GeForce GTX 1080 vs Radeon RX 5600 XT

Speed and memory

In our performance index the GeForce GTX 1080 scores 20 and the Radeon RX 5600 XT scores 19, which makes the GeForce GTX 1080 about 5% faster. That is a small gap, below what most people notice without a frame counter.

The GeForce GTX 1080 has 8 GB of video memory and the Radeon RX 5600 XT has 6 GB. That is a small difference and unlikely to decide anything.

In our estimates for popular games at 1080p on High, the biggest gap is in Grand Theft Auto V Legacy (288 against 275 fps), and the smallest is in Cyberpunk 2077 (55 against 53 fps). Games that are light enough to run above 200 fps on both cards show little difference at all.

Power and value

The GeForce GTX 1080 is rated at 180 W and the Radeon RX 5600 XT at 150 W. With a mid-range processor that means a power supply of about 550 W for the first and 550 W for the second. The power draw is close enough that cooling and noise will be similar.

At launch the GeForce GTX 1080 cost $599 and the Radeon RX 5600 XT $279. Per dollar, the Radeon RX 5600 XT gave more performance (6.8 points per $100 against 3.3). Current prices differ, so run the same sum on what you can actually buy today.

Which one to buy

Choose the GeForce GTX 1080 if you want the faster card, and it also has at least as much memory. It makes the most sense at 1440p and above, or on a monitor with a high refresh rate.

Choose the Radeon RX 5600 XT if the price gap matters more than the 5% speed difference, or if you want lower power draw and a quieter PC. Whichever you pick, check reviews for the games you play, because two cards with similar scores can differ in individual titles.