G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce GTX 1060 3GB

2016

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 49.3 vs 0 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU across 37 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌71.4% higher power demand at 120W vs 70W.

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU

2024

Why buy it

✅14.7% more average FPS across 37 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 3 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 70W instead of 120W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 49.3 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $199 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060 3GB

2016

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU

2024

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 49.3 vs 0 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Why buy it

✅14.7% more average FPS across 37 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 3 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 70W instead of 120W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU across 37 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌71.4% higher power demand at 120W vs 70W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 49.3 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $199 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU better than GeForce GTX 1060 3GB?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU averages 14.7% more FPS across 37 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 10,143 vs 9,815 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU is a 2024 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while GeForce GTX 1060 3GB is a 2016 model from an older generation with no meaningful modern upscaling stack. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2024 generation instead of 2016, more VRAM at 6 GB instead of 3 GB, better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, and a 8nm process instead of 16nm. That extra memory headroom makes it the safer pick for newer games, heavier textures, and higher settings over time.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU is priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and you are getting 14.7% more estimated average FPS across 37 tracked games in our benchmark data and 3.3% higher G3D Mark. GeForce GTX 1060 3GB really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is GeForce GTX 1060 3GB still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. GeForce GTX 1060 3GB is 2016 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM, 9,815 in G3D Mark, and no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

Games Benchmarks

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 9800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

GeForce GTX 1060 3GB Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060 3GB	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU
1080p
low	95 FPS	85 FPS
medium	83 FPS	72 FPS
high	70 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	58 FPS	40 FPS
1440p
low	84 FPS	74 FPS
medium	70 FPS	64 FPS
high	58 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	30 FPS
4K
low	41 FPS	27 FPS
medium	38 FPS	25 FPS
high	27 FPS	17 FPS
ultra	24 FPS	15 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 3GB Open GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060 3GB	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU
1080p
low	191 FPS	174 FPS
medium	161 FPS	149 FPS
high	132 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	94 FPS	87 FPS
1440p
low	127 FPS	129 FPS
medium	101 FPS	106 FPS
high	80 FPS	83 FPS
ultra	61 FPS	62 FPS
4K
low	54 FPS	74 FPS
medium	45 FPS	62 FPS
high	43 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	34 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 3GB Open GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060 3GB	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU
1080p
low	379 FPS	456 FPS
medium	332 FPS	365 FPS
high	246 FPS	304 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	228 FPS
1440p
low	308 FPS	342 FPS
medium	265 FPS	274 FPS
high	207 FPS	228 FPS
ultra	166 FPS	171 FPS
4K
low	187 FPS	228 FPS
medium	160 FPS	183 FPS
high	108 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	76 FPS	114 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 3GB Open GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060 3GB	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU
1080p
low	257 FPS	243 FPS
medium	206 FPS	210 FPS
high	186 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	162 FPS	144 FPS
1440p
low	196 FPS	185 FPS
medium	154 FPS	166 FPS
high	136 FPS	131 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	109 FPS
4K
low	97 FPS	104 FPS
medium	73 FPS	87 FPS
high	65 FPS	69 FPS
ultra	51 FPS	55 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 3GB Open GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 3GB and GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU

GeForce GTX 1060 3GB

The GeForce GTX 1060 3GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 18 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1506 MHz to 1708 MHz. It has 1152 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 120W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,815 points. Launch price was $199.

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 2 2024. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1042 MHz to 1470 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 70W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 18 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,143 points. Launch price was $179.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 1060 3GB scores 9,815 and the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU reaches 10,143 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 1060 3GB is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU uses Ampere, both on 16 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 1,152 (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU). Raw compute: 3.935 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU). Boost clocks: 1708 MHz vs 1470 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060 3GB	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU
G3D Mark Score	9,815	10,143+3%
Architecture	Pascal	Ampere
Process Node	16 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	1152	2304+100%
Compute (TFLOPS)	3.935 TFLOPS	6.774 TFLOPS+72%
Boost Clock	1708 MHz+16%	1470 MHz
ROPs	48+50%	32
TMUs	72	72
L1 Cache	0.42 MB	2.3 MB+448%
L2 Cache	1.5 MB	2 MB+33%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060 3GB	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1060 3GB comes with 3 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU has 6 GB. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 168 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU) — a 14.3% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB. Bus width: 192-bit vs 96-bit. L2 Cache: 1.5 MB (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060 3GB	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU
VRAM Capacity	3 GB	6 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s+14%	168 GB/s
Bus Width	192-bit+100%	96-bit
L2 Cache	1.5 MB	2 MB+33%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 12.2 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060 3GB	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU
DirectX	12.1	12.2
Vulkan	1.1	1.3+18%
OpenGL	4.5	4.6+2%
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 4.0 (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 7th Gen NVENC (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060 3GB	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU
Encoder	NVENC 4.0	7th Gen NVENC
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6	5th Gen NVDEC
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode)

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 3GB draws 120W versus the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU's 70W — a 52.6% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 500W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU). Power connectors: 6-pin vs Mobile. Card length: 250mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 80°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060 3GB	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU
TDP	120W	70W-42%
Recommended PSU	400W-20%	500W
Power Connector	6-pin	Mobile
Length	250mm	0mm
Height	111mm	0mm
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	75°C-6%	80°C
Perf/Watt	81.8	144.9+77%