GTX 1080 Ti vs RTX 3060: Which Should You Buy?
Head-to-head on performance, VRAM, power and value for 2026.
Quick Summary · TL;DR
On our relative performance index the GTX 1080 Ti leads the RTX 3060 by about 13% — a moderate gap. The RTX 3060 has more VRAM (12GB vs 11GB), which helps at high resolutions and in VRAM-hungry titles.
| GTX 1080 Ti | RTX 3060 | |
|---|---|---|
| Performance index | 34/100 | 30/100 |
| VRAM | 11GB | 12GB |
| Board power (TBP) | 250W | 170W |
| Maker PSU guidance | 600W | 550W |
| Our starting PSU class | 650W | 550W |
| Power connector | 8-pin PCIe | 8-pin PCIe |
| Generation | GTX 10 | RTX 30 |
Relative gaming index — an estimate of typical performance. Real-world gaps vary by game, resolution and settings.
Which should you buy?
Buy the GTX 1080 Ti if you want the higher frame rate and can find it at a fair price. Choose the RTX 3060 if it is clearly cheaper and its 11GB+ of VRAM and features cover your target resolution. Both are from a similar lineage, so price is the main deciding factor.
Power planning: GTX 1080 Ti PSU · RTX 3060 PSU.
GTX 1080 Ti vs RTX 3060 at each resolution
| Resolution | GTX 1080 Ti | RTX 3060 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | Great (6 short of Excellent) | Great (10 short of Excellent) |
| 1440p | Not ideal (4 short of Playable) | Not ideal (8 short of Playable) |
| 4K | Not ideal (16 short of Playable) | Not ideal (20 short of Playable) |
On our rating lines the GTX 1080 Ti (34) and RTX 3060 (30) land on the same verdict at every resolution, so the 4-point index gap does not move either card into a different class. Memory, power and the price you can find decide it. The RTX 3060 also carries 1GB more memory (12GB vs 11GB).
Power, PSU and efficiency
Reference board power is 250W for the GTX 1080 Ti and 170W for the RTX 3060, a 80W difference. Per 100W that works out to 13.6 index points for the GTX 1080 Ti and 17.6 for the RTX 3060, so the RTX 3060 does more per watt. An existing 550W supply meets the maker guidance for the RTX 3060 but not for the GTX 1080 Ti (600W). Full sizing: GTX 1080 Ti PSU · RTX 3060 PSU.
Ratings use the same index lines as our GPU resolution pages; the index is an editorial tier summary, not a benchmark. PSU figures are the makers’ reference guidance reviewed 12 September 2026.
Sources & verification
- NVIDIA GeForce product specifications
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series specifications
- SpecsCalc calculation methodology and limitations
Relative indices summarize broad gaming tiers and are not a substitute for game-by-game benchmark averages. Price and driver updates can change the buying recommendation. Last reviewed September 19, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is the GTX 1080 Ti better than the RTX 3060?
On our relative index the GTX 1080 Ti is about 13% ahead of the RTX 3060. The RTX 3060 has more VRAM (12GB vs 11GB), which helps at high resolutions and in VRAM-hungry titles. The smaller the gap, the more other factors like price, VRAM and features should decide it.
Which is better value, the GTX 1080 Ti or the RTX 3060?
Value depends on the price you can find each at. The slower card is usually the smart buy if it is meaningfully cheaper, unless you need the extra VRAM or features of the faster one.
Do the GTX 1080 Ti and RTX 3060 need different power supplies?
The GTX 1080 Ti's maker lists a 600W supply and the RTX 3060's lists 550W; our starting classes are 650W and 550W. If you might move to the GTX 1080 Ti later, size for its 600W now.
Make sure your CPU can keep up with either card using the Bottleneck Estimator, or compare more cards in the GPU comparison hub.