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 580

2010

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (4,634 vs 16,995).
❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2010-era hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌
51.7% HIGHER MSRP
$499 MSRPvs$329 MSRP

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Why buy it

✅+266.7% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $170 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 456.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 9.3 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 3 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

GeForce GTX 580

2010

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Why buy it

✅+266.7% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $170 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 456.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 9.3 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 3 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (4,634 vs 16,995).
❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2010-era hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌
51.7% HIGHER MSRP
$499 MSRPvs$329 MSRP

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 better than GeForce GTX 580?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 16,995 vs 4,634 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while GeForce GTX 580 is a 2010 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 3060 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2021 generation instead of 2010, 266.7% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 3 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.

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

GeForce RTX 3060 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 3060 is about $170 cheaper on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $499 MSRP, and you are getting 266.7% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 456.2%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is GeForce GTX 580 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. GeForce GTX 580 is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $499 MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 3060 is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

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 580 Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 3060 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 580	GeForce RTX 3060
1080p
low	80 FPS	149 FPS
medium	65 FPS	131 FPS
high	52 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	99 FPS
1440p
low	67 FPS	126 FPS
medium	55 FPS	104 FPS
high	39 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	25 FPS	80 FPS
4K
low	24 FPS	67 FPS
medium	23 FPS	58 FPS
high	15 FPS	39 FPS
ultra	13 FPS	32 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 580 Open GeForce RTX 3060

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 580	GeForce RTX 3060
1080p
low	132 FPS	354 FPS
medium	103 FPS	310 FPS
high	81 FPS	249 FPS
ultra	59 FPS	195 FPS
1440p
low	91 FPS	222 FPS
medium	65 FPS	196 FPS
high	52 FPS	160 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	128 FPS
4K
low	42 FPS	110 FPS
medium	32 FPS	94 FPS
high	29 FPS	77 FPS
ultra	23 FPS	60 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 580 Open GeForce RTX 3060

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 580	GeForce RTX 3060
1080p
low	209 FPS	765 FPS
medium	167 FPS	612 FPS
high	139 FPS	510 FPS
ultra	104 FPS	382 FPS
1440p
low	156 FPS	535 FPS
medium	125 FPS	432 FPS
high	104 FPS	366 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	287 FPS
4K
low	104 FPS	367 FPS
medium	83 FPS	298 FPS
high	70 FPS	221 FPS
ultra	52 FPS	176 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 580 Open GeForce RTX 3060

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 580	GeForce RTX 3060
1080p
low	157 FPS	523 FPS
medium	116 FPS	452 FPS
high	100 FPS	383 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	319 FPS
1440p
low	118 FPS	428 FPS
medium	89 FPS	371 FPS
high	76 FPS	298 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	245 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	279 FPS
medium	50 FPS	259 FPS
high	39 FPS	225 FPS
ultra	28 FPS	186 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 580 Open GeForce RTX 3060

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 580 and GeForce RTX 3060

GeForce GTX 580

The GeForce GTX 580 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 9 2010. It features the Fermi 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 772 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 244W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,634 points. Launch price was $499.

GeForce RTX 3060

The GeForce RTX 3060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 12 2021. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1320 MHz to 1777 MHz. It has 3584 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 170W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 28 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 16,995 points. Launch price was $329.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 580 scores 4,634 versus the GeForce RTX 3060's 16,995 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 266.7%. The GeForce GTX 580 is built on Fermi 2.0 while the GeForce RTX 3060 uses Ampere, both on 40 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 512 (GeForce GTX 580) vs 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060). Raw compute: 1.581 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 580) vs 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060).

Feature	GeForce GTX 580	GeForce RTX 3060
G3D Mark Score	4,634	16,995+267%
Architecture	Fermi 2.0	Ampere
Process Node	40 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	512	3584+600%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.581 TFLOPS	12.74 TFLOPS+706%
ROPs	48	48
TMUs	64	112+75%
L1 Cache	1 MB	3.5 MB+250%
L2 Cache	0.75 MB	3 MB+300%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 580 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 580	GeForce RTX 3060
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 580 comes with 3 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 has 12 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 offers 300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 580) vs 360 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060) — a 87.5% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060. Bus width: 384-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 0.75 MB (GeForce GTX 580) vs 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 580	GeForce RTX 3060
VRAM Capacity	3 GB	12 GB+300%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	360 GB/s+88%
Bus Width	384-bit+100%	192-bit
L2 Cache	0.75 MB	3 MB+300%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 580) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060). Vulkan: N/A vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 580	GeForce RTX 3060
DirectX	12 (11_0)	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	N/A	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	2	4+100%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (GeForce GTX 580) vs NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP4 vs NVDEC 5th Gen. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce GTX 580) vs AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060).

Feature	GeForce GTX 580	GeForce RTX 3060
Encoder	None	NVENC 7th Gen
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP4	NVDEC 5th Gen
Codecs	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1	AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 580 draws 244W versus the GeForce RTX 3060's 170W — a 35.7% difference. The GeForce RTX 3060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce GTX 580) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 3060). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 242mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 85 C vs 75.

Feature	GeForce GTX 580	GeForce RTX 3060
TDP	244W	170W-30%
Recommended PSU	550W	550W
Power Connector	6-pin + 8-pin	8-pin
Length	267mm	242mm
Height	111mm	112mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	85 C	75-12%
Perf/Watt	19.0	100.0+426%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 580 launched at $499 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329. The GeForce RTX 3060 costs 34.1% less ($170 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 9.3 (GeForce GTX 580) vs 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 455.9% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2010).