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 740 vs GeForce RTX 3060 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 740 vs GeForce RTX 3060: 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 740

2014

Why buy it

✅Costs $240 less on MSRP ($89 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Draws 64W instead of 170W, a 106W reduction.
✅Measures 145mm instead of 242mm, a 97mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 1 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌2014 hardware with 1 GB 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 16.1 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($89 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Why buy it

✅1222.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 221.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 16.1 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $89 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅1100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 1 GB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌165.6% higher power demand at 170W vs 64W.
❌66.9% longer card at 242mm vs 145mm.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 3060 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 1222.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1089.3% in PassMark G3D (16,995 vs 1,429), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce RTX 3060 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 12 GB vs 1 GB of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 8nm process instead of 28nm, 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 RTX 3060 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $240 more expensive on MSRP at $329 vs $89, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 221.7% (51.7 vs 16.1), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GT 740 vs GeForce RTX 3060 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GT 740

The GeForce GT 740 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 29 2014. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock speed is 993 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 64W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,429 points. Launch price was $89.

GeForce RTX 3060

The GeForce RTX 3060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 12 2021. 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: 16,995 points. Launch price was $329.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GT 740 scores 1,429 versus the GeForce RTX 3060's 16,995 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 1089.3%. The GeForce GT 740 is built on Kepler while the GeForce RTX 3060 uses Ampere, both on 28 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce GT 740) vs 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060). Raw compute: 0.7626 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 740) vs 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060).

Feature	GeForce GT 740	GeForce RTX 3060
G3D Mark Score	1,429	16,995+1089%
Architecture	Kepler	Ampere
Process Node	28 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	384	3584+833%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.7626 TFLOPS	12.74 TFLOPS+1571%
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)

The GeForce RTX 3060 supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GT 740 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GT 740	GeForce RTX 3060
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 740 has 1 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 carries 12 GB. GeForce RTX 3060 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 740 and 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060. L2 Cache: 0.25 MB (GeForce GT 740) vs 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GT 740	GeForce RTX 3060
VRAM Capacity	1 GB	12 GB+1100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	360 GB/s
Bus Width	64-bit	192-bit+200%
L2 Cache	0.25 MB	3 MB+1100%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GT 740) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GT 740	GeForce RTX 3060
DirectX	12 (11_0)	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.1	1.3+18%
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	3	4+33%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 1st Gen (GeForce GT 740) vs NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060). Decoder: VP5 vs NVDEC 5th Gen. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4 (GeForce GT 740) vs AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060).

Feature	GeForce GT 740	GeForce RTX 3060
Encoder	NVENC 1st Gen	NVENC 7th Gen
Decoder	VP5	NVDEC 5th Gen
Codecs	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4	AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GT 740 draws 64W versus the GeForce RTX 3060's 170W — a 90.6% difference. The GeForce GT 740 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce GT 740) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 3060). Power connectors: None vs 8-pin. Card length: 145mm vs 242mm, occupying 1 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 75.

Feature	GeForce GT 740	GeForce RTX 3060
TDP	64W-62%	170W
Recommended PSU	300W-45%	550W
Power Connector	None	8-pin
Length	145mm	242mm
Height	111mm	112mm
Slots	1-50%	2
Temp (Load)	75	75
Perf/Watt	22.3	100.0+348%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GT 740 came in at $89, while the GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329. On MSRP, GeForce GT 740 was 72.9% cheaper ($240 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 16.1 (GeForce GT 740) vs 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 221.1% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 (2021 vs 2014).

Feature	GeForce GT 740	GeForce RTX 3060
MSRP	$89-73%	$329
Performance per Dollar	16.1	51.7+221%
Codename	GK107	GA106
Release	May 29 2014	January 12 2021
Ranking	#777	#114

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