NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Mobile vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Mobile and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile represent two distinct generations of mobile graphics. The data from the database reveals a split decision across benchmark tests, with the older 3080 Ti Mobile winning six of the ten head-to-head comparisons, while the newer 5060 Mobile takes four. The most significant victory for the RTX 5060 Mobile comes in the modern 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, where it scores 3013.5 against the 3080 Ti Mobile's 2869, a 4.8% lead. This suggests the newer architecture has a distinct advantage in a contemporary DirectX 12 workload. Conversely, the RTX 3080 Ti Mobile posts its largest win in the Geekbench OpenCL test, scoring 117866 compared to 96969, a substantial 21.6% advantage. This pattern of the older card winning compute-oriented tests continues in Geekbench Vulkan, where it leads by 11.5% with a score of 107502 versus 96451, and in Passmark GPU Compute, where it wins 8471 to 7607, an 11.4% margin.

Beyond these major swings, the remaining benchmark wins are narrower. The RTX 3080 Ti Mobile edges out the 5060 Mobile in Passmark DirectX 10 (131 vs 119, a 10.1% lead), Passmark DirectX 12 (88 vs 87, a 1.1% lead), and Passmark G3D (19288 vs 18852, a 2.3% lead). The RTX 5060 Mobile counters with smaller victories in Passmark DirectX 11 (168 vs 164, a 2.4% lead), Passmark DirectX 9 (203 vs 201, a 1% lead), and Passmark G2D (876 vs 818, a 6.6% lead). The data indicates that the 3080 Ti Mobile holds a general performance advantage in raw compute and several legacy DirectX tests, while the 5060 Mobile shows strength in more recent API workloads and 2D performance.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Mobile has a higher average benchmark score of 25740, placing it in the 71st percentile of all GPUs. The RTX 5060 Mobile has an average score of 22435, which puts it in the 67th percentile.

Q: How does the RTX 3080 Ti Mobile compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The database shows the RTX 3080 Ti Mobile is closely matched with its nearest rivals. It is 0.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro W5700, 0.4% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6700M, and 0.4% behind the AMD FirePro D700 and AMD FirePro W7100.

Q: What is the RTX 5060 Mobile's performance relative to its closest competitors?

A: The RTX 5060 Mobile's nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile, which is 1.3% faster. It is also 0.5% behind the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT, but 1.2% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 5700 and 1.3% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6700S.

Q: In which benchmark does the RTX 5060 Mobile show its biggest advantage over the 3080 Ti Mobile?

A: The RTX 5060 Mobile's largest win is in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, where its score of 3013.5 is 4.8% higher than the 2869 scored by the RTX 3080 Ti Mobile.

Q: Which GPU leads in the Geekbench OpenCL test, and by how much?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Mobile leads decisively in Geekbench OpenCL. Its score of 117866 is 21.6% higher than the 96999 scored by the RTX 5060 Mobile.

Q: What is the difference in TDP between the two cards?

A: The RTX 3080 Ti Mobile has a TDP of 115 W, while the RTX 5060 Mobile has a significantly lower TDP of 45 W.

The Verdict

The benchmark data suggests that the choice between these two mobile GPUs depends heavily on the user's priority. For tasks that leverage compute performance, legacy DirectX APIs, or general 3D rendering as measured by Passmark G3D, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Mobile is the clear winner. Its 21.6% lead in Geekbench OpenCL and 11.4% lead in Passmark GPU Compute indicate a substantial advantage in compute-heavy workloads. Its 2.3% lead in Passmark G3D also points to better overall 3D performance in that specific test suite. Users who need maximum raw compute power for rendering or simulation tasks would favor this older card.

On the other hand, the RTX 5060 Mobile is the more compelling option for users who prioritize modern gaming workloads and efficiency. Its 4.8% victory in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, which is a contemporary DirectX 12 benchmark, suggests it is better optimized for current and upcoming game engines that rely heavily on DX12 features. Its significantly lower TDP of 45 W compared to 115 W means it is far more power-efficient, which is a critical factor in laptops for battery life and thermal management. For a gamer focused on the latest titles and system efficiency, the RTX 5060 Mobile is the stronger choice.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ substantially in their core specifications. The RTX 3080 Ti Mobile features 7424 shading units, 232 TMUs, and 96 ROPs, while the RTX 5060 Mobile has 3328 shading units, 104 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. Memory configurations also differ, with the 3080 Ti Mobile offering 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus with 512.0 GB/s bandwidth, whereas the 5060 Mobile has 8 GB of GDDR7 on a 128-bit bus with 384.0 GB/s bandwidth. Clock speeds are higher on the newer card, with the 5060 Mobile boosting to 1455 MHz compared to the 3080 Ti Mobile's 1260 MHz, and its base clock is 952 MHz versus 810 MHz. The memory clock is also faster on the 5060 Mobile at 1500 MHz (24 Gbps effective) against the 3080 Ti Mobile's 2000 MHz (16 Gbps effective). The bus interface differs, with the 3080 Ti Mobile using PCIe 4.0 x16 and the 5060 Mobile using PCIe 5.0 x16. The 3080 Ti Mobile has a TDP of 115 W, while the 5060 Mobile has a TDP of 45 W.

Architecture Differences

Architecturally, these are products of different eras. The RTX 3080 Ti Mobile is built on the Ampere architecture using the GA103 chip, fabricated on an 8 nm process at Samsung. It has 22,000 million transistors on a 496 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 44.4M per mm². It features 58 RT cores and 232 tensor cores. In contrast, the RTX 5060 Mobile uses the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with the GB206 chip, manufactured on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It has 21,900 million transistors packed into a much smaller 181 mm² die, giving it a significantly higher transistor density of 121.0M per mm². It has 26 RT cores and 104 tensor cores. Both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The production status also differs, with the 3080 Ti Mobile being end-of-life as of its 2022 release, while the 5060 Mobile is active, having been released in 2025.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 3080 Ti Mobile wins in scenarios that demand high raw compute throughput and legacy API performance. Its victories in Geekbench OpenCL (21.6% faster), Geekbench Vulkan (11.5% faster), and Passmark GPU Compute (11.4% faster) are its strongest areas. It also holds leads in Passmark DirectX 10 (10.1% faster), Passmark DirectX 12 (1.1% faster), and Passmark G3D (2.3% faster). This makes it the better choice for users running compute-intensive applications like scientific simulations, video encoding, or 3D rendering software that can utilize OpenCL or Vulkan. The larger 16 GB memory buffer also provides more headroom for high-resolution textures and large datasets.

The RTX 5060 Mobile wins in modern gaming and efficiency-focused scenarios. Its 4.8% lead in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark is the most notable, indicating better performance in contemporary DirectX 12 games. It also takes victories in Passmark DirectX 11 (2.4% faster) and Passmark DirectX 9 (1% faster), showing competence across a broad range of DirectX titles. Its 6.6% lead in Passmark G2D suggests better 2D performance. With a TDP of just 45 W, it is the superior choice for thin-and-light laptops where power draw and heat generation are critical constraints, offering a more efficient modern gaming experience.