GeForce GTX 1050 3GB vs GeForce RTX 4060

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1050 3GB

2018Core: 1392 MHzBoost: 1518 MHz
GTX family
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4060

2023Core: 1830 MHzBoost: 2460 MHz
RTX family
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GeForce GTX 1050 3GB vs GeForce RTX 4060 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 GTX 1050 3GB vs GeForce RTX 4060 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 GTX 1050 3GB vs GeForce RTX 4060: 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 GTX 1050 3GB

2018

Why buy it

  • Costs $170 less on MSRP ($129 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
  • Draws 75W instead of 115W, a 40W reduction.
  • Measures 145mm instead of 240mm, a 95mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • 2018 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 39.7 vs 65.4 G3D/$ ($129 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 4060

2023

Why buy it

  • 269.5% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 64.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 65.4 vs 39.7 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs $129 MSRP).
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • 166.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 3 GB).
  • Better long-term bet: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 53.3% higher power demand at 115W vs 75W.
  • 65.5% longer card at 240mm vs 145mm.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 4060 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 269.5% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 282.1% in PassMark G3D (19,548 vs 5,116), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 4060 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 3 GB of VRAM, the newer feature stack, with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) and DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023), while GeForce GTX 1050 3GB is limited to no meaningful modern upscaling stack and no comparable frame-generation support, a 5nm process instead of 14nm, and 24 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 4060 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $170 more expensive on MSRP at $299 vs $129, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 64.9% (65.4 vs 39.7), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 1050 3GB vs GeForce RTX 4060 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1050 3GB

The GeForce GTX 1050 3GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 21 2018. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1392 MHz to 1518 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,116 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4060

The GeForce RTX 4060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 18 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1830 MHz to 2460 MHz. It has 3072 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 115W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 24 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 19,548 points. Launch price was $299.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1050 3GB scores 5,116 versus the GeForce RTX 4060's 19,548 — the GeForce RTX 4060 leads by 282.1%. The GeForce GTX 1050 3GB is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 4060 uses Ada Lovelace, both on 14 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 768 (GeForce GTX 1050 3GB) vs 3,072 (GeForce RTX 4060). Raw compute: 2.332 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1050 3GB) vs 15.11 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060). Boost clocks: 1518 MHz vs 2460 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1050 3GBGeForce RTX 4060
G3D Mark Score
5,116
19,548+282%
Architecture
Pascal
Ada Lovelace
Process Node
14 nm
5 nm
Shading Units
768
3072+300%
Compute (TFLOPS)
2.332 TFLOPS
15.11 TFLOPS+548%
Boost Clock
1518 MHz
2460 MHz+62%
ROPs
24
48+100%
TMUs
48
96+100%
L1 Cache
0.28 MB
3 MB+971%
L2 Cache
0.75 MB
24 MB+3100%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the GeForce RTX 4060 is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The GeForce GTX 1050 3GB does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce RTX 4060 supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1050 3GB is capped at Upscaling support.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1050 3GBGeForce RTX 4060
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution
Frame Generation
Not Supported
DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction
No
Yes (DLSS 3.5)
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1050 3GB has 3 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 4060 carries 8 GB. GeForce RTX 4060 gives you 166.7% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 84 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1050 3GB) vs 272 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4060) — a 223.8% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060. Memory bus width is 96-bit on the GeForce GTX 1050 3GB and 128-bit on the GeForce RTX 4060. L2 Cache: 0.75 MB (GeForce GTX 1050 3GB) vs 24 MB (GeForce RTX 4060) — the GeForce RTX 4060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1050 3GBGeForce RTX 4060
VRAM Capacity
3 GB
8 GB+167%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
84 GB/s
272 GB/s+224%
Bus Width
96-bit
128-bit+33%
L2 Cache
0.75 MB
24 MB+3100%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (12_1) (GeForce GTX 1050 3GB) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4060). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1050 3GBGeForce RTX 4060
DirectX
12 (12_1)
12 Ultimate
Vulkan
1.3
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
3
4+33%
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 6.0 (GeForce GTX 1050 3GB) vs NVENC 8th gen (GeForce RTX 4060). Decoder: NVDEC 3.0 vs NVDEC 5th gen. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,VP9 (GeForce GTX 1050 3GB) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4060).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1050 3GBGeForce RTX 4060
Encoder
NVENC 6.0
NVENC 8th gen
Decoder
NVDEC 3.0
NVDEC 5th gen
Codecs
H.264,H.265,VP9
H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1050 3GB draws 75W versus the GeForce RTX 4060's 115W — a 42.1% difference. The GeForce GTX 1050 3GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce GTX 1050 3GB) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 4060). Power connectors: None vs 8-pin. Card length: 145mm vs 240mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 65 vs 73°C.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1050 3GBGeForce RTX 4060
TDP
75W-35%
115W
Recommended PSU
300W-45%
550W
Power Connector
None
8-pin
Length
145mm
240mm
Height
111mm
111mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
65-11%
73°C
Perf/Watt
68.2
170.0+149%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1050 3GB came in at $129, while the GeForce RTX 4060 launched at $299. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1050 3GB was 56.9% cheaper ($170 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 39.7 (GeForce GTX 1050 3GB) vs 65.4 (GeForce RTX 4060) — the GeForce RTX 4060 offers 64.7% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 4060 (2023 vs 2018).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1050 3GBGeForce RTX 4060
MSRP
$129-57%
$299
Performance per Dollar
39.7
65.4+65%
Codename
GP107
AD107
Release
May 21 2018
May 18 2023
Ranking
#440
#84

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