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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,064 vs 12,144).
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌38.5% higher power demand at 180W vs 130W.

GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU

2022

Why buy it

✅+20.7% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 130W instead of 180W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce GTX 1060

2016

GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU

2022

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Why buy it

✅+20.7% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 130W instead of 180W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,064 vs 12,144).
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌38.5% higher power demand at 180W vs 130W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU better than GeForce GTX 1060?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 12,144 vs 10,064 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU is a 2022 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while GeForce GTX 1060 is a 2016 model from an older generation with no meaningful modern upscaling stack. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2022 generation instead of 2016, 20.7% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 6 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU is priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus $249 MSRP, and you are getting 20.7% higher G3D Mark. GeForce GTX 1060 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is GeForce GTX 1060 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. GeForce GTX 1060 is 2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM, 10,064 in G3D Mark, and no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

Games Benchmarks

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 9800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

GeForce GTX 1060 Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU
1080p
low	117 FPS	161 FPS
medium	105 FPS	140 FPS
high	91 FPS	122 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	92 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	146 FPS
medium	87 FPS	117 FPS
high	76 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	75 FPS
4K
low	55 FPS	69 FPS
medium	49 FPS	60 FPS
high	41 FPS	41 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	35 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU
1080p
low	216 FPS	252 FPS
medium	181 FPS	214 FPS
high	148 FPS	168 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	132 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	164 FPS
medium	107 FPS	133 FPS
high	87 FPS	109 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	91 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	87 FPS
medium	51 FPS	72 FPS
high	49 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	47 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU
1080p
low	453 FPS	546 FPS
medium	362 FPS	437 FPS
high	302 FPS	364 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	273 FPS
1440p
low	340 FPS	410 FPS
medium	272 FPS	328 FPS
high	226 FPS	273 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	205 FPS
4K
low	226 FPS	273 FPS
medium	181 FPS	219 FPS
high	151 FPS	182 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	137 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU
1080p
low	358 FPS	479 FPS
medium	302 FPS	427 FPS
high	260 FPS	347 FPS
ultra	226 FPS	273 FPS
1440p
low	299 FPS	377 FPS
medium	254 FPS	328 FPS
high	208 FPS	243 FPS
ultra	170 FPS	204 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	208 FPS
medium	133 FPS	185 FPS
high	123 FPS	158 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	131 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 1060 Open GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 and GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU

GeForce GTX 1060

The GeForce GTX 1060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 27 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1607 MHz to 1733 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 180W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,064 points. Launch price was $599.

GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU

The GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 4 2022. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1552 MHz to 1777 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 130W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 20 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 12,144 points. Launch price was $249.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 scores 10,064 versus the GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU's 12,144 — the GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU leads by 20.7%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU uses Ampere, both on 16 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 2,560 (GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU). Raw compute: 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 9.098 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU). Boost clocks: 1733 MHz vs 1777 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU
G3D Mark Score	10,064	12,144+21%
Architecture	Pascal	Ampere
Process Node	16 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	2560	2560
Compute (TFLOPS)	8.873 TFLOPS	9.098 TFLOPS+3%
Boost Clock	1733 MHz	1777 MHz+3%
ROPs	64+100%	32
TMUs	160+100%	80
L1 Cache	0.94 MB	2.5 MB+166%
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

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

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3050 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

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1060 comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 128-bit.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	8 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	192 GB/s
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU
DirectX	12	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.3	1.4+8%
OpenGL	4.5	4.6+2%
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060) vs NVENC (7th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU). Decoder: NVDEC (Pascal) vs NVDEC (7th Gen). Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9 (GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060	GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU
Encoder	NVENC (Pascal)	NVENC (7th Gen)
Decoder	NVDEC (Pascal)	NVDEC (7th Gen)
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 draws 180W versus the GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU's 130W — a 32.3% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060) vs 500W (GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU). Power connectors: 6-pin vs Mobile.