GeForce GT 520M vs GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
GeForce GT 520M
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GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
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Performance Spectrum - GPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. The GeForce GT 520M is positioned at rank #253 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce GT 520M
Performance Per Dollar GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is significantly newer (2022 vs 2013). The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The GeForce GT 520M lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 4537.3% higher G3D Mark score and 500% more VRAM (6 GB vs 1 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce GT 520M.
| Insight | GeForce GT 520M | GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-4537.3%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+4537.3%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / Kepler (2012−2018)) | 🔮Strong Longevity (Ampere (2020−2025) / 8nm) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | ✨ DLSS 2 Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | 🎮 High Capacity (6 GB) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | — | — |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.
Performance Check
Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.
Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GT 520M and GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
GeForce GT 520M
The GeForce GT 520M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 9 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 941 MHz to 967 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 284 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.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the GeForce GT 520M scores 284 versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU's 13,170 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU leads by 4537.3%. The GeForce GT 520M is built on Kepler while the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU uses Ampere, both on 28 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce GT 520M) vs 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Raw compute: 0.7427 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 520M) vs 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Boost clocks: 967 MHz vs 1777 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce GT 520M | GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 284 | 13,170+4537% |
| Architecture | Kepler | Ampere |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 8 nm |
| Shading Units | 384 | 3584+833% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 0.7427 TFLOPS | 12.74 TFLOPS+1615% |
| Boost Clock | 967 MHz | 1777 MHz+84% |
| ROPs | 16 | 48+200% |
| TMUs | 32 | 112+250% |
| L1 Cache | 0.03 MB | 3.5 MB+11567% |
| L2 Cache | 0.25 MB | 3 MB+1100% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce GT 520M | GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | DLSS 2.0 |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | FSR 3 / AFMF (Compatible) |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | Standard | NVIDIA Reflex |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce GT 520M comes with 1 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU has 6 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU offers 500% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 0.25 MB (GeForce GT 520M) vs 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce GT 520M | GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 1 GB | 6 GB+500% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | 336 GB/s |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 192-bit+50% |
| L2 Cache | 0.25 MB | 3 MB+1100% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 11.0 (GeForce GT 520M) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Vulkan: None vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.0 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 1 vs 4.
| Feature | GeForce GT 520M | GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 11.0 | 12 Ultimate+9% |
| Vulkan | None | 1.4 |
| OpenGL | 4.0 | 4.6+15% |
| Max Displays | 1 | 4+300% |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: No (GeForce GT 520M) vs NVENC (7th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP4 vs NVDEC (5th Gen). Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GT 520M) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU).
| Feature | GeForce GT 520M | GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | No | NVENC (7th Gen) |
| Decoder | PureVideo HD VP4 | NVDEC (5th Gen) |
| Codecs | MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP | H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GT 520M draws 50W versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU's 170W — a 109.1% difference. The GeForce GT 520M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GT 520M) vs 500W (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs Mobile. Typical load temperature: 70°C vs 75°C.
| Feature | GeForce GT 520M | GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 50W-71% | 170W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W-30% | 500W |
| Power Connector | PCIe-powered | Mobile |
| Length | 0mm | — |
| Height | 0mm | — |
| Slots | 0 | — |
| Temp (Load) | 70°C-7% | 75°C |
| Perf/Watt | 5.7 | 77.5+1260% |
Value Analysis
The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2013).
| Feature | GeForce GT 520M | GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $60 | — |
| Codename | GK107 | GA106 |
| Release | January 9 2013 | October 12 2022 |
| Ranking | #792 | #147 |
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