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 vs GeForce RTX 3050 OEM 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 vs GeForce RTX 3050 OEM: 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

2019

Why buy it

✅Costs $30 less on MSRP ($219 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅Delivers 11.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 53.1 vs 47.8 G3D/$ ($219 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅Measures 229mm instead of 235mm, a 6mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3050 OEM 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.
❌Older hardware, 6 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

2022

Why buy it

✅11.1% 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.

Trade-offs

❌
13.7% HIGHER MSRP
$249 MSRPvs$219 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 47.8 vs 53.1 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $219 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 11.1% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 2.2% in PassMark G3D (11,892 vs 11,639), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 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 20 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 GTX 1660 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $30 cheaper on MSRP at $219 vs $249, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 11.3% (53.1 vs 47.8), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GTX 1660 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce RTX 3050 OEM has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 1660 vs GeForce RTX 3050 OEM Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 1660

The GeForce GTX 1660 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 14 2019. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1530 MHz to 1785 MHz. It has 1408 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 120W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 11,639 points. Launch price was $219.

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 4 2022. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1515 MHz to 1755 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: 11,892 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 1660 scores 11,639 and the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM reaches 11,892 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 1660 is built on Turing while the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM uses Ampere, both on 12 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 1,408 (GeForce GTX 1660) vs 2,560 (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Raw compute: 5.027 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1660) vs 8.986 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Boost clocks: 1785 MHz vs 1755 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
G3D Mark Score	11,639	11,892+2%
Architecture	Turing	Ampere
Process Node	12 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	1408	2560+82%
Compute (TFLOPS)	5.027 TFLOPS	8.986 TFLOPS+79%
Boost Clock	1785 MHz+2%	1755 MHz
ROPs	48+50%	32
TMUs	88+10%	80
L1 Cache	1.4 MB	2.5 MB+79%
L2 Cache	1.5 MB	2 MB+33%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 1660 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
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 has 6 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM carries 8 GB. GeForce RTX 3050 OEM gives you 33.3% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1660) vs 224 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM) — a 16.7% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1660 and 128-bit on the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM. L2 Cache: 1.5 MB (GeForce GTX 1660) vs 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM) — the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	8 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	224 GB/s+17%
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit
L2 Cache	1.5 MB	2 MB+33%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 1660) vs 12.2 (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
DirectX	12.1	12.2
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 7th Gen NVENC (GeForce GTX 1660) vs 8th Gen NVENC (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Decoder: 5th Gen NVDEC vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (GeForce GTX 1660) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode) (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
Encoder	7th Gen NVENC	8th Gen NVENC
Decoder	5th Gen NVDEC	5th Gen NVDEC
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode)

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1660 draws 120W versus the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM's 130W — a 8% difference. The GeForce GTX 1660 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (GeForce GTX 1660) vs 450W (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 229mm vs 235mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
TDP	120W-8%	130W
Recommended PSU	450W	450W
Power Connector	8-pin	8-pin
Length	229mm	235mm
Height	111mm	124mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75°C	75°C
Perf/Watt	97.0+6%	91.5

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1660 came in at $219, while the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM launched at $249. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1660 was 12% cheaper ($30 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 53.1 (GeForce GTX 1660) vs 47.8 (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM) — the GeForce GTX 1660 offers 11.1% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3050 OEM (2022 vs 2019).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1660	GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
MSRP	$219-12%	$249
Performance per Dollar	53.1+11%	47.8
Codename	TU116	GA106
Release	March 14 2019	January 4 2022
Ranking	#231	#224

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