GeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile) vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile)

2023Core: 1545 MHzBoost: 1890 MHz
GTX family
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024Core: 1042 MHzBoost: 1470 MHz
RTX family
·······

GeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile) 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 GTX 1060 (Mobile) 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 GTX 1060 (Mobile) 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 GTX 1060 (Mobile)

2023

Why buy it

  • 23.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 33.3% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (96 vs 72).

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (8,160 vs 10,749).
  • No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 63.6 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $169 MSRP).
  • 64.3% higher power demand at 115W vs 70W.

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024

Why buy it

  • +31.7% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 0 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • Draws 70W instead of 115W, a 45W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile) across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (72 vs 96), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile) is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 23.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce RTX 3050 6GB instead at 10,749 vs 8,160, 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 GTX 1060 (Mobile) is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 5nm process instead of 8nm and 24 vs 18 ray-tracing units. That gives it the more rounded hardware package for newer games.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB 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 RTX 3050 6GB is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile) has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile) vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile)

The GeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile) is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 3 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1545 MHz to 1890 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: 8,160 points.

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 GTX 1060 (Mobile) scores 8,160 versus the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB's 10,749 — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB leads by 31.7%. The GeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile) is built on Ada Lovelace while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB uses Ampere, both on 5 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 3,072 (GeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile)) vs 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Raw compute: 11.61 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile)) vs 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Boost clocks: 1890 MHz vs 1470 MHz. Ray tracing: 24 RT cores (GeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile)) vs 18 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) with 96 Tensor cores vs 72.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile)GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
G3D Mark Score
8,160
10,749+32%
Architecture
Ada Lovelace
Ampere
Process Node
5 nm
8 nm
Shading Units
3072+33%
2304
Compute (TFLOPS)
11.61 TFLOPS+71%
6.774 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1890 MHz+29%
1470 MHz
ROPs
48+50%
32
TMUs
96+33%
72
L1 Cache
3 MB+30%
2.3 MB
L2 Cache
32 MB+1500%
2 MB
Ray Tracing Cores
24+33%
18
Tensor Cores
96+33%
72

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

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

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile)GeForce 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)

Both cards ship with 6 GB of video memory. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile)) vs 168 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) — a 14.3% advantage for the GeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile). Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile) and 96-bit on the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB. L2 Cache: 32 MB (GeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile)) vs 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) — the GeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile) has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile)GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
VRAM Capacity
6 GB
6 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
192 GB/s+14%
168 GB/s
Bus Width
192-bit+100%
96-bit
L2 Cache
32 MB+1500%
2 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile)) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile)GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
DirectX
12
12 Ultimate
Vulkan
1.3
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 6th Gen (GeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile)) vs NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Decoder: NVDEC 3rd Gen vs NVDEC (7th Gen). Supported codecs: H.264,H.265 (GeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile)) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile)GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
Encoder
NVENC 6th Gen
NVENC (5th Gen)
Decoder
NVDEC 3rd Gen
NVDEC (7th Gen)
Codecs
H.264,H.265
H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only)
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile) draws 115W versus the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB's 70W — a 48.6% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile)) vs 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs None. Card length: 0mm vs 160mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 70 vs 75°C.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile)GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
TDP
115W
70W-39%
Recommended PSU
500W
300W-40%
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
None
Length
0mm
160mm
Height
0mm
Slots
0-100%
2
Temp (Load)
70-7%
75°C
Perf/Watt
71.0
153.6+116%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB (2024 vs 2023).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 (Mobile)GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
MSRP
$169
Codename
AD107
GA107
Release
January 3 2023
February 2 2024
Ranking
#102
#252

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