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 120 / 9500 GT 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.

GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT 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 GT 120 / 9500 GT

2017

Why buy it

✅Costs $84 less on MSRP ($85 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 512 MB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌2017 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 3.8 vs 63.6 G3D/$ ($85 MSRP vs $169 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024

Why buy it

✅1160.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 1563.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 3.8 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs $85 MSRP).
✅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

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 1160.6% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 3207.4% in PassMark G3D (10,749 vs 325), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB 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 16nm, and 18 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 3050 6GB makes the most sense to buy today. It is $84 more expensive on MSRP at $169 vs $85, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 1563.5% (63.6 vs 3.8), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT

The GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 26 2017. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1506 MHz to 1709 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 120W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 325 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 GT 120 / 9500 GT scores 325 versus the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB's 10,749 — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB leads by 3207.4%. The GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB uses Ampere, both on 16 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 1,280 (GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT) vs 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Raw compute: 4.375 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT) vs 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Boost clocks: 1709 MHz vs 1470 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
G3D Mark Score	325	10,749+3207%
Architecture	Pascal	Ampere
Process Node	16 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	1280	2304+80%
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.375 TFLOPS	6.774 TFLOPS+55%
Boost Clock	1709 MHz+16%	1470 MHz
ROPs	40+25%	32
TMUs	80+11%	72
L1 Cache	0.47 MB	2.3 MB+389%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB	2 MB+60%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT	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 GT 120 / 9500 GT has 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB carries 6 GB. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB 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 GT 120 / 9500 GT and 96-bit on the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB. L2 Cache: 1.25 MB (GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT) vs 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	6 GB+1100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	168 GB/s
Bus Width	64-bit	96-bit+50%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB	2 MB+60%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 10.0 (GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Vulkan: N/A vs 1.3. OpenGL: 3.3 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
DirectX	10.0	12 Ultimate+20%
Vulkan	N/A	1.3
OpenGL	3.3	4.6+39%
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT) vs NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Decoder: PureVideo VP2 vs NVDEC (7th Gen). Supported codecs: MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264 (GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB).

Feature	GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
Encoder	None	NVENC (5th Gen)
Decoder	PureVideo VP2	NVDEC (7th Gen)
Codecs	MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264	H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only)

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT draws 120W versus the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB's 70W — a 52.6% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT) vs 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Power connectors: None vs None. Card length: 168mm vs 160mm, occupying 1 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
TDP	120W	70W-42%
Recommended PSU	350W	300W-14%
Power Connector	None	None
Length	168mm	160mm
Height	111mm	—
Slots	1-50%	2
Temp (Load)	75	75°C
Perf/Watt	2.7	153.6+5589%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT came in at $85, while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB launched at $169. On MSRP, GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT was 49.7% cheaper ($84 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 3.8 (GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT) vs 63.6 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB offers 1573.7% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB (2024 vs 2017).

Feature	GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
MSRP	$85-50%	$169
Performance per Dollar	3.8	63.6+1574%
Codename	GP106	GA107
Release	December 26 2017	February 2 2024
Ranking	#289	#252

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