Specifications Compared
| Spec | GTX 1080 | RTX 3060 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 180W | 170W |
| VRAM | 8-11 GB | 8-12 GB |
| CUDA Cores | 2,560 | 3,584 |
| Memory Type | GDDR5X | GDDR6 |
| Architecture | Pascal | Ampere |
| Form Factors | PCIe | PCIe |
| Interconnect | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 4.0 |
| Tensor Cores | Not published | 112 |
| FP32 Performance | 8.9 TFLOPS | 12.7 TFLOPS |
| Memory Bandwidth | 320 GB/s | 360 GB/s |
Performance Analysis
The dense FP32 rating of 8.9 TFLOPS on the GTX 1080 trails the 12.7 TFLOPS dense FP32 on the RTX 3060 by a ratio of 1 to 1.43. This gap influences training and inference throughput for operations that rely on single precision arithmetic. Memory bandwidth of 320 GB per second versus 360 GB per second limits maximum batch sizes on the GTX 1080 relative to the RTX 3060 when data movement becomes the constraint. The 10 watt lower TDP on the RTX 3060 further supports sustained operation without proportional increases in power draw.
Current On-Demand Offers
Cheapest secure on-demand offer per provider that is reported in stock right now, per GPU per hour; multi-GPU instances show the whole-instance price alongside. Deploy opens the DeployGPU console for providers on the platform, otherwise the provider's own site. Stock is rechecked every minute.
GTX 1080
1 provider in stock, 1 offer. All GTX 1080 offers, price history and alerts
RTX 3060
RTX 3060 is not offered on-demand by any provider we track right now. See the RTX 3060 rental page for last-seen listed prices and a price alert.
Notify me when GTX 1080 drops below a price
One email when the cheapest in-stock on-demand price per GPU-hour falls below your threshold. Cheapest right now: $0.60/GPU-hr.
QuantaCloud
Comparing providers? We broker across all of them.
Stop tab-switching between pricing pages. Tell us what you need, 16+ GPUs reserved or cluster capacity, and we return one quote at partner rates within 24 hours.
When to Choose the GTX 1080
Choose the GTX 1080 only for FP32 code that does not touch tensor cores or FP16, such as older CUDA kernels or small numerical jobs, and only when the working set fits in 8 GB. It is a Pascal part with no tensor cores on a PCIe 3.0 link, so treat it as a last resort rather than a bargain for any model work.
When to Choose the RTX 3060
Choose the RTX 3060 for anything involving neural networks. Its 112 tensor cores give it real FP16 and mixed precision throughput that the GTX 1080 lacks entirely, the 12 GB configuration fits models the 8 GB GTX 1080 cannot load, and it does this at 170W against 180W. There is no model workload where the GTX 1080 is the better rental.
Use Cases
The 12.7 TFLOPS dense FP32 rating exceeds 8.9 TFLOPS and pairs with 360 GB per second bandwidth for improved throughput.
Higher dense FP32 performance at 12.7 TFLOPS combined with PCIe 4.0 supports faster token generation than the GTX 1080 configuration.
The 360 GB per second memory bandwidth on the RTX 3060 enables larger effective batch sizes compared to 320 GB per second on the GTX 1080.
Both GPUs provide comparable VRAM ranges and the dense FP32 difference remains secondary when image resolution fits within 8 GB.
The 12.7 TFLOPS dense FP32 and lower 170 watt TDP favor the RTX 3060 for extended compute sessions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the FP32 performance difference between GTX 1080 and RTX 3060?▾
The GTX 1080 delivers 8.9 TFLOPS dense FP32 while the RTX 3060 reaches 12.7 TFLOPS dense FP32. This produces a performance ratio of 1 to 1.43 in favor of the RTX 3060.
How does memory bandwidth compare on these GPUs?▾
The GTX 1080 provides 320 GB per second while the RTX 3060 provides 360 GB per second. The difference affects data transfer rates during large tensor operations.
Which GPU has lower power consumption?▾
The RTX 3060 lists a TDP of 170 watts compared to 180 watts on the GTX 1080. The 10 watt reduction supports more efficient sustained workloads.
Can the GTX 1080 work in a PCIe 4.0 slot?▾
The GTX 1080 uses PCIe 3.0 interconnect and operates in PCIe 4.0 slots at PCIe 3.0 speeds. The RTX 3060 fully utilizes PCIe 4.0 capabilities.
Which is cheaper to rent, the GTX 1080 or the RTX 3060?▾
Cloud rental prices for both the GTX 1080 and RTX 3060 vary by provider, configuration, and availability. This page shows live pricing from 25+ providers updated every 60 seconds. Scroll to the Live Cloud Pricing section to compare current rates.
How much VRAM does the GTX 1080 have compared to the RTX 3060?▾
The GTX 1080 has 8 to 11 GB of GDDR5X memory. The RTX 3060 has 8 to 12 GB of GDDR6 memory.
Can I find GTX 1080 and RTX 3060 GPUs available to rent right now?▾
Yes. This page shows real-time availability across 25+ cloud GPU providers. The Live Cloud Pricing section displays only in-stock offers with current pricing.
What is the main difference between the GTX 1080 and the RTX 3060?▾
The GTX 1080 uses the Pascal architecture (2016) while the RTX 3060 uses Ampere (2021). The GTX 1080 has 8-11 GB of GDDR5X at 320 GB/s; the RTX 3060 has 8-12 GB of GDDR6 at 360 GB/s, so the RTX 3060 has 1.1x the memory bandwidth of the GTX 1080.
Rent these GPUs
Each GPU page lists every current on-demand offer by provider, per GPU-hour, updated every minute.
Related comparisons
How this page is made
- Specifications come from the NVIDIA, AMD and Intel datasheets for the GTX 1080 and the RTX 3060. Dense and sparse throughput are listed separately.
- Prices and availability are live: every offer shown is an in-stock, on-demand listing from a provider we track, rechecked every minute.
- The written comparison (overview, performance notes, when to choose each card, verdict, use cases and FAQ) was drafted with an AI model from the specification table above and passed an automated check that rejects any figure not in that table. It was last generated on . It contains no prices; those are always read live.
- Read how we collect the data, or report an error on this page.
Next steps
- Rent GTX 1080Every current offer by provider, daily price history and a price alert.
- Rent RTX 3060Every current offer by provider, daily price history and a price alert.
- GPU price indexHow on-demand prices for the major GPUs have moved, updated daily.
- All GPUsEvery GPU we track, with current lows and provider counts.