GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design
VS
GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design vs GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

2017Core: 1063 MHzBoost: 1480 MHz
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz

Performance Spectrum - GPU

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. The GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design is positioned at rank #9 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Excellent cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

#6
Radeon RX 550X (móvel)
MSRP: $35|Avg: $35
111%
#8
100%
#9
100%
#13
GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50
91%
#14
Radeon RX 6300
MSRP: $60|Avg: $40
90%
#18
Radeon RX 560X (móvel)
MSRP: $55|Avg: $55
89%
Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

#16
Radeon RX 7600S
MSRP: $269|Avg: $250
110%
#19
Radeon RX 5600
MSRP: $229|Avg: $150
97%
#22
Radeon RX 7700
MSRP: $449|Avg: $399
94%
#25
Radeon RX 7600M XT
MSRP: $329|Avg: $300
85%
#28
Radeon RX 6650M XT
MSRP: $400|Avg: $400
81%
#29
GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#30
Radeon 8050S
MSRP: $400|Avg: $400
77%
#31
Radeon RX 8050S
MSRP: $400|Avg: $400
77%
Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

⚠️ Generational Difference

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU uses modern memory architecture. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.

🚀 Performance Leadership

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 67.7% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design.

InsightGeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q DesignGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
Performance
Lower raw frame rates (-67.7%)
Leading raw performance (+67.7%)
Longevity
🛑Obsolete Architecture (2017 / Pascal (2016−2021))
🔮Strong Longevity (Ampere (2020−2025) / 8nm)
Ecosystem
Supports FSR Upscaling
✨ DLSS 2 Upscaling
VRAM
❌ Less VRAM capacity
🎮 High Capacity (6 GB)
Efficiency
💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit

💎 Value Proposition

While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.

Performance Check

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 7800X3D 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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design and GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

The GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 27 2017. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1063 MHz to 1480 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 80W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,853 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 12 2022. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1320 MHz to 1777 MHz. It has 3584 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 170W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 28 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 13,170 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design scores 7,853 versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU's 13,170 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU leads by 67.7%. The GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU uses Ampere, both on 16 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 1,280 (GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design) vs 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Raw compute: 3.789 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design) vs 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Boost clocks: 1480 MHz vs 1777 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q DesignGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
G3D Mark Score
7,853
13,170+68%
Architecture
Pascal
Ampere
Process Node
16 nm
8 nm
Shading Units
1280
3584+180%
Compute (TFLOPS)
3.789 TFLOPS
12.74 TFLOPS+236%
Boost Clock
1480 MHz
1777 MHz+20%
ROPs
48
48
TMUs
80
112+40%
L1 Cache
0.47 MB
3.5 MB+645%
L2 Cache
1.5 MB
3 MB+100%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q DesignGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
Upscaling Tech
FSR 2.1 (Compatible)
DLSS 2.0
Frame Generation
FSR 3 (Compatible)
FSR 3 / AFMF (Compatible)
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
Standard
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards feature 6 GB of video memory. Memory bandwidth: 128 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design) vs 336 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) — a 162.5% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU. Bus width: 128-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 1.5 MB (GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design) vs 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q DesignGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
VRAM Capacity
6 GB
6 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
128 GB/s
336 GB/s+163%
Bus Width
128-bit
192-bit+50%
L2 Cache
1.5 MB
3 MB+100%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q DesignGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
DirectX
12.1
12 Ultimate
Vulkan
1.3
1.4+8%
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 6.0 (GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design) vs NVENC (7th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP8 vs NVDEC (5th Gen). Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q DesignGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
Encoder
NVENC 6.0
NVENC (7th Gen)
Decoder
PureVideo HD VP8
NVDEC (5th Gen)
Codecs
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9
H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design draws 80W versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU's 170W — a 72% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design) vs 500W (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs Mobile.

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q DesignGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
TDP
80W-53%
170W
Recommended PSU
350W-30%
500W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
Mobile
Length
0mm
Height
0mm
Slots
0
Temp (Load)
75°C
Perf/Watt
98.2+27%
77.5
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2017).

FeatureGeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q DesignGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
Avg Price (30d)
$100
Codename
GP106
GA106
Release
June 27 2017
October 12 2022
Ranking
#401
#147