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 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design vs GeForce RTX 3060 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 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design vs GeForce RTX 3060: 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 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design

2019

Why buy it

✅Draws 60W instead of 170W, a 110W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Older hardware, 6 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 51.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Why buy it

✅67.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 6 GB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌183.3% higher power demand at 170W vs 60W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 3060 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 67.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 97.9% in PassMark G3D (16,995 vs 8,589), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 3060 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 12 GB vs 6 GB of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 8nm process instead of 12nm, and 28 vs 0 ray-tracing units. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce RTX 3060 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design vs GeForce RTX 3060 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design

The GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 23 2019. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1140 MHz to 1335 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 60W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8,589 points. Launch price was $229.

GeForce RTX 3060

The GeForce RTX 3060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 12 2021. 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: 16,995 points. Launch price was $329.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design scores 8,589 versus the GeForce RTX 3060's 16,995 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 97.9%. The GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design is built on Turing while the GeForce RTX 3060 uses Ampere, both on 12 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 1,536 (GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design) vs 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060). Raw compute: 4.101 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design) vs 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060). Boost clocks: 1335 MHz vs 1777 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3060
G3D Mark Score	8,589	16,995+98%
Architecture	Turing	Ampere
Process Node	12 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	1536	3584+133%
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.101 TFLOPS	12.74 TFLOPS+211%
Boost Clock	1335 MHz	1777 MHz+33%
ROPs	48	48
TMUs	96	112+17%
L1 Cache	1.5 MB	3.5 MB+133%
L2 Cache	1.5 MB	3 MB+100%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3060
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 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design has 6 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 carries 12 GB. GeForce RTX 3060 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 288 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design) vs 360 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060) — a 25% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design and 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060. L2 Cache: 1.5 MB (GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design) vs 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3060
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	12 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	288 GB/s	360 GB/s+25%
Bus Width	192-bit	192-bit
L2 Cache	1.5 MB	3 MB+100%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (12_1) (GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3060
DirectX	12 (12_1)	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.4+8%	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 7th Gen NVENC (GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design) vs NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060). Decoder: 4th Gen NVDEC vs NVDEC 5th Gen. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design) vs AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3060
Encoder	7th Gen NVENC	NVENC 7th Gen
Decoder	4th Gen NVDEC	NVDEC 5th Gen
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP8,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1	AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design draws 60W versus the GeForce RTX 3060's 170W — a 95.7% difference. The GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 3060). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 8-pin. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 75.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3060
TDP	60W-65%	170W
Recommended PSU	500W-9%	550W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	8-pin
Length	—	242mm
Height	—	112mm
Slots	0-100%	2
Temp (Load)	85°C	75-12%
Perf/Watt	143.2+43%	100.0

💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 (2021 vs 2019).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design	GeForce RTX 3060
MSRP	—	$329
Codename	TU116	GA106
Release	April 23 2019	January 12 2021
Ranking	#299	#114

Search GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design on Amazon

Search GeForce RTX 3060 on Amazon

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.