GeForce GTX 280M SLI vs GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

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 280M SLI vs GeForce RTX 3060 Ti 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 280M SLI vs GeForce RTX 3060 Ti: 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 280M SLI

2009

Why buy it

✅Draws 150W instead of 200W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 Ti across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌2009 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 50.9 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $399 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

2020

Why buy it

✅1243.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 50.9 vs 0 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅1500% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 512 MB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌33.3% higher power demand at 200W vs 150W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 1243.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 3170.9% in PassMark G3D (20,312 vs 621), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 8nm process instead of 55nm, and 38 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 Ti makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce GTX 280M SLI vs GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 280M SLI

The GeForce GTX 280M SLI is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 2 2009. It features the G9x architecture. The core clock speed is 585 MHz. It has 256 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 621 points.

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1410 MHz to 1665 MHz. It has 4864 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 38 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 20,312 points. Launch price was $399.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 280M SLI scores 621 versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti's 20,312 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti leads by 3170.9%. The GeForce GTX 280M SLI is built on G9x while the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti uses Ampere, both on 55 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 256 (GeForce GTX 280M SLI) vs 4,864 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti).

Feature	GeForce GTX 280M SLI	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
G3D Mark Score	621	20,312+3171%
Architecture	G9x	Ampere
Process Node	55 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	256	4864+1800%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 280M SLI is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 280M SLI	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
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 280M SLI has 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti carries 8 GB. GeForce RTX 3060 Ti gives you 1500% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the GeForce GTX 280M SLI and 256-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti.

Feature	GeForce GTX 280M SLI	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	8 GB+1500%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	448 GB/s
Bus Width	64-bit	256-bit+300%

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Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.1 (10_0) (GeForce GTX 280M SLI) vs 12 Ultimate (12_2) (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti). OpenGL: 3.3 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 280M SLI	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
DirectX	11.1 (10_0)	12 Ultimate (12_2)+8%
OpenGL	3.3	4.6+39%
Max Displays	2	4+100%

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: PureVideo HD VP2 (GeForce GTX 280M SLI) vs NVENC (Ampere) (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP2 vs NVDEC (Ampere). Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GTX 280M SLI) vs H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti).

Feature	GeForce GTX 280M SLI	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
Encoder	PureVideo HD VP2	NVENC (Ampere)
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP2	NVDEC (Ampere)
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2	H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 280M SLI draws 150W versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti's 200W — a 28.6% difference. The GeForce GTX 280M SLI is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 280M SLI) vs 600W (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 8-pin. Typical load temperature: 95°C vs 75.

Feature	GeForce GTX 280M SLI	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
TDP	150W-25%	200W
Recommended PSU	350W-42%	600W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	8-pin
Length	—	242mm
Height	—	112mm
Slots	0-100%	2
Temp (Load)	95°C	75-21%
Perf/Watt	4.1	101.6+2378%

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (2020 vs 2009).

Feature	GeForce GTX 280M SLI	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
MSRP	—	$399
Codename	N10E-GTX	GA104
Release	March 2 2009	December 1 2020
Ranking	#793	#73

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