GeForce GTS 240 vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

NVIDIA

GeForce GTS 240

2010Core: 783 MHz
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024Core: 1042 MHzBoost: 1470 MHz

GeForce GTS 240 vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Performance Spectrum

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.

GeForce GTS 240 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 GTS 240 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 GTS 240

2010

Why buy it

  • Costs $89 less on MSRP ($80 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 1 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • 2010 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 6.4 vs 63.6 G3D/$ ($80 MSRP vs $169 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024

Why buy it

  • 1011.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 888% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 6.4 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs $80 MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 500% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 1 GB).
  • 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 1011.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1987.2% in PassMark G3D (10,749 vs 515), 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 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 40nm, 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 $89 more expensive on MSRP at $169 vs $80, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 888% (63.6 vs 6.4), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTS 240 vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce GTS 240

The GeForce GTS 240 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 13 2010. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 783 MHz. It has 192 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 106W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 515 points. Launch price was $129.

NVIDIA

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 GTS 240 scores 515 versus the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB's 10,749 — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB leads by 1987.2%. The GeForce GTS 240 is built on Fermi while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB uses Ampere, both on 40 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 192 (GeForce GTS 240) vs 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Raw compute: 0.6013 TFLOPS (GeForce GTS 240) vs 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB).

FeatureGeForce GTS 240GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
G3D Mark Score
515
10,749+1987%
Architecture
Fermi
Ampere
Process Node
40 nm
8 nm
Shading Units
192
2304+1100%
Compute (TFLOPS)
0.6013 TFLOPS
6.774 TFLOPS+1027%
ROPs
16
32+100%
TMUs
32
72+125%
L1 Cache
0.25 MB
2.3 MB+820%
L2 Cache
0.25 MB
2 MB+700%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTS 240 is capped at Upscaling support.

FeatureGeForce GTS 240GeForce 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 GTS 240 has 1 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB carries 6 GB. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB gives you 500% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce GTS 240 and 96-bit on the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB. L2 Cache: 0.25 MB (GeForce GTS 240) vs 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTS 240GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
VRAM Capacity
1 GB
6 GB+500%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
Unknown
168 GB/s
Bus Width
128-bit+33%
96-bit
L2 Cache
0.25 MB
2 MB+700%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.1 (10_0) (GeForce GTS 240) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). OpenGL: 3.2 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTS 240GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
DirectX
11.1 (10_0)
12 Ultimate+8%
OpenGL
3.2
4.6+44%
Max Displays
2
4+100%
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: PureVideo HD VP2 (GeForce GTS 240) vs NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP2 vs NVDEC (7th Gen). Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GTS 240) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB).

FeatureGeForce GTS 240GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
Encoder
PureVideo HD VP2
NVENC (5th Gen)
Decoder
PureVideo HD VP2
NVDEC (7th Gen)
Codecs
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2
H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only)
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTS 240 draws 106W versus the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB's 70W — a 40.9% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTS 240) vs 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs None. Card length: 229mm vs 160mm, occupying 1 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 75°C.

FeatureGeForce GTS 240GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
TDP
106W
70W-34%
Recommended PSU
350W
300W-14%
Power Connector
1x 6-pin
None
Length
229mm
160mm
Height
111mm
Slots
1-50%
2
Temp (Load)
85°C
75°C-12%
Perf/Watt
4.9
153.6+3035%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTS 240 came in at $80, while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB launched at $169. On MSRP, GeForce GTS 240 was 52.7% cheaper ($89 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 6.4 (GeForce GTS 240) vs 63.6 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB offers 893.8% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB (2024 vs 2010).

FeatureGeForce GTS 240GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
MSRP
$80-53%
$169
Performance per Dollar
6.4
63.6+894%
Codename
GF106
GA107
Release
September 13 2010
February 2 2024
Ranking
#791
#252

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