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 555 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 555 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 555

2011

Why buy it

✅Costs $179 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Draws 70W instead of 170W, a 100W reduction.
✅Measures 210mm instead of 242mm, a 32mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 1 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌2011 hardware with 1 GB 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 10.7 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Why buy it

✅973.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 383.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 10.7 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅1100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 1 GB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌142.9% higher power demand at 170W vs 70W.
❌15.2% longer card at 242mm vs 210mm.

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 973.9% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 959.5% in PassMark G3D (16,995 vs 1,604), 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 1 GB of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 8nm process instead of 40nm, 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 to buy today. It is $179 more expensive on MSRP at $329 vs $150, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 383.1% (51.7 vs 10.7), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 555 vs GeForce RTX 3060 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 555

The GeForce GTX 555 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 14 2011. It features the Fermi 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 720 MHz. It has 144 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 70W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,604 points. Launch price was $149.

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 555 scores 1,604 versus the GeForce RTX 3060's 16,995 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 959.5%. The GeForce GTX 555 is built on Fermi 2.0 while the GeForce RTX 3060 uses Ampere, both on 40 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 144 (GeForce GTX 555) vs 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060). Raw compute: 0.4147 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 555) vs 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060).

Feature	GeForce GTX 555	GeForce RTX 3060
G3D Mark Score	1,604	16,995+960%
Architecture	Fermi 2.0	Ampere
Process Node	40 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	144	3584+2389%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.4147 TFLOPS	12.74 TFLOPS+2972%
ROPs	16	48+200%
TMUs	24	112+367%
L1 Cache	0.19 MB	3.5 MB+1742%
L2 Cache	0.38 MB	3 MB+689%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 555 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 555	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 555 has 1 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 carries 12 GB. GeForce RTX 3060 gives you 1100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 555 and 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060. L2 Cache: 0.38 MB (GeForce GTX 555) vs 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 555	GeForce RTX 3060
VRAM Capacity	1 GB	12 GB+1100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	360 GB/s
Bus Width	128-bit	192-bit+50%
L2 Cache	0.38 MB	3 MB+689%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 555) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 555	GeForce RTX 3060
DirectX	12 (11_0)	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.2	1.3+8%
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	2	4+100%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: PureVideo HD VP4 (GeForce GTX 555) vs NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP4 vs NVDEC 5th Gen. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GTX 555) vs AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060).

Feature	GeForce GTX 555	GeForce RTX 3060
Encoder	PureVideo HD VP4	NVENC 7th Gen
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP4	NVDEC 5th Gen
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP	AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 555 draws 70W versus the GeForce RTX 3060's 170W — a 83.3% difference. The GeForce GTX 555 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (GeForce GTX 555) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 3060). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 210mm vs 242mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 75.

Feature	GeForce GTX 555	GeForce RTX 3060
TDP	70W-59%	170W
Recommended PSU	450W-18%	550W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	8-pin
Length	210mm	242mm
Height	111mm	112mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75°C	75
Perf/Watt	22.9	100.0+337%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 555 came in at $150, while the GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 555 was 54.4% cheaper ($179 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 10.7 (GeForce GTX 555) vs 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 383.2% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 (2021 vs 2011).

Feature	GeForce GTX 555	GeForce RTX 3060
MSRP	$150-54%	$329
Performance per Dollar	10.7	51.7+383%
Codename	GF116	GA106
Release	May 14 2011	January 12 2021
Ranking	#849	#114

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