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 RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022

Why buy it

✅37.6% more average FPS across 36 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Weaker long-term outlook: RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
❌385.7% higher power demand at 170W vs 35W.

RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile

2025

Why buy it

✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Blackwell 2.0 (2025−2026) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 35W instead of 170W, a 135W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU across 36 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022

RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile

2025

Why buy it

✅37.6% more average FPS across 36 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).

Why buy it

✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Blackwell 2.0 (2025−2026) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 35W instead of 170W, a 135W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Weaker long-term outlook: RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
❌385.7% higher power demand at 170W vs 35W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU across 36 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU better than RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 37.6% more average FPS across 36 tracked games in our benchmark data, 0.3% higher PassMark G3D performance, DLSS 2 Super Resolution, and 112 vs 56 Tensor cores. It also comes from 2022 instead of 2025, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.

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

RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2025 generation instead of 2022, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 6 GB, the stronger feature stack with no meaningful modern upscaling stack instead of DLSS Super Resolution, and a 5nm process instead of 8nm. 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 3060 Laptop GPU is priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 37.6% more estimated average FPS across 36 tracked games in our benchmark data and a lower G3D Mark (13,170 vs 13,209). G3D-per-dollar is basically tied between them. If you are comfortable paying the premium for the stronger gaming result, GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the one to buy. If staying closer to budget matters more, RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile still makes more sense on price alone and remains capable enough for modern gaming.

When does RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile make more sense than GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU?

Yes. RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is very strong for 1080p, good for 1440p, and more limited at 4K. It makes more sense if your priority is newer architecture, lower power draw (35W vs 170W), future-proofing, and staying closer to an unclear MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU. The trade-off is that GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU currently gives you a lower G3D Mark (13,170 vs 13,209) and 37.6% more estimated average FPS across 36 tracked games in our benchmark data. G3D-per-dollar is basically tied between them.

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 RTX 3060 Laptop GPU Benchmark Check

RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile
1080p
low	109 FPS	69 FPS
medium	98 FPS	46 FPS
high	84 FPS	37 FPS
ultra	70 FPS	25 FPS
1440p
low	95 FPS	49 FPS
medium	83 FPS	29 FPS
high	70 FPS	19 FPS
ultra	59 FPS	14 FPS
4K
low	48 FPS	27 FPS
medium	43 FPS	17 FPS
high	30 FPS	12 FPS
ultra	26 FPS	9 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU Open RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile
1080p
low	357 FPS	219 FPS
medium	310 FPS	188 FPS
high	248 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	112 FPS
1440p
low	221 FPS	151 FPS
medium	190 FPS	123 FPS
high	154 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	123 FPS	79 FPS
4K
low	108 FPS	81 FPS
medium	89 FPS	68 FPS
high	72 FPS	54 FPS
ultra	55 FPS	39 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU Open RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile
1080p
low	593 FPS	545 FPS
medium	474 FPS	434 FPS
high	395 FPS	352 FPS
ultra	296 FPS	297 FPS
1440p
low	444 FPS	368 FPS
medium	356 FPS	309 FPS
high	296 FPS	246 FPS
ultra	222 FPS	207 FPS
4K
low	296 FPS	245 FPS
medium	237 FPS	210 FPS
high	198 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	148 FPS	117 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU Open RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile
1080p
low	565 FPS	554 FPS
medium	474 FPS	463 FPS
high	395 FPS	384 FPS
ultra	296 FPS	297 FPS
1440p
low	444 FPS	423 FPS
medium	356 FPS	343 FPS
high	296 FPS	260 FPS
ultra	222 FPS	213 FPS
4K
low	296 FPS	218 FPS
medium	237 FPS	177 FPS
high	198 FPS	158 FPS
ultra	148 FPS	132 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU Open RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU and RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 12 2022. 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: 13,170 points.

RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile

The RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 19 2025. It features the Blackwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 2235 MHz to 2520 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 35W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 14 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 13,209 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU scores 13,170 and the RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile reaches 13,209 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is built on Ampere while the RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile uses Blackwell 2.0, both on 8 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 1,792 (RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 9.032 TFLOPS (RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 2520 MHz. Ray tracing: 28 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 14 (RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile) with 112 Tensor cores vs 56.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile
G3D Mark Score	13,170	13,209
Architecture	Ampere	Blackwell 2.0
Process Node	8 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	3584+100%	1792
Compute (TFLOPS)	12.74 TFLOPS+41%	9.032 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1777 MHz	2520 MHz+42%
ROPs	48+100%	24
TMUs	112+100%	56
L1 Cache	3.5 MB+94%	1.8 MB
L2 Cache	3 MB	24 MB+700%
Ray Tracing Cores	28+100%	14
Tensor Cores	112+100%	56

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile supports the newer Upscaling support, whereas the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is capped at DLSS 2 Super Resolution.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile has 8 GB. The RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 24 MB (RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile) — the RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	8 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Bus Width	192-bit	256-bit+33%
L2 Cache	3 MB	24 MB+700%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 12.0 (RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 1.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12.0
Vulkan	1.4	1.4
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4+300%	1

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (7th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 9th Gen NVENC (RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile). Decoder: NVDEC (5th Gen) vs 6th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile
Encoder	NVENC (7th Gen)	9th Gen NVENC
Decoder	NVDEC (5th Gen)	6th Gen NVDEC
Codecs	H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU draws 170W versus the RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile's 35W — a 131.7% difference. The RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 500W (RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile). Power connectors: Mobile vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 80°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	RTX PRO 500 Blackwell Mobile
TDP	170W	35W-79%
Recommended PSU	500W	500W
Power Connector	Mobile	PCIe-powered
Length	—	0mm
Height	—	0mm
Slots	—	0
Temp (Load)	75°C-6%	80°C
Perf/Watt	77.5	377.4+387%