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 1050 Ti

2016

Why buy it

✅Costs $259 less on MSRP ($140 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).
✅Draws 70W instead of 200W, a 130W reduction.
✅Measures 211mm instead of 242mm, a 31mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 Ti across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 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 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 45.4 vs 50.9 G3D/$ ($140 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

2020

Why buy it

✅243.5% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 12.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 50.9 vs 45.4 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs $140 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌185.7% higher power demand at 200W vs 70W.
❌14.7% longer card at 242mm vs 211mm.

GeForce GTX 1050 Ti

2016

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $259 less on MSRP ($140 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).
✅Draws 70W instead of 200W, a 130W reduction.
✅Measures 211mm instead of 242mm, a 31mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Why buy it

✅243.5% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 12.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 50.9 vs 45.4 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs $140 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 Ti across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 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 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 45.4 vs 50.9 G3D/$ ($140 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌185.7% higher power demand at 200W vs 70W.
❌14.7% longer card at 242mm vs 211mm.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 Ti better than GeForce GTX 1050 Ti?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 3060 Ti averages 243.5% more FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 20,312 vs 6,350 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is a 2020 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 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 3060 Ti is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2020 generation instead of 2016, 219.9% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 4 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 Ti is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is about 185.0% more expensive on MSRP at $399 MSRP versus $140 MSRP, and you are getting 243.5% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 219.9% higher G3D Mark. GeForce GTX 1050 Ti really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is GeForce GTX 1050 Ti still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is 2016 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM, 6,350 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 1050 Ti Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1050 Ti	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
1080p
low	90 FPS	152 FPS
medium	80 FPS	137 FPS
high	67 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	55 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	84 FPS	131 FPS
medium	71 FPS	107 FPS
high	56 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	82 FPS
4K
low	37 FPS	77 FPS
medium	35 FPS	65 FPS
high	24 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	21 FPS	43 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Open GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1050 Ti	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
1080p
low	118 FPS	425 FPS
medium	85 FPS	366 FPS
high	66 FPS	296 FPS
ultra	42 FPS	248 FPS
1440p
low	62 FPS	272 FPS
medium	46 FPS	229 FPS
high	30 FPS	190 FPS
ultra	20 FPS	156 FPS
4K
low	23 FPS	133 FPS
medium	16 FPS	114 FPS
high	12 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	8 FPS	73 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Open GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1050 Ti	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
1080p
low	286 FPS	859 FPS
medium	229 FPS	693 FPS
high	190 FPS	602 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	457 FPS
1440p
low	214 FPS	658 FPS
medium	171 FPS	529 FPS
high	143 FPS	452 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	343 FPS
4K
low	132 FPS	434 FPS
medium	114 FPS	346 FPS
high	86 FPS	275 FPS
ultra	55 FPS	221 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Open GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1050 Ti	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
1080p
low	228 FPS	580 FPS
medium	161 FPS	514 FPS
high	139 FPS	424 FPS
ultra	120 FPS	373 FPS
1440p
low	185 FPS	478 FPS
medium	132 FPS	427 FPS
high	115 FPS	335 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	290 FPS
4K
low	100 FPS	285 FPS
medium	69 FPS	266 FPS
high	57 FPS	234 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	195 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Open GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1050 Ti and GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

GeForce GTX 1050 Ti

The GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 25 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1291 MHz to 1392 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 70W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,350 points. Launch price was $139.

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1410 MHz to 1665 MHz. It has 4864 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 38 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 20,312 points. Launch price was $399.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti scores 6,350 versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti's 20,312 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti leads by 219.9%. The GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti uses Ampere, both on 14 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 768 (GeForce GTX 1050 Ti) vs 4,864 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti). Raw compute: 2.138 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1050 Ti) vs 16.2 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti). Boost clocks: 1392 MHz vs 1665 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1050 Ti	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
G3D Mark Score	6,350	20,312+220%
Architecture	Pascal	Ampere
Process Node	14 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	768	4864+533%
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.138 TFLOPS	16.2 TFLOPS+658%
Boost Clock	1392 MHz	1665 MHz+20%
ROPs	32	80+150%
TMUs	48	152+217%
L1 Cache	0.28 MB	4.8 MB+1614%
L2 Cache	1 MB	4 MB+300%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1050 Ti	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
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 1050 Ti comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 112 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1050 Ti) vs 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) — a 300% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti. Bus width: 128-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce GTX 1050 Ti) vs 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1050 Ti	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	8 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	112 GB/s	448 GB/s+300%
Bus Width	128-bit	256-bit+100%
L2 Cache	1 MB	4 MB+300%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12_1 (GeForce GTX 1050 Ti) vs 12 Ultimate (12_2) (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti). Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1050 Ti	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
DirectX	12_1	12 Ultimate (12_2)
Max Displays	3	4+33%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 6th Gen (GeForce GTX 1050 Ti) vs NVENC (Ampere) (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti). Decoder: NVDEC 3rd Gen vs NVDEC (Ampere). Supported codecs: H.264,H.265 (GeForce GTX 1050 Ti) vs H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1050 Ti	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
Encoder	NVENC 6th Gen	NVENC (Ampere)
Decoder	NVDEC 3rd Gen	NVDEC (Ampere)
Codecs	H.264,H.265	H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1050 Ti draws 70W versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti's 200W — a 96.3% difference. The GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce GTX 1050 Ti) vs 600W (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti). Power connectors: None vs 8-pin. Card length: 211mm vs 242mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1050 Ti	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
TDP	70W-65%	200W
Recommended PSU	300W-50%	600W
Power Connector	None	8-pin
Length	211mm	242mm
Height	—	112mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	—	75
Perf/Watt	90.7	101.6+12%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1050 Ti launched at $140 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti launched at $399. The GeForce GTX 1050 Ti costs 64.9% less ($259 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 45.4 (GeForce GTX 1050 Ti) vs 50.9 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti offers 12.1% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2016).