NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile represent two distinct eras of GPU design, with the former being a high-power desktop part from 2019 and the latter a modern, efficient mobile solution from 2025. The benchmark data reveals a fascinating split: the older card wins the majority of tests, but the newer mobile chip takes a decisive victory in the most modern DirectX 12 workload. This analysis will dissect the head-to-head results, architectural shifts, and specific use-case strengths to determine which GPU holds the edge in various scenarios.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result in the comparison is the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, where the RTX 5060 Mobile scores 3013.5, a massive 37.5% lead over the RTX 2080 SUPER’s 1882. This is not a marginal win; it’s a dominant performance in a modern, API-heavy benchmark that likely scales well with the newer architecture’s feature set. This single result suggests that for contemporary gaming and future titles, the mobile GPU is the far more capable option.

However, the RTX 2080 SUPER secures victory in the other nine benchmarks that were run. The win margins vary widely. In compute-oriented tasks, the older card shows its strength: it leads by 9% in Passmark GPU Compute (8290 vs 7607) and by 2.3% in Geekbench OpenCL (99226 vs 96969). The lead is more pronounced in the Vulkan API, with the RTX 2080 SUPER scoring 111284 against the RTX 5060 Mobile’s 96451, a 15.4% advantage. This suggests the desktop card’s raw compute throughput, while not always translating to gaming performance, is still highly effective in certain workloads.

The pattern continues in the legacy DirectX tests. The RTX 2080 SUPER wins Passmark DirectX 9 by 11.8% (227 vs 203) and DirectX 10 by 17.6% (140 vs 119). Interestingly, the results invert in the newer API tests. While the RTX 2080 SUPER wins Passmark DirectX 11 by a narrow margin of 1.8% (165 vs 168 for the 5060 Mobile, meaning the 2080 SUPER is actually ahead), the RTX 5060 Mobile takes a decisive 13.8% win in DirectX 12 (87 vs 75). This split between older and newer APIs is a clear indicator of architectural efficiency.

Overall, the RTX 2080 SUPER wins 7 of the 10 head-to-head benchmarks, with its most significant victories in Vulkan (15.4%) and DirectX 10 (17.6%). The RTX 5060 Mobile’s sole but significant victory is the 37.5% margin in 3DMark Steel Nomad, which is a substantial enough lead to suggest it is the better performer for the future. The data shows a GPU that is a general-purpose workhorse (the 2080 SUPER) against a specialist that excels in modern, low-level APIs.

Architecture Differences

The fundamental difference lies in the process node and architecture generation. The RTX 2080 SUPER is built on the 12 nm process at TSMC, utilizing the Turing architecture with the TU104 chip. In contrast, the RTX 5060 Mobile is fabricated on a 5 nm process, also at TSMC, using the newer Blackwell 2.0 architecture with the GB206 chip. This node shrink is dramatic, allowing for a transistor density of 121.0M / mm² on the mobile chip versus just 25.0M / mm² on the desktop part. While the RTX 2080 SUPER has a larger die (545 mm²) and more total transistors (13,600 million), the RTX 5060 Mobile packs 21,900 million transistors into a much smaller 181 mm² die.

This architectural shift brings significant changes to the core configuration. The RTX 5060 Mobile has more shading units (3328 vs 3072) but fewer TMUs (104 vs 192) and ROPs (48 vs 64). The RTX 2080 SUPER has a much higher number of RT cores (48 vs 26) and Tensor cores (384 vs 104), but the newer Blackwell implementation of the RTX 5060 Mobile’s 26 RT cores and 104 Tensor cores is likely far more efficient per unit. The raw FP32 throughput tells an interesting story: the RTX 2080 SUPER has a higher peak FP32 performance at 11.15 TFLOPS versus the RTX 5060 Mobile’s 9.684 TFLOPS. However, the FP16 performance shows a key difference: the RTX 2080 SUPER achieves 22.30 TFLOPS using a 2:1 ratio, while the RTX 5060 Mobile operates at a 1:1 ratio, also achieving 9.684 TFLOPS. This suggests the newer architecture may prioritize consistency over peak throughput.

The memory subsystems are also fundamentally different. The RTX 2080 SUPER uses 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 495.9 GB/s. The RTX 5060 Mobile also has 8 GB, but it is faster GDDR7 on a narrower 128-bit bus, resulting in lower bandwidth at 384.0 GB/s. This reduction in bandwidth is notable, but the newer memory type may have other latency advantages. Finally, they differ in power requirements, with the RTX 2080 SUPER having a 250 W TDP and the RTX 5060 Mobile at just 45 W, but that is a specification detail rather than a purely architectural one.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark results paint a clear picture of distinct strengths. The RTX 2080 SUPER is the winner in legacy and compute-heavy scenarios. Its 15.4% lead in Vulkan and 17.6% lead in DirectX 10 suggest it has superior raw processing power for applications that rely on these APIs. Its wins in OpenCL (2.3%), GPU Compute (9%), and DirectX 9 (11.8%) reinforce this. For users running older software, CAD applications, or specific compute tasks that are not optimized for the newest APIs, the RTX 2080 SUPER is the clear choice based on the data. Its lead in Passmark G2D (920 vs 876) also suggests a slight advantage in 2D desktop workloads.

