GeForce GTX 1060
GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU
GeForce GTX 1060 vs GeForce RTX 3050 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 vs GeForce RTX 3050 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.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Valorant
Among Us
Apex Legends
ARC Raiders
Baldur's Gate 3
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
GeForce GTX 1060 vs GeForce RTX 3050 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
2016Why buy it
- ✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
- ❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
- ❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
- ❌2016 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
- ❌38.5% higher power demand at 180W vs 130W.
GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU
2022Why buy it
- ✅1.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
- ✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
- ✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).
- ✅Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
- ✅Draws 130W instead of 180W, a 50W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
Quick Answers
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Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
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GeForce GTX 1060 vs GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU Technical Specifications
Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.
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.
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 |
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 |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce GTX 1060 has 6 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU carries 8 GB. GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU gives you 33.3% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 and 128-bit on the GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU.
| 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.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 | GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 180W | 130W-28% |
| Recommended PSU | 400W-20% | 500W |
| Power Connector | 6-pin | Mobile |
| Length | 173mm | — |
| Height | 111mm | — |
| Slots | 2 | 0-100% |
| Temp (Load) | — | 82°C |
| Perf/Watt | 55.9 | 93.4+67% |
Value Analysis
The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU (2022 vs 2016).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1060 | GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $249 | — |
| Codename | GP104 | GA106 |
| Release | May 27 2016 | January 4 2022 |
| Ranking | #137 | #211 |
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