GeForce 8600M GS
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
GeForce 8600M GS vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Performance Spectrum
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.
GeForce 8600M GS vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB 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.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Valorant
Among Us
Apex Legends
ARC Raiders
Baldur's Gate 3
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
GeForce 8600M GS vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB: 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 8600M GS
2008Why buy it
- ✅Costs $69 less on MSRP ($100 MSRP vs $169 MSRP).
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3050 6GB across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
- ❌Less VRAM, with 256 MB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
- ❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
- ❌2008 hardware with 256 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
- ❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.9 vs 63.6 G3D/$ ($100 MSRP vs $169 MSRP).
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
2024Why buy it
- ✅4312.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
- ✅Delivers 7046.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 0.9 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
- ✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
- ✅2300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 256 MB).
- ✅Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
Trade-offs
- ❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.
Quick Answers
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GeForce 8600M GS vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Technical Specifications
Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.
GeForce 8600M GS
The GeForce 8600M GS is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 15 2008. It features the G9x architecture. The core clock speed is 500 MHz. It has 224 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 65 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 89 points.
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 2 2024. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1042 MHz to 1470 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 70W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 18 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,749 points. Launch price was $179.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the GeForce 8600M GS scores 89 versus the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB's 10,749 — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB leads by 11977.5%. The GeForce 8600M GS is built on G9x while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB uses Ampere, both on 65 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 224 (GeForce 8600M GS) vs 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB).
| Feature | GeForce 8600M GS | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 89 | 10,749+11978% |
| Architecture | G9x | Ampere |
| Process Node | 65 nm | 8 nm |
| Shading Units | 224 | 2304+929% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce 8600M GS is capped at Upscaling support.
| Feature | GeForce 8600M GS | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB |
|---|---|---|
| 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 8600M GS has 256 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB carries 6 GB. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB gives you 2300% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the GeForce 8600M GS and 96-bit on the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB.
| Feature | GeForce 8600M GS | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 0.25 GB | 6 GB+2300% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | 168 GB/s |
| Bus Width | 64-bit | 96-bit+50% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 11.1 (10_0) (GeForce 8600M GS) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Vulkan: N/A vs 1.3. OpenGL: 3.3 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 0 vs 4.
| Feature | GeForce 8600M GS | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 11.1 (10_0) | 12 Ultimate+8% |
| Vulkan | N/A | 1.3 |
| OpenGL | 3.3 | 4.6+39% |
| Max Displays | 0 | 4 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: None (GeForce 8600M GS) vs NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Decoder: PureVideo HD (VP2) vs NVDEC (7th Gen). Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce 8600M GS) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB).
| Feature | GeForce 8600M GS | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | None | NVENC (5th Gen) |
| Decoder | PureVideo HD (VP2) | NVDEC (7th Gen) |
| Codecs | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 | H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only) |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce 8600M GS draws 150W versus the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB's 70W — a 72.7% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 8600M GS) vs 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Power connectors: Legacy vs None. Card length: 0mm vs 160mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80 vs 75°C.
| Feature | GeForce 8600M GS | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 150W | 70W-53% |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 300W-14% |
| Power Connector | Legacy | None |
| Length | 0mm | 160mm |
| Height | 0mm | — |
| Slots | 0-100% | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 80 | 75°C-6% |
| Perf/Watt | 0.6 | 153.6+25500% |
Value Analysis
At launch, the GeForce 8600M GS came in at $100, while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB launched at $169. On MSRP, GeForce 8600M GS was 40.8% cheaper ($69 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.9 (GeForce 8600M GS) vs 63.6 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB offers 6966.7% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB (2024 vs 2008).
| Feature | GeForce 8600M GS | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $100-41% | $169 |
| Performance per Dollar | 0.9 | 63.6+6967% |
| Codename | NB9E-GTX | GA107 |
| Release | July 15 2008 | February 2 2024 |
| Ranking | #825 | #252 |
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