GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB

2016Core: 1506 MHzBoost: 1709 MHz
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU

2024Core: 1042 MHzBoost: 1470 MHz

GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU 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 1060 6 GB vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU 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 1060 6 GB vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU: 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 1060 6 GB

2016

Why buy it

  • 8.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • 33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).

Trade-offs

  • No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • 2016 hardware with 8 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • 71.4% higher power demand at 120W vs 70W.

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU

2024

Why buy it

  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
  • Draws 70W instead of 120W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 8.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU instead at 10,143 vs 10,063, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: the newer upscaling stack, DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 8nm process instead of 16nm, 18 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2024 generation instead of 2016. That gives it the more rounded hardware package for newer games.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB

The GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 19 2016. 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: 10,063 points. Launch price was $299.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU 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: 10,143 points. Launch price was $179.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB scores 10,063 and the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU reaches 10,143 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.8% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU uses Ampere, both on 16 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 1,280 (GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB) vs 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU). Raw compute: 4.375 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB) vs 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU). Boost clocks: 1709 MHz vs 1470 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 6 GBGeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU
G3D Mark Score
10,063
10,143
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
48+50%
32
TMUs
80+11%
72
L1 Cache
0.47 MB
2.3 MB+389%
L2 Cache
1.5 MB
2 MB+33%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB is capped at Upscaling support.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 6 GBGeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU
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 GTX 1060 6 GB has 8 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU carries 6 GB. GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB gives you 33.3% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB) vs 168 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU) — a 14.3% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB and 96-bit on the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU. L2 Cache: 1.5 MB (GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB) vs 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 6 GBGeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU
VRAM Capacity
8 GB+33%
6 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
192 GB/s+14%
168 GB/s
Bus Width
192-bit+100%
96-bit
L2 Cache
1.5 MB
2 MB+33%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (FL 12_1) (GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB) vs 12.2 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 6 GBGeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU
DirectX
12 (FL 12_1)
12.2+2%
Vulkan
1.3
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 4th gen (GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB) vs 7th Gen NVENC (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU). Decoder: PureVideo VP7 vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 6 GBGeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU
Encoder
NVENC 4th gen
7th Gen NVENC
Decoder
PureVideo VP7
5th Gen NVDEC
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode)
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB draws 120W versus the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU's 70W — a 52.6% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB) vs 500W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU). Power connectors: 6-pin vs Mobile. Card length: 250mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 70°C vs 80°C.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 6 GBGeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU
TDP
120W
70W-42%
Recommended PSU
400W-20%
500W
Power Connector
6-pin
Mobile
Length
250mm
0mm
Height
111mm
0mm
Slots
2
0-100%
Temp (Load)
70°C-13%
80°C
Perf/Watt
83.9
144.9+73%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU (2024 vs 2016).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 6 GBGeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU
MSRP
$249
Codename
GP106
GA107
Release
July 19 2016
February 2 2024
Ranking
#255
#252

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