GeForce GT 1030 vs GRID M3-3020

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 GT 1030 vs GRID M3-3020 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 GT 1030 vs GRID M3-3020: 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 GT 1030

2017

Why buy it

✅Costs $921 less on MSRP ($79 MSRP vs $1,000 MSRP).
✅Delivers 1118.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 30.5 vs 2.5 G3D/$ ($79 MSRP vs $1,000 MSRP).
✅Draws 30W instead of 250W, a 220W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌2017 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

GRID M3-3020

2016

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

❌2016 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
1165.8% HIGHER MSRP
$1,000 MSRPvs$79 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 2.5 vs 30.5 G3D/$ ($1,000 MSRP vs $79 MSRP).
❌733.3% higher power demand at 250W vs 30W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GRID M3-3020 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 3.9% in PassMark G3D (2,500 vs 2,407), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

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

GeForce GT 1030 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 14nm process instead of 28nm and a newer 2017 generation instead of 2016. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GT 1030 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $921 cheaper on MSRP at $79 vs $1,000, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 1118.7% (30.5 vs 2.5), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. GRID M3-3020 still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce GT 1030 vs GRID M3-3020 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GT 1030

The GeForce GT 1030 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 17 2017. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1228 MHz to 1468 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,407 points. Launch price was $79.

GRID M3-3020

The GRID M3-3020 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 18 2016. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1033 MHz to 1306 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,500 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GT 1030 scores 2,407 and the GRID M3-3020 reaches 2,500 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GT 1030 is built on Pascal while the GRID M3-3020 uses Maxwell, both on 14 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce GT 1030) vs 640 (GRID M3-3020). Raw compute: 1.127 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 1030) vs 1.672 TFLOPS (GRID M3-3020). Boost clocks: 1468 MHz vs 1306 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GT 1030	GRID M3-3020
G3D Mark Score	2,407	2,500+4%
Architecture	Pascal	Maxwell
Process Node	14 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	384	640+67%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.127 TFLOPS	1.672 TFLOPS+48%
Boost Clock	1468 MHz+12%	1306 MHz
ROPs	16	16
TMUs	24	40+67%
L1 Cache	144 KB	320 KB+122%
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	2 MB+300%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GT 1030 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The GRID M3-3020 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GT 1030	GRID M3-3020
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards ship with 2 GB of GDDR5. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the GeForce GT 1030 and 64-bit on the GRID M3-3020. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (GeForce GT 1030) vs 2 MB (GRID M3-3020) — the GRID M3-3020 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GT 1030	GRID M3-3020
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	64-bit	64-bit
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	2 MB+300%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GT 1030 draws 30W versus the GRID M3-3020's 250W — a 157.1% difference. The GeForce GT 1030 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce GT 1030) vs 350W (GRID M3-3020). Power connectors: None vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	GeForce GT 1030	GRID M3-3020
TDP	30W-88%	250W
Recommended PSU	300W-14%	350W
Power Connector	None	PCIe-powered
Length	145mm	—
Height	69mm	—
Slots	1	—
Temp (Load)	80°C	—
Perf/Watt	80.2+702%	10.0

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GT 1030 came in at $79, while the GRID M3-3020 launched at $1000. On MSRP, GeForce GT 1030 was 92.1% cheaper ($921 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 30.5 (GeForce GT 1030) vs 2.5 (GRID M3-3020) — the GeForce GT 1030 offers 1120% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GT 1030 (2017 vs 2016).

Feature	GeForce GT 1030	GRID M3-3020
MSRP	$79-92%	$1000
Performance per Dollar	30.5+1120%	2.5
Codename	GP108	GM107
Release	May 17 2017	May 18 2016
Ranking	#641	#587

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