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

2016

Why buy it

✅34.7% more average FPS across 20 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌140% higher power demand at 180W vs 75W.

GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile

2021

Why buy it

✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 75W instead of 180W, a 105W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 20 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile

2021

Why buy it

✅34.7% more average FPS across 20 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 75W instead of 180W, a 105W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌140% higher power demand at 180W vs 75W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 across 20 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile better than GeForce GTX 1060?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce GTX 1060 averages 34.7% more FPS across 20 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 10,080 vs 10,064 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while GeForce GTX 1060 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 Mobile is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2021 generation instead of 2016, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 6 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 Mobile is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile is priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus $249 MSRP, and you are getting lower estimated average FPS across 20 tracked games in our benchmark data and 0.2% higher G3D Mark. GeForce GTX 1060 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

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

No, not for a fresh gaming build. GeForce GTX 1060 is 2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM, 10,064 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 Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile
1080p
low	117 FPS	104 FPS
medium	105 FPS	87 FPS
high	91 FPS	72 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	48 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	91 FPS
medium	87 FPS	74 FPS
high	76 FPS	54 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	36 FPS
4K
low	55 FPS	36 FPS
medium	49 FPS	33 FPS
high	41 FPS	20 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	17 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile
1080p
low	216 FPS	119 FPS
medium	181 FPS	96 FPS
high	148 FPS	75 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	57 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	87 FPS
medium	107 FPS	67 FPS
high	87 FPS	55 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	42 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	52 FPS
medium	51 FPS	41 FPS
high	49 FPS	33 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	24 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile
1080p
low	453 FPS	454 FPS
medium	362 FPS	363 FPS
high	302 FPS	302 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	227 FPS
1440p
low	340 FPS	340 FPS
medium	272 FPS	272 FPS
high	226 FPS	227 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	170 FPS
4K
low	226 FPS	227 FPS
medium	181 FPS	181 FPS
high	151 FPS	151 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	113 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile
1080p
low	358 FPS	214 FPS
medium	302 FPS	186 FPS
high	260 FPS	150 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	128 FPS
1440p
low	299 FPS	169 FPS
medium	254 FPS	149 FPS
high	208 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	96 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	95 FPS
medium	133 FPS	75 FPS
high	123 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	48 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile

GeForce GTX 1060

The GeForce GTX 1060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 27 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1607 MHz to 1733 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 180W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,064 points. Launch price was $599.

GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile

The GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 11 2021. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 712 MHz to 1057 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 16 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,080 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 and the GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile reaches 10,080 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile uses Ampere, both on 16 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2,048 (GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 4.329 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1057 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile
G3D Mark Score	10,064	10,080
Architecture	Pascal	Ampere
Process Node	16 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	2560+25%	2048
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS+105%	4.329 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1733 MHz+64%	1057 MHz
ROPs	64+60%	40
TMUs	160+150%	64
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	2 MB+113%
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1060 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile
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 comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 128-bit.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	8 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	192 GB/s
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12.2 (GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile
DirectX	12	12.2+2%
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.5	4.6+2%
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 7th Gen NVENC (GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode) (GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	7th Gen NVENC
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	5th Gen NVDEC
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode)

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile's 75W — a 82.4% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 500W (GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile). Power connectors: 6-pin vs Mobile. Card length: 173mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.