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.

GeForce 315 vs GeForce RTX 3060 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce 315 vs GeForce RTX 3060: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce 315

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 20W instead of 170W, a 150W reduction.
✅Measures 168mm instead of 242mm, a 74mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌2020 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 51.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Why buy it

✅3734.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅2300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 512 MB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌750% higher power demand at 170W vs 20W.
❌44% longer card at 242mm vs 168mm.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 3060 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 3734.6% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 8570.9% in PassMark G3D (16,995 vs 196), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 3060 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 12 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 8nm process instead of 14nm, and 28 vs 0 ray-tracing units. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce RTX 3060 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce 315 vs GeForce RTX 3060 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

GeForce 315

The GeForce 315 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 10 2020. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 747 MHz to 937 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 20W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 196 points.

GeForce RTX 3060

The GeForce RTX 3060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 12 2021. 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: 16,995 points. Launch price was $329.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce 315 scores 196 versus the GeForce RTX 3060's 16,995 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 8570.9%. The GeForce 315 is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 3060 uses Ampere, both on 14 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 640 (GeForce 315) vs 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060). Raw compute: 1.199 TFLOPS (GeForce 315) vs 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060). Boost clocks: 937 MHz vs 1777 MHz.

Feature	GeForce 315	GeForce RTX 3060
G3D Mark Score	196	16,995+8571%
Architecture	Pascal	Ampere
Process Node	14 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	640	3584+460%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.199 TFLOPS	12.74 TFLOPS+963%
Boost Clock	937 MHz	1777 MHz+90%
ROPs	16	48+200%
TMUs	32	112+250%
L1 Cache	0.23 MB	3.5 MB+1422%
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	3 MB+500%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce 315 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce 315	GeForce RTX 3060
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 315 has 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 carries 12 GB. GeForce RTX 3060 gives you 2300% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce 315 and 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (GeForce 315) vs 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce 315	GeForce RTX 3060
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	12 GB+2300%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	360 GB/s
Bus Width	128-bit	192-bit+50%
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	3 MB+500%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 10.1 (GeForce 315) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060). OpenGL: 3.3 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce 315	GeForce RTX 3060
DirectX	10.1	12 Ultimate+19%
OpenGL	3.3	4.6+39%
Max Displays	2	4+100%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (GeForce 315) vs NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060). Decoder: PureVideo VP4 vs NVDEC 5th Gen. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 Part 2 (GeForce 315) vs AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060).

Feature	GeForce 315	GeForce RTX 3060
Encoder	None	NVENC 7th Gen
Decoder	PureVideo VP4	NVDEC 5th Gen
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 Part 2	AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 315 draws 20W versus the GeForce RTX 3060's 170W — a 157.9% difference. The GeForce 315 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 315) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 3060). Power connectors: Legacy vs 8-pin. Card length: 168mm vs 242mm, occupying 1 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 75.

Feature	GeForce 315	GeForce RTX 3060
TDP	20W-88%	170W
Recommended PSU	350W-36%	550W
Power Connector	Legacy	8-pin
Length	168mm	242mm
Height	—	112mm
Slots	1-50%	2
Temp (Load)	80°C	75-6%
Perf/Watt	9.8	100.0+920%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 315 came in at $0, while the GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329. On MSRP, GeForce 315 was 100+% cheaper ($329 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): Infinity (GeForce 315) vs 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) — the GeForce 315 offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 (2021 vs 2020).

Feature	GeForce 315	GeForce RTX 3060
MSRP	$0-100%	$329
Performance per Dollar	Infinity	51.7
Codename	GP107	GA106
Release	February 10 2020	January 12 2021
Ranking	#597	#114

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