GeForce 6500 vs GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
GeForce 6500
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GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
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Performance Spectrum - GPU
About G3D Mark
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. The GeForce 6500 is positioned at rank #359 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce 6500
Performance Per Dollar GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is significantly newer (2022 vs 2012). The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The GeForce 6500 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 34557.9% higher G3D Mark score and 2300% more VRAM (6 GB vs 256 MB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce 6500.
| Insight | GeForce 6500 | GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-34557.9%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+34557.9%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / Kepler (2012−2018)) | 🔮Strong Longevity (Ampere (2020−2025) / 8nm) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | ✨ DLSS 2 Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | 🎮 High Capacity (6 GB) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | — |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.
Performance Check
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 7800X3D 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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of GeForce 6500 and GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
GeForce 6500
The GeForce 6500 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 6 2012. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock speed is 1058 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 65W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 38 points. Launch price was $109.
GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 12 2022. 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: 13,170 points.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the GeForce 6500 scores 38 versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU's 13,170 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU leads by 34557.9%. The GeForce 6500 is built on Kepler while the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU uses Ampere, both on 28 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce 6500) vs 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Raw compute: 0.8125 TFLOPS (GeForce 6500) vs 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU).
| Feature | GeForce 6500 | GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 38 | 13,170+34558% |
| Architecture | Kepler | Ampere |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 8 nm |
| Shading Units | 384 | 3584+833% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 0.8125 TFLOPS | 12.74 TFLOPS+1468% |
| ROPs | 16 | 48+200% |
| TMUs | 32 | 112+250% |
| L1 Cache | 0.03 MB | 3.5 MB+11567% |
| L2 Cache | 0.25 MB | 3 MB+1100% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce 6500 | GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | DLSS 2.0 |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | FSR 3 / AFMF (Compatible) |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | Standard | NVIDIA Reflex |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce 6500 comes with 256 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU has 6 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU offers 2300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 0.25 MB (GeForce 6500) vs 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce 6500 | GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 0.25 GB | 6 GB+2300% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | 336 GB/s |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 192-bit+50% |
| L2 Cache | 0.25 MB | 3 MB+1100% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 9.0c (GeForce 6500) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Vulkan: None vs 1.4. OpenGL: 2.1 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 4.
| Feature | GeForce 6500 | GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 9.0c | 12 Ultimate+33% |
| Vulkan | None | 1.4 |
| OpenGL | 2.1 | 4.6+119% |
| Max Displays | 2 | 4+100% |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: No (GeForce 6500) vs NVENC (7th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Decoder: PureVideo vs NVDEC (5th Gen). Supported codecs: MPEG-2 (GeForce 6500) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU).
| Feature | GeForce 6500 | GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | No | NVENC (7th Gen) |
| Decoder | PureVideo | NVDEC (5th Gen) |
| Codecs | MPEG-2 | H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce 6500 draws 65W versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU's 170W — a 89.4% difference. The GeForce 6500 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 6500) vs 500W (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Power connectors: Legacy vs Mobile. Typical load temperature: 65°C vs 75°C.
| Feature | GeForce 6500 | GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 65W-62% | 170W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W-30% | 500W |
| Power Connector | Legacy | Mobile |
| Length | 168mm | — |
| Height | 100mm | — |
| Slots | 1 | — |
| Temp (Load) | 65°C-13% | 75°C |
| Perf/Watt | 0.6 | 77.5+12817% |
Value Analysis
The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2012).
| Feature | GeForce 6500 | GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $100 | — |
| Avg Price (30d) | $5 | — |
| Codename | GK107 | GA106 |
| Release | September 6 2012 | October 12 2022 |
| Ranking | #719 | #147 |
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