GPU Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is the decisive winner in this comparison, taking 9 out of 10 head-to-head benchmarks against the RTX 2080. The data shows a generational leap in raw performance, with the RTX 3080 dominating in compute, DirectX workloads, and modern 3DMark testing, though the RTX 2080 retains a surprising edge in one specific Vulkan scenario. The RTX 3080’s average benchmark score of 23172 narrowly edges out the RTX 2080’s 22895, a difference of about 1.2% in aggregate, but the individual test results reveal a much wider performance gulf in most scenarios.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most dramatic result is in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, where the RTX 3080 scores 4407 against the RTX 2080’s 1752. That is a 151.5% advantage, meaning the RTX 3080 delivers more than two and a half times the performance in this modern DirectX 12 workload. This is the single largest delta between the two cards and underscores how far the newer architecture has come in handling current-generation rendering demands.

Compute workloads tell a similar story. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RTX 3080 posts 152423 points versus 91313 for the RTX 2080, a 66.9% lead. Passmark GPU Compute shows an even larger gap in raw number-crunching: 14397 for the RTX 3080 versus 7872 for the RTX 2080, an 82.9% advantage. For any workload that stresses general-purpose GPU compute, rendering, simulation, or data processing, the RTX 3080 is in a different class.

DirectX performance across all versions favors the RTX 3080 consistently. In Passmark DirectX 11, the scores are 207 versus 158, a 31% lead. Passmark DirectX 12 shows 100 versus 72, a 38.9% advantage. Even legacy APIs see gains: Passmark DirectX 10 is 170 versus 136 (25% ahead), and Passmark DirectX 9 is 258 versus 223 (15.7% ahead). The pattern is uniform, the RTX 3080 is faster in every DirectX test, with the margin widening as the API becomes more modern.

The Passmark G3D score, which aggregates overall 3D graphics performance, has the RTX 3080 at 25086 versus 18720 for the RTX 2080, a 34% lead. This is a strong indicator of real-world gaming performance across a broad range of titles. The Passmark G2D score, which measures 2D and desktop graphics, also favors the RTX 3080 at 1054 versus 907, a 16.2% difference, though both are well within usable territory for everyday tasks.

The RTX 2080’s sole victory comes in Geekbench Vulkan, where it scores 107797 against the RTX 3080’s 33620. That is a 68.8% advantage for the older card, a striking inversion of the results seen elsewhere. This suggests that in this particular Vulkan benchmark, the RTX 2080’s architecture or driver optimization yields significantly better results, though it is an outlier relative to the rest of the data.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 3080 is the clear choice for anyone prioritizing modern DirectX 12 gaming, high-resolution rendering, or compute-heavy tasks. Its 151.5% lead in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 and 82.9% lead in Passmark GPU Compute indicate it is built to handle the most demanding next-generation workloads. The 34% advantage in Passmark G3D means it will deliver noticeably higher frame rates across a broad spectrum of DirectX-based games, particularly at higher settings where the additional shading units and memory bandwidth come into play.

The RTX 2080’s win in Geekbench Vulkan is notable but narrow in scope. For users running Vulkan-based applications or games that specifically leverage that API, the RTX 2080 may offer better performance in this particular benchmark scenario. However, this is a single data point against nine wins for the RTX 3080, and the overall trend strongly favors the newer card. The RTX 2080 also holds a slight edge in aggregate average score when compared to its own nearest rivals, but against the RTX 3080 it is behind in nearly every measurable category.

For legacy DirectX 9 and DirectX 10 titles, the RTX 3080 still wins, but the margins are smaller, 15.7% and 25% respectively. This suggests that in older games that are less demanding, the performance difference narrows, though the RTX 3080 remains ahead. The RTX 2080 is not without merit for those on a tighter power budget, as its 215 W TDP is significantly lower than the RTX 3080’s 320 W, but that is a hardware consideration rather than a performance one.

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster in DirectX 12 gaming?

A: The RTX 3080 is significantly faster. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, it scores 4407 versus 1752 for the RTX 2080, a 151.5% advantage. In Passmark DirectX 12, it leads 100 to 72, a 38.9% difference.

Q: Does the RTX 2080 win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, it wins Geekbench Vulkan with a score of 107797 versus 33620 for the RTX 3080, a 68.8% advantage. This is the only benchmark out of ten where the RTX 2080 comes out ahead.

Q: How do the cards compare in overall compute performance?

A: The RTX 3080 is far ahead. It scores 14397 in Passmark GPU Compute versus 7872 for the RTX 2080, an 82.9% lead. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RTX 3080 scores 152423 versus 91313, a 66.9% advantage.

Q: What is the aggregate benchmark score difference?

A: The RTX 3080 has an average benchmark score of 23172, while the RTX 2080 averages 22895. This puts the RTX 3080 about 1.2% higher in overall average, though individual tests show much larger swings in either direction.

Q: Which card has a higher percentile ranking among all GPUs?

A: Both cards are tied at the 68th percentile versus all GPUs. This means they are ranked similarly relative to the entire GPU landscape, despite the RTX 3080’s dominant head-to-head performance.

