NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 GB205 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The RTX 5080 dominates the RTX 5060 in every recorded benchmark metric, with no head-to-head test results showing a win for the smaller card. The most decisive advantage appears in raw compute throughput. The RTX 5080 delivers 56.28 TFLOPS FP32 performance against 19.18 TFLOPS for the RTX 5060, a 2.93x gap. FP16 results follow the same pattern, with the RTX 5080 again at 56.28 TFLOPS versus 19.18 TFLOPS on the RTX 5060, both running at a 1:1 ratio.

Memory bandwidth tells a similar story. The RTX 5080's 960.0 GB/s bandwidth is more than double the RTX 5060's 448.0 GB/s. The RTX 5080 uses a 256-bit bus with 16 GB of GDDR7, while the RTX 5060 uses a 128-bit bus with 8 GB of GDDR7. Effective memory speed also differs, with the RTX 5080 at 1875 MHz (30 Gbps effective) versus 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective) on the RTX 5060.

Texture and pixel throughput follow the same hierarchy. The RTX 5080 achieves 879.3 GTexel/s and 293.1 GPixel/s, while the RTX 5060 manages 299.6 GTexel/s and 119.9 GPixel/s. These figures reflect the larger chip's advantage: 336 TMUs and 112 ROPs on the RTX 5080 versus 120 TMUs and 48 ROPs on the RTX 5060.

The RTX 5080's recorded benchmark scores confirm its position. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, it scores 8637. Geekbench OpenCL returns 235901, and Geekbench Vulkan returns 255450. Passmark results span 151 in DirectX 12, 208 in DirectX 10, 324 in DirectX 11, and 389 in DirectX 9. The Passmark G3D score is 36565, with GPU compute at 21789 and G2D at 1415. The average benchmark score across all recorded tests is 56083.

The RTX 5060 has no recorded benchmark scores in the database. Its average benchmark score is listed as 0, and its percentile versus all GPUs is 50. The RTX 5080 sits at the 87th percentile versus all GPUs. This percentile difference places the RTX 5080 well above the median, while the RTX 5060 sits exactly at the midpoint of all recorded GPUs.

Clock speeds show a narrower gap than the compute metrics. The RTX 5080 boosts to 2617 MHz from a 2295 MHz base, while the RTX 5060 boosts to 2497 MHz from a 2280 MHz base. The RTX 5080's boost clock is 120 MHz higher, a modest advantage that does not explain the large performance delta. The real separation comes from the chip configuration: 10752 shading units on the RTX 5080 versus 3840 on the RTX 5060.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 5080 wins in every category where data exists. For high-resolution gaming and heavy compute workloads, the RTX 5080's larger memory pool and wider bus provide clear advantages. The 16 GB frame buffer with 960.0 GB/s bandwidth supports texture-heavy scenes and large datasets, while the 8 GB frame buffer with 448.0 GB/s on the RTX 5060 will hit capacity limits sooner in demanding scenarios.

Ray tracing performance favors the RTX 5080 substantially. It carries 84 RT cores versus 30 on the RTX 5060. Tensor core count follows the same pattern: 336 on the RTX 5080 versus 120 on the RTX 5060. For workloads that use these accelerators, such as DLSS and ray-traced effects, the RTX 5080 has a 2.8x core advantage.

The RTX 5060's wins are limited to efficiency and physical size. Its 145 W TDP is far below the RTX 5080's 360 W. The RTX 5060 requires a 300 W suggested PSU and a single 8-pin connector, while the RTX 5080 needs a 750 W PSU and a 16-pin connector. The RTX 5060 also measures 241 mm in length versus 304 mm for the RTX 5080, making it easier to fit in compact cases. Both cards are dual-slot and 40 mm wide, with identical display outputs of 1x HDMI 2.1b and 3x DisplayPort 2.1b.

For users who prioritize raw performance and have no power or space constraints, the RTX 5080 is the clear choice. The RTX 5060 serves scenarios where power draw, case clearance, and PSU requirements matter more than peak frame rates.

The Verdict

The recorded data indicates the RTX 5080 is the substantially faster card, with a 2.93x advantage in FP32 compute, 2.14x in memory bandwidth, and 2.8x in both RT and tensor core counts. Its average benchmark score of 56083 places it at the 87th percentile of all GPUs, while the RTX 5060 sits at the 50th percentile with no recorded benchmark scores.

The RTX 5080's nearest rivals in the database are all AMD cards, with the closest being the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE at a 2.2% lower average score. The AMD Radeon 8060S trails by 0.6%, the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB by 0.7%, and the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X by 2.3%. These narrow margins show the RTX 5080 competing tightly with high-end AMD options, but the RTX 5060 has no rival data for comparison.

