GeForce GTX 580 vs GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 580

2010Core: 772 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz
RTX family
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GeForce GTX 580 vs GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU Performance Spectrum

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.

GeForce GTX 580 vs GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU 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 580 vs GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU: 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 580

2010

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 9.3 vs 0 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • 2010 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 43.5% higher power demand at 244W vs 170W.

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022

Why buy it

  • 138.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 3 GB).
  • Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
  • Draws 170W instead of 244W, a 74W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 9.3 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 138.9% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 184.2% in PassMark G3D (13,170 vs 4,634), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 6 GB vs 3 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 GTX 580 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GTX 580 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and lighter 1440p headroom, GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 580 vs GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 580

The GeForce GTX 580 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 9 2010. It features the Fermi 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 772 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 244W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,634 points. Launch price was $499.

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 580 scores 4,634 versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU's 13,170 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU leads by 184.2%. The GeForce GTX 580 is built on Fermi 2.0 while the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU uses Ampere, both on 40 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 512 (GeForce GTX 580) vs 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Raw compute: 1.581 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 580) vs 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU).

FeatureGeForce GTX 580GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
G3D Mark Score
4,634
13,170+184%
Architecture
Fermi 2.0
Ampere
Process Node
40 nm
8 nm
Shading Units
512
3584+600%
Compute (TFLOPS)
1.581 TFLOPS
12.74 TFLOPS+706%
ROPs
48
48
TMUs
64
112+75%
L1 Cache
1 MB
3.5 MB+250%
L2 Cache
0.75 MB
3 MB+300%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 580 is capped at Upscaling support.

FeatureGeForce GTX 580GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
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 580 has 3 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU carries 6 GB. GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 580) vs 336 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) — a 75% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU. Memory bus width is 384-bit on the GeForce GTX 580 and 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU. L2 Cache: 0.75 MB (GeForce GTX 580) 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 580GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
VRAM Capacity
3 GB
6 GB+100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
192 GB/s
336 GB/s+75%
Bus Width
384-bit+100%
192-bit
L2 Cache
0.75 MB
3 MB+300%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 580) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Vulkan: N/A vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 580GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
DirectX
12 (11_0)
12 Ultimate
Vulkan
N/A
1.4
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
2
4+100%
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (GeForce GTX 580) vs NVENC (7th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP4 vs NVDEC (5th Gen). Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce GTX 580) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU).

FeatureGeForce GTX 580GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
Encoder
None
NVENC (7th Gen)
Decoder
PureVideo HD VP4
NVDEC (5th Gen)
Codecs
H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1
H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 580 draws 244W versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU's 170W — a 35.7% difference. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce GTX 580) vs 500W (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs Mobile. Typical load temperature: 85 C vs 75°C.

FeatureGeForce GTX 580GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
TDP
244W
170W-30%
Recommended PSU
550W
500W-9%
Power Connector
6-pin + 8-pin
Mobile
Length
267mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
85 C
75°C-12%
Perf/Watt
19.0
77.5+308%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU (2022 vs 2010).

FeatureGeForce GTX 580GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
MSRP
$499
Codename
GF110
GA106
Release
November 9 2010
October 12 2022
Ranking
#458
#147

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