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 |
| Recommended PSU | 600W | 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.
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 is rated around a 600W PSU and the RTX 3060 around 550W. Size for the more demanding card if you might upgrade, and prefer an ATX 3.x unit for any 12V-2x6 card.
Make sure your CPU can keep up with either card using the Bottleneck Estimator, or compare more cards in the GPU comparison hub.