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 720A 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 720A 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 720A

2015

Why buy it

✅Costs $299 less on MSRP ($30 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Draws 33W instead of 170W, a 137W reduction.

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.
❌2015 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 19.2 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($30 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Why buy it

✅1338.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 168.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 19.2 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $30 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

❌415.2% higher power demand at 170W vs 33W.

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 1338.9% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 2845.4% in PassMark G3D (16,995 vs 577), 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 28nm, 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 to buy today. It is $299 more expensive on MSRP at $329 vs $30, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 168.6% (51.7 vs 19.2), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce 720A vs GeForce RTX 3060 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce 720A

The GeForce 720A is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 13 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 928 MHz to 941 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 33W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 577 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 720A scores 577 versus the GeForce RTX 3060's 16,995 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 2845.4%. The GeForce 720A is built on Maxwell while the GeForce RTX 3060 uses Ampere, both on 28 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce 720A) vs 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060). Raw compute: 0.7227 TFLOPS (GeForce 720A) vs 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060). Boost clocks: 941 MHz vs 1777 MHz.

Feature	GeForce 720A	GeForce RTX 3060
G3D Mark Score	577	16,995+2845%
Architecture	Maxwell	Ampere
Process Node	28 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	384	3584+833%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.7227 TFLOPS	12.74 TFLOPS+1663%
Boost Clock	941 MHz	1777 MHz+89%
ROPs	8	48+500%
TMUs	24	112+367%
L1 Cache	0.19 MB	3.5 MB+1742%
L2 Cache	1 MB	3 MB+200%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce 720A is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce 720A	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 720A 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 720A and 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce 720A) vs 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce 720A	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	1 MB	3 MB+200%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce 720A) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060). Vulkan: 1.0 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce 720A	GeForce RTX 3060
DirectX	12 (11_0)	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.0	1.3+30%
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	2	4+100%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (GeForce 720A) vs NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060). Decoder: NVDEC vs NVDEC 5th Gen. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce 720A) vs AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060).

Feature	GeForce 720A	GeForce RTX 3060
Encoder	NVENC	NVENC 7th Gen
Decoder	NVDEC	NVDEC 5th Gen
Codecs	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1	AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 720A draws 33W versus the GeForce RTX 3060's 170W — a 135% difference. The GeForce 720A is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 720A) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 3060). Power connectors: Legacy vs 8-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 242mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 85 vs 75.

Feature	GeForce 720A	GeForce RTX 3060
TDP	33W-81%	170W
Recommended PSU	350W-36%	550W
Power Connector	Legacy	8-pin
Length	0mm	242mm
Height	0mm	112mm
Slots	0-100%	2
Temp (Load)	85	75-12%
Perf/Watt	17.5	100.0+471%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 720A came in at $30, while the GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329. On MSRP, GeForce 720A was 90.9% cheaper ($299 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 19.2 (GeForce 720A) vs 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 169.3% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 (2021 vs 2015).

Feature	GeForce 720A	GeForce RTX 3060
MSRP	$30-91%	$329
Performance per Dollar	19.2	51.7+169%
Codename	GM108	GA106
Release	March 13 2015	January 12 2021
Ranking	#810	#114

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