1545 MHz, but a slightly higher boost clock of 1890 MHz. Memory clocks differ as well: the 2080 SUPER runs at 1937 MHz (15.5 Gbps effective), while the 4060 Mobile runs at 2000 MHz (16 Gbps effective). Despite the higher memory clock, the 4060 Mobile’s narrower 128-bit bus limits its bandwidth.

Other differences include the production status and release date. The 2080 SUPER is end-of-life and was released on 2019-07-22, while the 4060 Mobile is active and was released on 2023-01-02. The 2080 SUPER has a launch MSRP of 699 USD, while the 4060 Mobile has no listed launch MSRP. The display outputs differ too: the 2080 SUPER has 1x HDMI 2.0, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, and 1x USB Type-C, while the 4060 Mobile’s outputs are described as "Portable Device Dependent." The 4060 Mobile uses a PCIe 4.0 x8 interface, while the 2080 SUPER uses PCIe 3.0 x16.

The Verdict

The benchmark data makes the verdict clear for raw performance: the RTX 2080 SUPER is the faster GPU. It wins all 9 head-to-head comparisons, with an average score of 24170 compared to 22729 for the 4060 Mobile. The desktop card’s advantages are most pronounced in Vulkan (24.2% lead), DirectX 10 (30.8% lead), and compute tasks (21.6% lead in GPU Compute). This makes it the better choice for users who prioritize maximum frame rates and compute throughput above all else.

However, the RTX 4060 Mobile is not a weak performer. Its average score still places it in the 67th percentile of all GPUs, just two points below the 2080 SUPER’s 69th percentile. It achieves this with a TDP of 115 W, less than half of the 2080 SUPER’s 250 W. For a laptop user, this efficiency is critical. The 4060 Mobile’s nearest rivals include the RTX 2080 (deltaPct -0.7) and the RX 7700 XT (deltaPct 0.8), showing it competes well within its class. The 2080 SUPER’s rivals include the GTX 780 Ti (deltaPct -0.3) and the GTX 1630 (deltaPct -0.4), which are older or lower-tier parts.

The choice comes down to form factor and power. The 2080 SUPER is a desktop-only card, end-of-life, and requires a 600 W PSU. The 4060 Mobile is an active, portable solution with no external power requirements. If you are building a desktop and want the best performance, the 2080 SUPER is the data-backed winner. If you need a laptop GPU, the 4060 Mobile is the only option here, and it delivers performance that is within 6.3% on average of the much larger desktop card.

Where Each One Wins

RTX 2080 SUPER Wins: Every Benchmark. The desktop card’s wins are broad-based, but the largest margins are in specific scenarios. In Vulkan-based applications, the 24.2% lead over the 4060 Mobile suggests it is the stronger choice for cross-platform graphics and modern game engines. The 30.8% advantage in DirectX 10 shows it handles legacy APIs with more headroom. For compute-heavy workloads like rendering or machine learning tasks, the 21.6% lead in Passmark GPU Compute and the 11% lead in OpenCL make it the clear winner. Its higher bandwidth (495.9 GB/s vs 256.0 GB/s) and larger ROP count (64 vs 48) likely contribute to these advantages.

RTX 4060 Mobile Wins: Efficiency and Portability. While it loses every benchmark, the 4060 Mobile wins on practical grounds. Its 115 W TDP means it can be cooled in a thin laptop chassis, whereas the 2080 SUPER’s 250 W TDP demands a full desktop tower with substantial airflow. The 4060 Mobile’s smaller die (159 mm² vs 545 mm²) and newer 5 nm process make it a marvel of engineering, offering 18,900 million transistors in a fraction of the space. It also has a higher boost clock (1890 MHz vs 1815 MHz) and supports PCIe 4.0, which is a newer standard. The narrow margins in DirectX 11 (5.1%) and DirectX 12 (2.7%) show that in many older games, the 4060 Mobile is almost as fast, making it a viable option for gamers who prioritize battery life and mobility over absolute frame rates.