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 2060

2019

Why buy it

✅Costs $150 less on MSRP ($349 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅30.4% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (240 vs 184).
✅Draws 160W instead of 220W, a 60W reduction.
✅Measures 229mm instead of 242mm, a 13mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3070 across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 3070 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.

GeForce RTX 3070

2020

Why buy it

✅53.4% more average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅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

❌Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (184 vs 240), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.
❌37.5% higher power demand at 220W vs 160W.

GeForce RTX 2060

2019

GeForce RTX 3070

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $150 less on MSRP ($349 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅30.4% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (240 vs 184).
✅Draws 160W instead of 220W, a 60W reduction.
✅Measures 229mm instead of 242mm, a 13mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Why buy it

✅53.4% more average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅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

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3070 across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 3070 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (184 vs 240), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.
❌37.5% higher power demand at 220W vs 160W.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3070 better than GeForce RTX 2060?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3070 is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 53.4% more average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data, 57.1% higher PassMark G3D performance, and 8 GB vs 6 GB of VRAM. It also comes from 2020 instead of 2019, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.

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

GeForce RTX 3070 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2020 generation instead of 2019, 57.1% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 6 GB, and 53.3% more ray-tracing hardware. 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 3070 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 3070 is about 43.0% more expensive on MSRP at $499 MSRP versus $349 MSRP, and you are getting 53.4% more estimated average FPS across 47 tracked games in our benchmark data and 57.1% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 9.9%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is GeForce RTX 2060 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. GeForce RTX 2060 is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is very strong for 1080p, good for 1440p, and more limited at 4K. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $349 MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 3070 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 RTX 2060 Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 3070 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 2060	GeForce RTX 3070
1080p
low	108 FPS	158 FPS
medium	98 FPS	140 FPS
high	82 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	69 FPS	104 FPS
1440p
low	95 FPS	134 FPS
medium	83 FPS	109 FPS
high	69 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	47 FPS	80 FPS
medium	43 FPS	67 FPS
high	31 FPS	52 FPS
ultra	27 FPS	45 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 2060 Open GeForce RTX 3070

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 2060	GeForce RTX 3070
1080p
low	290 FPS	470 FPS
medium	247 FPS	405 FPS
high	197 FPS	327 FPS
ultra	155 FPS	277 FPS
1440p
low	192 FPS	294 FPS
medium	164 FPS	246 FPS
high	131 FPS	213 FPS
ultra	104 FPS	179 FPS
4K
low	108 FPS	141 FPS
medium	91 FPS	120 FPS
high	75 FPS	105 FPS
ultra	57 FPS	83 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 2060 Open GeForce RTX 3070

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 2060	GeForce RTX 3070
1080p
low	635 FPS	885 FPS
medium	508 FPS	712 FPS
high	423 FPS	619 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	499 FPS
1440p
low	476 FPS	692 FPS
medium	381 FPS	557 FPS
high	318 FPS	473 FPS
ultra	238 FPS	374 FPS
4K
low	318 FPS	479 FPS
medium	254 FPS	388 FPS
high	212 FPS	330 FPS
ultra	159 FPS	249 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 2060 Open GeForce RTX 3070

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 2060	GeForce RTX 3070
1080p
low	428 FPS	600 FPS
medium	354 FPS	527 FPS
high	286 FPS	433 FPS
ultra	244 FPS	385 FPS
1440p
low	357 FPS	489 FPS
medium	302 FPS	433 FPS
high	235 FPS	339 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	297 FPS
4K
low	204 FPS	292 FPS
medium	166 FPS	270 FPS
high	154 FPS	238 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	200 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 2060 Open GeForce RTX 3070

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 2060 and GeForce RTX 3070

GeForce RTX 2060

The GeForce RTX 2060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 7 2019. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1365 MHz to 1680 MHz. It has 1920 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 160W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 30 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 14,114 points. Launch price was $349.

GeForce RTX 3070

The GeForce RTX 3070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1500 MHz to 1725 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 220W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 22,172 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 2060 scores 14,114 versus the GeForce RTX 3070's 22,172 — the GeForce RTX 3070 leads by 57.1%. The GeForce RTX 2060 is built on Turing while the GeForce RTX 3070 uses Ampere, both on 12 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 1,920 (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070). Raw compute: 6.451 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 20.31 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3070). Boost clocks: 1680 MHz vs 1725 MHz. Ray tracing: 30 RT cores (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 46 (GeForce RTX 3070) with 240 Tensor cores vs 184.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060	GeForce RTX 3070
G3D Mark Score	14,114	22,172+57%
Architecture	Turing	Ampere
Process Node	12 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	1920	5888+207%
Compute (TFLOPS)	6.451 TFLOPS	20.31 TFLOPS+215%
Boost Clock	1680 MHz	1725 MHz+3%
ROPs	48	96+100%
TMUs	120	184+53%
L1 Cache	1.9 MB	5.8 MB+205%
L2 Cache	3 MB	4 MB+33%
Ray Tracing Cores	30	46+53%
Tensor Cores	240+30%	184

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060	GeForce RTX 3070
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	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 RTX 2060 comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3070 has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 3070 offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 336 GB/s (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3070) — a 33.3% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3070. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3070) — the GeForce RTX 3070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060	GeForce RTX 3070
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	8 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	336 GB/s	448 GB/s+33%
Bus Width	192-bit	256-bit+33%
L2 Cache	3 MB	4 MB+33%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (12_2) (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3070). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060	GeForce RTX 3070
DirectX	12 Ultimate (12_2)	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.3	1.4+8%
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Turing) (GeForce RTX 2060) vs NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3070). Decoder: NVDEC (Turing) vs NVDEC 5th gen. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,VP9,VP8,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce RTX 2060) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3070).

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060	GeForce RTX 3070
Encoder	NVENC (Turing)	NVENC 7th gen
Decoder	NVDEC (Turing)	NVDEC 5th gen
Codecs	H.264,H.265,VP9,VP8,MPEG-2,VC-1	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 2060 draws 160W versus the GeForce RTX 3070's 220W — a 31.6% difference. The GeForce RTX 2060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 650W (GeForce RTX 3070). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 229mm vs 242mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 72 vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060	GeForce RTX 3070
TDP	160W-27%	220W
Recommended PSU	500W-23%	650W
Power Connector	8-pin	8-pin
Length	229mm	242mm
Height	113mm	112mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	72-4%	75°C
Perf/Watt	88.2	100.8+14%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 2060 launched at $349 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 3070 launched at $499. The GeForce RTX 2060 costs 30.1% less ($150 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 44.4 (GeForce RTX 3070) — the GeForce RTX 3070 offers 9.9% better value. The GeForce RTX 3070 is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2019).