Q: Is the RTX 3080 faster in older DirectX APIs?

A: Yes. In Passmark DirectX 9, the RTX 3080 scores 258 versus 223, a 15.7% lead. In Passmark DirectX 10, it scores 170 versus 136, a 25% lead. The RTX 3080 wins in every DirectX version tested.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ substantially in core specifications. The RTX 3080 has 8704 shading units, 272 texture mapping units, and 96 ROPs, compared to 2944 shading units, 184 TMUs, and 64 ROPs on the RTX 2080. The RTX 3080 also has 68 ray tracing cores and 272 tensor cores, while the RTX 2080 has 46 ray tracing cores and 368 tensor cores.

Memory configurations are notably different. The RTX 3080 features 10 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 320-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 760.3 GB/s. The RTX 2080 has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The RTX 3080’s memory clock is 1188 MHz (19 Gbps effective), while the RTX 2080 runs at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective).

Clock speeds are close at boost: both hit 1710 MHz. The base clocks differ, with the RTX 3080 at 1440 MHz and the RTX 2080 at 1515 MHz. Pixel rate favors the RTX 3080 at 164.2 GPixel/s versus 109.4 GPixel/s, and texture rate is 465.1 GTexel/s versus 314.6 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 29.77 TFLOPS for the RTX 3080 versus 10.07 TFLOPS for the RTX 2080. FP16 performance is 29.77 TFLOPS (1:1) for the RTX 3080 and 20.14 TFLOPS (2:1) for the RTX 2080.

Power and physical specs also differ. The RTX 3080 has a TDP of 320 W and requires a 700 W suggested PSU, using a single 12-pin power connector. The RTX 2080 has a 215 W TDP with a 550 W suggested PSU and uses 1x 6-pin plus 1x 8-pin connectors. The RTX 3080 is longer at 285 mm versus 267 mm, wider at 40 mm versus 35 mm, but shorter in height at 112 mm versus 116 mm. The RTX 3080 uses PCIe 4.0 x16, while the RTX 2080 uses PCIe 3.0 x16. Display outputs differ: the RTX 3080 has 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, while the RTX 2080 has 1x HDMI 2.0, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, and 1x USB Type-C.

Architecture Differences

The RTX 3080 is built on the Ampere architecture using the GA102 chip, manufactured on Samsung’s 8 nm process. It contains 28,300 million transistors on a 628 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 45.1M per mm². The RTX 2080 uses the Turing architecture with the TU104 chip, built on TSMC’s 12 nm process. It has 13,600 million transistors on a 545 mm² die, with a density of 25.0M per mm².

The transistor count difference is stark, the RTX 3080 has more than double the transistors of the RTX 2080. This is reflected in the shading unit count, which is nearly three times higher on the RTX 3080. The RTX 3080 also has more ray tracing cores (68 versus 46) but fewer tensor cores (272 versus 368), indicating a different balance between AI acceleration and general compute.

Memory technology differs as well. The RTX 3080 uses GDDR6X, which is a faster memory type than the GDDR6 found on the RTX 2080. This, combined with the wider 320-bit bus, gives the RTX 3080 significantly more memory bandwidth. The FP16 ratio also differs: the RTX 3080 runs FP16 at a 1:1 ratio with FP32, while the RTX 2080 runs FP16 at a 2:1 ratio, meaning the RTX 3080’s FP16 performance is equal to its FP32 rather than double.

Both cards support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The RTX 3080 is part of the GeForce 30-series, succeeding the GeForce 20-series to which the RTX 2080 belongs. The RTX 2080’s predecessor is the GeForce 10-series, and its successor is the GeForce 30-series, which includes the RTX 3080.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the RTX 3080 is the superior performer in almost every scenario. Its 151.5% lead in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 and 82.9% lead in Passmark GPU Compute demonstrate that it is not just marginally faster, but generations ahead in the workloads that matter most for modern gaming and content creation. The 34% advantage in Passmark G3D translates to broadly higher frame rates across DirectX-based titles, and the 66.9% lead in Geekbench OpenCL shows strong compute headroom.

The RTX 2080’s single win in Geekbench Vulkan is interesting but does not offset the nine losses. For users who exclusively run Vulkan applications that mirror that benchmark’s characteristics, the RTX 2080 could be considered, but the evidence suggests this is an isolated case rather than a general trend. The RTX 2080 does offer a lower TDP of 215 W versus 320 W, which may appeal to those with smaller power supplies or stricter thermal constraints, but the suggested PSU difference of 550 W versus 700 W reflects the RTX 3080’s greater demands.

For anyone choosing between these two, the RTX 3080 is the clear pick for performance. It wins in every DirectX version, dominates compute benchmarks, and offers more memory bandwidth and capacity. The RTX 2080 retains its place for Vulkan-specific workloads and lower power draw, but the benchmark data shows that the RTX 3080 is the definitive upgrade. Both cards sit at the 68th percentile versus all GPUs, which is notable given the RTX 3080’s decisive head-to-head victory, it places the same overall but with far stronger modern workload performance.