GeForce 9500M GS vs GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

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 9500M GS vs GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU 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 9500M GS vs GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU: 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 9500M GS

2008

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 2.2 vs 0 G3D/$ ($60 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌2008 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022

Why buy it

✅4297.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅1100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 512 MB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 2.2 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $60 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 4297.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 9802.3% in PassMark G3D (13,170 vs 133), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 6 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 65nm, 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 9500M GS makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce 9500M GS is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and lighter 1440p headroom, GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce 9500M GS vs GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU Technical Specifications

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

GeForce 9500M GS

The GeForce 9500M 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: 133 points.

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.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce 9500M GS scores 133 versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU's 13,170 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU leads by 9802.3%. The GeForce 9500M GS is built on G9x while the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU uses Ampere, both on 65 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 224 (GeForce 9500M GS) vs 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU).

Feature	GeForce 9500M GS	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
G3D Mark Score	133	13,170+9802%
Architecture	G9x	Ampere
Process Node	65 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	224	3584+1500%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce 9500M GS is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce 9500M GS	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce 9500M GS has 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU carries 6 GB. GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU gives you 1100% 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 9500M GS and 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU.

Feature	GeForce 9500M GS	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	6 GB+1100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	336 GB/s
Bus Width	64-bit	192-bit+200%

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Display & API Support

DirectX support: 10.0 (GeForce 9500M GS) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Vulkan: None vs 1.4. OpenGL: 3.3 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 1 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce 9500M GS	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
DirectX	10.0	12 Ultimate+20%
Vulkan	None	1.4
OpenGL	3.3	4.6+39%
Max Displays	1	4+300%

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: No (GeForce 9500M GS) vs NVENC (7th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP2 vs NVDEC (5th Gen). Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264 (GeForce 9500M GS) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU).

Feature	GeForce 9500M GS	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
Encoder	No	NVENC (7th Gen)
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP2	NVDEC (5th Gen)
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264	H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 9500M GS draws 150W versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU's 170W — a 12.5% difference. The GeForce 9500M GS is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 9500M GS) vs 500W (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Power connectors: Legacy vs Mobile. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce 9500M GS	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
TDP	150W-12%	170W
Recommended PSU	350W-30%	500W
Power Connector	Legacy	Mobile
Length	0mm	—
Height	0mm	—
Slots	0	—
Temp (Load)	75°C	75°C
Perf/Watt	0.9	77.5+8511%

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU (2022 vs 2008).

Feature	GeForce 9500M GS	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
MSRP	$60	—
Codename	NB9E-GTX	GA106
Release	July 15 2008	October 12 2022
Ranking	#825	#147

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