Conversely, the RTX 5060 Mobile’s strengths are concentrated in modern gaming and API efficiency. The 37.5% win in 3DMark Steel Nomad is a massive indicator of its ability to handle the latest DirectX 12 titles. The 13.8% win in Passmark DirectX 12 further confirms this. While it loses in DirectX 11 by a hair (1.8%), its performance in the newer API generation is where it shines. This makes it the stronger option for gamers who are playing the newest AAA releases or plan to in the future. The data suggests that while it may not have the peak compute of the older card, its architectural efficiency in modern workloads is superior.

Specification Differences

The specifications reveal how these two GPUs are fundamentally different products. The most obvious difference is in power and form factor. The RTX 2080 SUPER is a dual-slot desktop card with a 250 W TDP, requiring a 600 W power supply and two power connectors (1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin). The RTX 5060 Mobile is an IGP (Integrated Graphics Processor) with a 45 W TDP and no power connectors, designed for laptops. This difference in power envelope is the core reason for the performance disparity in certain tests.

The process node is a major differentiator, with the RTX 5060 Mobile on a 5 nm process versus the RTX 2080 SUPER’s 12 nm process. This leads to a significantly smaller die (181 mm² vs 545 mm²) for the mobile part. The memory type also differs, with the RTX 5060 Mobile using GDDR7 on a 128-bit bus, while the RTX 2080 SUPER uses GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus. This results in lower bandwidth for the mobile chip (384.0 GB/s vs 495.9 GB/s). The bus interface is also different, with the RTX 2080 SUPER using PCIe 3.0 x16 and the RTX 5060 Mobile using the newer PCIe 5.0 x16. Finally, the clock speeds are starkly different, with the RTX 2080 SUPER having a base clock of 1650 MHz and boost of 1815 MHz, while the RTX 5060 Mobile has a base of 952 MHz and boost of 1455 MHz. The RTX 5060 Mobile has more shading units (3328 vs 3072), but the RTX 2080 SUPER has more TMUs, ROPs, RT cores, and Tensor cores in absolute numbers.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER has a higher average benchmark score of 24170, compared to the RTX 5060 Mobile’s 22435. However, the RTX 5060 Mobile has a significant lead in the 3DMark Steel Nomad test.

Q: Is the RTX 2080 SUPER ahead of the RTX 5060 Mobile in all benchmarks?

A: No. The RTX 2080 SUPER wins 7 of the 10 benchmarks, but the RTX 5060 Mobile wins the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test by a significant 37.5% margin and also wins in Passmark DirectX 11 and DirectX 12.

Q: How does the RTX 5060 Mobile compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The data shows the RTX 5060 Mobile is 1.2% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 5700 and 1.3% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6700S. It is 0.5% behind the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT and 1.3% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile in average score.

Q: What is the power consumption difference between the two GPUs?

A: The RTX 2080 SUPER has a TDP of 250 W and requires a 600 W power supply, while the RTX 5060 Mobile has a TDP of just 45 W and no power connectors, indicating it is a mobile-focused, low-power chip.

Q: Which GPU has more RT cores?

A: The RTX 2080 SUPER has 48 RT cores, while the RTX 5060 Mobile has 26 RT cores. Despite this, the newer architecture in the RTX 5060 Mobile may offer different ray-tracing performance.

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth?

A: The RTX 2080 SUPER has a memory bandwidth of 495.9 GB/s due to its 256-bit bus and GDDR6 memory. The RTX 5060 Mobile has a lower bandwidth of 384.0 GB/s, as it uses a 128-bit bus with GDDR7 memory.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the data, the choice between these two GPUs is clear-cut for different use cases. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER is the better choice for users prioritizing compute performance, legacy API support, and raw throughput. Its victories in OpenCL, Vulkan, and all Passmark compute and legacy DirectX tests, along with its higher average benchmark score (24170), make it a robust performer for professional workloads and older software. Its higher TDP and desktop form factor are a trade-off for this raw power.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile is the better choice for modern gaming, despite its lower overall average score. The massive 37.5% lead in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 is the most important metric for future-proofing, as it indicates superior efficiency in the latest DirectX 12 API. For a gamer focused on current and upcoming AAA titles, this performance is more valuable than the older card’s wins in legacy tests. The 45 W TDP also makes it the only viable option for a laptop. In short, for a desktop user with a need for compute and legacy compatibility, the RTX 2080 SUPER wins. For a laptop gamer looking for the best modern gaming performance, the RTX 5060 Mobile is the clear winner.