For builders who need maximum frame rates at high resolutions, the RTX 5080 is the only choice between these two. Its 16 GB memory and 960.0 GB/s bandwidth handle large textures and high-resolution rendering without the capacity pressure that 8 GB cards face. The 360 W TDP and 750 W PSU requirement are the costs of that performance.

For builders with smaller cases, lower PSU headroom, or less demanding workloads, the RTX 5060 fits a different niche. Its 145 W TDP and 300 W PSU requirement make it a lighter addition to a system. The 241 mm length fits where the 304 mm RTX 5080 cannot. The RTX 5060 also carries the same Blackwell 2.0 architecture and API support, including DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, so software compatibility matches the larger card.

FAQ

Q: Which card has more memory bandwidth?

A: The RTX 5080 has 960.0 GB/s bandwidth from a 256-bit bus with 16 GB of GDDR7. The RTX 5060 has 448.0 GB/s from a 128-bit bus with 8 GB of GDDR7.

Q: What is the FP32 compute difference?

A: The RTX 5080 delivers 56.28 TFLOPS FP32, while the RTX 5060 delivers 19.18 TFLOPS. The RTX 5080 is 2.93x higher.

Q: How do the power requirements compare?

A: The RTX 5080 has a 360 W TDP with a 750 W suggested PSU and a 16-pin connector. The RTX 5060 has a 145 W TDP with a 300 W suggested PSU and an 8-pin connector.

Q: Do both cards support the same APIs?

A: Yes. Both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Q: What is the RT core count on each card?

A: The RTX 5080 has 84 RT cores, and the RTX 5060 has 30 RT cores. Tensor core counts are 336 and 120, respectively.

Q: What are the physical dimensions of each card?

A: The RTX 5080 is 304 mm long, 137 mm high, and 40 mm wide. The RTX 5060 is 241 mm long, 111 mm high, and 40 mm wide. Both are dual-slot.

Architecture Differences

Both cards use the Blackwell 2.0 architecture on a 5 nm TSMC process. The RTX 5080 uses the GB203 chip, while the RTX 5060 uses the GB205 chip. Transistor counts differ significantly: the RTX 5080 has 45,600 million transistors on a 378 mm² die, while the RTX 5060 has 31,100 million transistors on a 263 mm² die. Transistor density is close, with the RTX 5080 at 120.6M per mm² and the RTX 5060 at 118.3M per mm².

The RTX 5080 has 10752 shading units, 336 TMUs, and 112 ROPs. The RTX 5060 has 3840 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. RT core counts are 84 versus 30, and tensor cores are 336 versus 120. These configuration differences drive the large performance gap.

The RTX 5080 connects via PCIe 5.0 x16, while the RTX 5060 uses PCIe 5.0 x8. Both cards use GDDR7 memory, but the RTX 5080 runs at 1875 MHz (30 Gbps effective) versus 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective) on the RTX 5060. The RTX 5080 also has a wider 256-bit bus versus 128-bit.

Both cards use the same display outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1b and 3x DisplayPort 2.1b. Both are dual-slot with 40 mm width. The RTX 5080 has a higher boost clock at 2617 MHz versus 2497 MHz, but the base clocks are close at 2295 MHz versus 2280 MHz.

Specification Differences

The RTX 5080 has 16 GB of GDDR7 memory, while the RTX 5060 has 8 GB. The RTX 5080's 256-bit bus provides 960.0 GB/s bandwidth, while the RTX 5060's 128-bit bus provides 448.0 GB/s. Memory speed differs: 1875 MHz (30 Gbps effective) versus 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective).

Processing unit counts all favor the RTX 5080: 10752 shading units versus 3840, 336 TMUs versus 120, 112 ROPs versus 48, 84 RT cores versus 30, and 336 tensor cores versus 120. Pixel rate is 293.1 GPixel/s versus 119.9 GPixel/s, and texture rate is 879.3 GTexel/s versus 299.6 GTexel/s. FP32 and FP16 both sit at 56.28 TFLOPS versus 19.18 TFLOPS.

Power and physical specs differ. The RTX 5080 has a 360 W TDP, 750 W suggested PSU, and a 16-pin connector. The RTX 5060 has a 145 W TDP, 300 W suggested PSU, and an 8-pin connector. The RTX 5080 is 304 mm long and 137 mm high, while the RTX 5060 is 241 mm long and 111 mm high. The RTX 5080 uses PCIe 5.0 x16, while the RTX 5060 uses PCIe 5.0 x8.

The RTX 5080 was released on 2025-01-29, while the RTX 5060 has a release date of 2026-05-31. The RTX 5080 has a launch MSRP of 999 USD, and the RTX 5060 has a launch MSRP of 299 USD. Both are in active production, both follow the GeForce 40 series as predecessor, and both look to the GeForce 60 series as successor.