Video Gamer is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices subject to change. Learn more
Now that it’s out, let’s have a look at the RTX 4060 Ti vs GTX 1080 Ti.
Nvidia that the release date for the RTX 4060 Ti has passed, let’s have a look at the most affordable Ada Lovelace graphics card yet. This is a statistic that is sure to pique the interest of many a gamer. If you’re interested in potentially buying the card, it makes sense to keep up with how it will shape up in comparison to other cards on the market.
Considering the GTX 1080 Ti is around six years old its performance has stood up very well, though we are the 1080 Ti still good in 2023. It can still get frame rates higher than the RTX 3060 at 1080p and 1440p, but can it maintain this high performance versus another new generation of cards in the RTX 4060 Ti? To make our comparison simple, we’ve broken it down into several categories.
Let’s get into it.
RTX 4060 Ti vs 4070 – specs comparison
| RTX 4060 Ti 16GB specs | RTX 4060 Ti 8GB specs | GTX 1080 Ti | |
| Architecture | Lovelace | Lovelace | Pascal |
| CUDA Cores | 4,352 | 4,352 | 3,584 |
| Base Clock (MHz) | 2,310 | TBC | 1481 MHz |
| Boost Clock (MHz) | 2,535 | TBC | 1582 MHz |
| Memory | 8GB GDDR6X | 16GB GDDR6X | 11 GB GDDR5X |
| Memory Bus | 128-bit | 128-bit | 352-bit |
| Memory Bandwidth | 288GB/s | 288GB/s | 484GB/s |
| TDP | 160W | 165W | 250W |
As you can see there are also two versions of the RTX 4060 Ti on our table, aligning with the release of other Nvidia cards such as the RTX 3060.
These two versions have the RTX 4060 Ti comes with either 8GB or 16GB of VRAM, putting the GTX 1080 Ti somewhere in between with 11GB. The GTX 1080 Ti’s memory bus is also significantly bigger at 352-bit versus 128-bit for both versions of the 4060 Ti. The more bits in the bus width the larger the memory bandwidth can be, meaning the 1080 Ti has superior specs here too.
The 4060 Ti edges the CUDA core count, however, which is a key spec as it’s these cores that do much of the brute computing work of graphic rendering. There’s also a higher base and boost clock. The clock speed refers to how many cycles are completed in a second, while CUDA cores contribute to what can be computed within a cycle.
TDP is another noticeable difference, with the 1080 Ti being significantly more power-hungry. This could have a knock-on effect of requiring a more expensive and powerful PSU.
RTX 4060 Ti vs GTX 1080 Ti – architecture
As part of the RTX 40-series of GPUs, it will come with the Ada Lovelace architecture. This is the latest and most advanced from Nvidia and brings with it a series of technological advancements such as 3rd generation ray tracing cores and 4th generation Tensor cores.
- Amazon US – RTX 4060 Ti
- Best Buy US – RTX 4060 Ti
- Newegg US – RTX 4060 Ti
This means you can expect the 4060 Ti to be up there with the best GPUs for ray tracing and to have access to the performance-boosting DLSS 3 technology. DLSS 3 is an AI-powered tool that uses complex calculations to predict the kind of frames that could be generated next. This saves raw GPU power which can be used to increase speeds or image quality.
The GTX 1080 Ti has Pascal architecture. While this is capable and efficient it lacks the fancy features of Lovelace. There are no ray tracing cores or DLSS for example. As well as this, the compatible external components are more outdated. For example, it is limited to GDDR5X VRAM which facilitates half the data transfer speed of GDDR6X.
RTX 4060 Ti vs GTX 1080 Ti – performance
It’s all very well consulting specs tables and comparing hardware but that is all a means to an end – assessing performance.
The most obvious comes when we compare ray tracing performance. Despite the fact that the 1080 Ti is a GTX rather than an RTX card, it is actually still compatible with ray tracing, in certain games. However, the RTX 4060 Ti performs much better here, thanks to its architecture.
As for non-ray tracing performance, we think these cards could be close in normal gameplay but with the RTX 4060 Ti having the edge. Any game where DLSS 3 is compatible, the RTX 4060 Ti tends to perform far better when it is enabled. The RTX 4060 Ti’s 4K performance, will likely also be better than the GTX 1080 Ti’s, though neither are primarily aimed at UHD gaming.
RTX 4060 Ti vs GTX 1080 Ti – price
The RTX 4060 Ti price and MSRP are looking particularly appealing. The 8GB model of the RTX 4060 Ti is $399, while the 16GB model will cost slightly more at $499. This makes the 4060 Ti the first Ada Lovelace graphics card to cost less than $500. If you’d like a headstart, we’ve also spotted the 8GB Founders Edition on Best Buy.
GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Founders Edition
Base clock
2310MHz
Boost clock
2535MHz
VRAM
8GB
Dimensions
240 x 111 x 40mm
Recommended PSU
450W
The GTX 1080 Ti was $699 when it first came out. While this is by no means cheap, remember this was the most powerful and efficient card on the market at that time, with cards that boast that position now easily going for $1K or even $2K. The price has also dropped a bit since then. Though you can still expect to pay around $400-$500.
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti – FE Founders Edition
Base clock
1480 MHz
Boost clock
1582 MHz
VRAM
11GB
Dimensions
140 x 325mm
Recommended PSU
600W
RTX 4060 Ti vs GTX 1080 Ti – final word
The arrival of the 4060 Ti might just be the card worth upgrading to if you’re still hanging on to your trust 1080 Ti.
It’s incredible how the GTX 1080 Ti has managed to stay relevant for so long, and it is a truly impressive card. However, according to the RTX 4060 Ti exists in a very similar price range while offering superior performance, especially in ray tracing.
The GTX 1080 Ti has also stopped being produced new, meaning you’re likely to be buying a second-hand or renewed edition.
