RTX 3060 vs RTX 3080 for Blender
Compare RTX 3060 vs RTX 3080 for Blender: benchmarks, VRAM, render-time estimates, power, and upgrade fit. RTX 3080 leads the Blender benchmark score by 109.1%.
Fastest in Blender
RTX 3080 (4,812.41 score)
Most VRAM
RTX 3060 (12 GB)
Lowest power draw
RTX 3060 (170 W TDP)
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ||
| Blender benchmark score | 2,302.01 -52% | 4,812.41 |
| CUDA cores | 3,584 -59% | 8,704 |
| Boost clock | 1.78 GHz | 1710 MHz -4% |
| RT cores | 28 RT Cores (2nd Gen) -59% | RT cores: 68 |
| Tensor cores | 112 Tensor Cores (3rd Gen) -59% | Tensor cores: 272 |
| Memory | ||
| VRAM | 12 GB | 10 GB -17% |
| Memory bandwidth | 360 GB/s -53% | 760.3 GB/s |
| Memory type | GDDR6 | GDDR6X |
| Memory bus | 192-bit -40% | 320-bit |
| Memory speed | 15 Gbps | N/A |
| Platform | ||
| Architecture | Ampere | Ampere |
| Render support | OptiX, CUDA | OptiX, CUDA |
| TDP | 170 W | 320 W +88% |
| Release year | 2021 | 2020 |
Benchmark comparison
Estimated seconds to render one frame of each standard Blender benchmark scene. Lower is faster.
These timings are derived from Blender Open Data benchmark medians and should be treated as comparative estimates, not guaranteed real-project render times.
Which GPU makes more sense?
RTX 3080 is faster for Blender rendering, but RTX 3060 has more VRAM. That makes this a speed-versus-scene-headroom decision.
Blender render speed
RTX 3080 leads by 109.1% in the Renderjuice Blender benchmark model (4,812 vs 2,302). For render-time-first decisions, that is the card to prioritize.
VRAM and scene headroom
RTX 3060 has more scene headroom with 12 GB of VRAM versus 10 GB on RTX 3080. That matters most for large environments, dense geometry, high-resolution textures, and less optimized production files.
Power and cooling
RTX 3060 is the lower-power option at 170 W TDP, compared with 320 W for RTX 3080. If render speed is close, that can make RTX 3060 easier to cool and run quietly.
Upgrade decision
RTX 3060 is newer, but RTX 3080 still leads this Blender benchmark comparison. That makes the older card worth considering when used pricing or VRAM capacity is favorable.
Quick take on RTX 3060 vs RTX 3080
RTX 3080 leads the Blender benchmark score by 109.1%.
Fastest in Blender: RTX 3080 4,812.41 score.
Most VRAM: RTX 3060 12 GB.
Lowest power draw: RTX 3060 170 W TDP.
RTX 3060 has 12 GB of VRAM, while RTX 3080 has 10 GB, which matters when scenes, textures, or geometry get heavier.
If you are deciding between these cards for Blender, focus first on Blender benchmark score, VRAM capacity, memory bandwidth, and whether your scenes are likely to benefit more from raw speed or extra memory headroom. The comparison table above keeps those tradeoffs in one place.