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 1660

2019

Why buy it

✅Costs $30 less on MSRP ($219 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅Delivers 11.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 53.1 vs 47.8 G3D/$ ($219 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅Measures 229mm instead of 235mm, a 6mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

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.
❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 6 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

2022

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.

Trade-offs

❌
13.7% HIGHER MSRP
$249 MSRPvs$219 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 47.8 vs 53.1 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $219 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1660

2019

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $30 less on MSRP ($219 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅Delivers 11.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 53.1 vs 47.8 G3D/$ ($219 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅Measures 229mm instead of 235mm, a 6mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

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.

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.
❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 6 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.

Trade-offs

❌
13.7% HIGHER MSRP
$249 MSRPvs$219 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 47.8 vs 53.1 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $219 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3050 OEM better than GeForce GTX 1660?

Yes, but this is not really about a huge raw performance gap. The broader synthetic picture is also very close at 11,639 vs 11,892 in G3D Mark. The bigger reason to prefer GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is the overall package: you are getting a newer generation, DLSS Super Resolution.

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

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2022 generation instead of 2019, 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 12nm. 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 GTX 1660 can still make sense if you find it at the right price, especially around $219 MSRP. GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is still the smarter buy for most people, though, because the raw performance is close while the overall package is cleaner. GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is about 13.7% more expensive on MSRP at $249 MSRP versus $219 MSRP, and you are getting 2.2% higher G3D Mark. Moving to $249 MSRP gets you newer hardware, and DLSS Super Resolution.

Is GeForce GTX 1660 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. GeForce GTX 1660 is still a strong gaming card in 2026: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. Price is really the swing factor here. If you find it at or below $219 MSRP, it remains a very sensible buy. GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is still the safer recommendation for most fresh builds because it offers a cleaner overall package with newer hardware and DLSS Super Resolution.

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 1660 Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1660	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
1080p
low	125 FPS	130 FPS
medium	112 FPS	113 FPS
high	96 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	72 FPS	83 FPS
1440p
low	115 FPS	119 FPS
medium	98 FPS	96 FPS
high	83 FPS	81 FPS
ultra	62 FPS	69 FPS
4K
low	51 FPS	64 FPS
medium	47 FPS	57 FPS
high	35 FPS	39 FPS
ultra	31 FPS	33 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1660 Open GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1660	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
1080p
low	206 FPS	239 FPS
medium	174 FPS	206 FPS
high	143 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	128 FPS
1440p
low	132 FPS	163 FPS
medium	105 FPS	135 FPS
high	85 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	64 FPS	92 FPS
4K
low	61 FPS	88 FPS
medium	49 FPS	74 FPS
high	47 FPS	62 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	49 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1660 Open GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1660	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
1080p
low	524 FPS	535 FPS
medium	419 FPS	428 FPS
high	349 FPS	357 FPS
ultra	262 FPS	268 FPS
1440p
low	393 FPS	401 FPS
medium	314 FPS	321 FPS
high	262 FPS	268 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	201 FPS
4K
low	262 FPS	268 FPS
medium	210 FPS	214 FPS
high	175 FPS	178 FPS
ultra	131 FPS	134 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1660 Open GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1660	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
1080p
low	394 FPS	467 FPS
medium	328 FPS	414 FPS
high	271 FPS	335 FPS
ultra	233 FPS	268 FPS
1440p
low	314 FPS	372 FPS
medium	261 FPS	321 FPS
high	205 FPS	236 FPS
ultra	166 FPS	197 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	199 FPS
medium	122 FPS	175 FPS
high	110 FPS	150 FPS
ultra	88 FPS	125 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1660 Open GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1660 and GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

GeForce GTX 1660

The GeForce GTX 1660 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 14 2019. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1530 MHz to 1785 MHz. It has 1408 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 120W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 11,639 points. Launch price was $219.

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 4 2022. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1515 MHz to 1755 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 130W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 20 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 11,892 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 1660 scores 11,639 and the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM reaches 11,892 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 1660 is built on Turing while the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM uses Ampere, both on 12 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 1,408 (GeForce GTX 1660) vs 2,560 (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Raw compute: 5.027 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1660) vs 8.986 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Boost clocks: 1785 MHz vs 1755 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
G3D Mark Score	11,639	11,892+2%
Architecture	Turing	Ampere
Process Node	12 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	1408	2560+82%
Compute (TFLOPS)	5.027 TFLOPS	8.986 TFLOPS+79%
Boost Clock	1785 MHz+2%	1755 MHz
ROPs	48+50%	32
TMUs	88+10%	80
L1 Cache	1.4 MB	2.5 MB+79%
L2 Cache	1.5 MB	2 MB+33%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1660 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
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 1660 comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1660) vs 224 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM) — a 16.7% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM. Bus width: 192-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 1.5 MB (GeForce GTX 1660) vs 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM) — the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	8 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	224 GB/s+17%
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit
L2 Cache	1.5 MB	2 MB+33%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 1660) vs 12.2 (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
DirectX	12.1	12.2
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 7th Gen NVENC (GeForce GTX 1660) vs 8th Gen NVENC (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Decoder: 5th Gen NVDEC vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (GeForce GTX 1660) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode) (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
Encoder	7th Gen NVENC	8th Gen NVENC
Decoder	5th Gen NVDEC	5th Gen NVDEC
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode)

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1660 draws 120W versus the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM's 130W — a 8% difference. The GeForce GTX 1660 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (GeForce GTX 1660) vs 450W (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 229mm vs 235mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
TDP	120W-8%	130W
Recommended PSU	450W	450W
Power Connector	8-pin	8-pin
Length	229mm	235mm
Height	111mm	124mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75°C	75°C
Perf/Watt	97.0+6%	91.5

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1660 launched at $219 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM launched at $249. The GeForce GTX 1660 costs 12% less ($30 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 53.1 (GeForce GTX 1660) vs 47.8 (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM) — the GeForce GTX 1660 offers 11.1% better value. The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2019).