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 970M

2014

Why buy it

✅Draws 81W instead of 130W, a 49W reduction.
✅Measures 1mm instead of 235mm, a 234mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (5,705 vs 11,892).
❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 47.8 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

2022

Why buy it

✅+108.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 47.8 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅166.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 3 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌60.5% higher power demand at 130W vs 81W.
❌23400% longer card at 235mm vs 1mm.

GeForce GTX 970M

2014

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

2022

Why buy it

✅Draws 81W instead of 130W, a 49W reduction.
✅Measures 1mm instead of 235mm, a 234mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Why buy it

✅+108.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 47.8 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅166.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 3 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (5,705 vs 11,892).
❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 47.8 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌60.5% higher power demand at 130W vs 81W.
❌23400% longer card at 235mm vs 1mm.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3050 OEM better than GeForce GTX 970M?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 11,892 vs 5,705 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is a 2022 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while GeForce GTX 970M is a 2014 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 OEM is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2022 generation instead of 2014, 108.4% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 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 3050 OEM is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $249 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 108.4% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is GeForce GTX 970M still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. GeForce GTX 970M 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 an unclear MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 3050 OEM 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 970M Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 970M	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
1080p
low	99 FPS	130 FPS
medium	80 FPS	113 FPS
high	63 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	83 FPS
1440p
low	82 FPS	119 FPS
medium	68 FPS	96 FPS
high	47 FPS	81 FPS
ultra	27 FPS	69 FPS
4K
low	27 FPS	64 FPS
medium	25 FPS	57 FPS
high	16 FPS	39 FPS
ultra	14 FPS	33 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 970M Open GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 970M	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
1080p
low	166 FPS	239 FPS
medium	135 FPS	206 FPS
high	108 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	74 FPS	128 FPS
1440p
low	113 FPS	163 FPS
medium	86 FPS	135 FPS
high	68 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	92 FPS
4K
low	48 FPS	88 FPS
medium	39 FPS	74 FPS
high	35 FPS	62 FPS
ultra	26 FPS	49 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 970M Open GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 970M	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
1080p
low	257 FPS	535 FPS
medium	205 FPS	428 FPS
high	171 FPS	357 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	268 FPS
1440p
low	193 FPS	401 FPS
medium	154 FPS	321 FPS
high	128 FPS	268 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	201 FPS
4K
low	128 FPS	268 FPS
medium	103 FPS	214 FPS
high	86 FPS	178 FPS
ultra	64 FPS	134 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 970M Open GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 970M	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
1080p
low	166 FPS	467 FPS
medium	136 FPS	414 FPS
high	123 FPS	335 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	268 FPS
1440p
low	116 FPS	372 FPS
medium	97 FPS	321 FPS
high	88 FPS	236 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	197 FPS
4K
low	69 FPS	199 FPS
medium	54 FPS	175 FPS
high	44 FPS	150 FPS
ultra	31 FPS	125 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 970M Open GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 970M and GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

GeForce GTX 970M

The GeForce GTX 970M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 7 2014. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 924 MHz to 1038 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 81W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,705 points. Launch price was $2,560.89.

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.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 970M scores 5,705 versus the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM's 11,892 — the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM leads by 108.4%. The GeForce GTX 970M is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM uses Ampere, both on 28 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 1,280 (GeForce GTX 970M) vs 2,560 (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Raw compute: 2.657 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 970M) vs 8.986 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Boost clocks: 1038 MHz vs 1755 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
G3D Mark Score	5,705	11,892+108%
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Ampere
Process Node	28 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	1280	2560+100%
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.657 TFLOPS	8.986 TFLOPS+238%
Boost Clock	1038 MHz	1755 MHz+69%
ROPs	48+50%	32
TMUs	80	80
L1 Cache	0.47 MB	2.5 MB+432%
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 970M is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	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 970M comes with 3 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM offers 166.7% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 120 GB/s (GeForce GTX 970M) vs 224 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM) — a 86.7% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM. Bus width: 192-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 1.5 MB (GeForce GTX 970M) 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 970M	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
VRAM Capacity	3 GB	8 GB+167%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	120 GB/s	224 GB/s+87%
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit
L2 Cache	1.5 MB	2 MB+33%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12_1 (GeForce GTX 970M) vs 12.2 (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Maximum simultaneous displays: 0 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
DirectX	12_1	12.2+2%
Max Displays	0	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 5th Gen (GeForce GTX 970M) vs 8th Gen NVENC (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Decoder: NVDEC 2nd Gen vs 5th Gen NVDEC.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
Encoder	NVENC 5th Gen	8th Gen NVENC
Decoder	NVDEC 2nd Gen	5th Gen NVDEC
Codecs	—	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode)

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 970M draws 81W versus the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM's 130W — a 46.4% difference. The GeForce GTX 970M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 970M) vs 450W (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 1mm vs 235mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots.