GeForce GTX 680M
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
GeForce GTX 680M vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB 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 680M vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB 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.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Valorant
Among Us
Apex Legends
ARC Raiders
Baldur's Gate 3
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
GeForce GTX 680M vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB: 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 680M
2012Why buy it
- ✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3050 6GB across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
- ❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
- ❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
- ❌2012 hardware with 4 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 0 vs 63.6 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $169 MSRP).
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
2024Why buy it
- ✅113.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
- ✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 0 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
- ✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
- ✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).
- ✅Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
Trade-offs
- ❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.
Quick Answers
Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce GTX 680M vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Technical Specifications
Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.
GeForce GTX 680M
The GeForce GTX 680M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 4 2012. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 719 MHz to 758 MHz. It has 1344 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,277 points. Launch price was $310.50.
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 2 2024. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1042 MHz to 1470 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 70W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 18 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,749 points. Launch price was $179.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 680M scores 3,277 versus the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB's 10,749 — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB leads by 228%. The GeForce GTX 680M is built on Kepler while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB uses Ampere, both on 28 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 1,344 (GeForce GTX 680M) vs 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Raw compute: 2.038 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 680M) vs 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Boost clocks: 758 MHz vs 1470 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 680M | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 3,277 | 10,749+228% |
| Architecture | Kepler | Ampere |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 8 nm |
| Shading Units | 1344 | 2304+71% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 2.038 TFLOPS | 6.774 TFLOPS+232% |
| Boost Clock | 758 MHz | 1470 MHz+94% |
| ROPs | 32 | 32 |
| TMUs | 112+56% | 72 |
| L1 Cache | 0.11 MB | 2.3 MB+1991% |
| L2 Cache | 0.5 MB | 2 MB+300% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 680M is capped at Upscaling support.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 680M | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB |
|---|---|---|
| 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 680M has 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB carries 6 GB. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB gives you 50% 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 680M and 96-bit on the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (GeForce GTX 680M) vs 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 680M | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB | 6 GB+50% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | 168 GB/s |
| Bus Width | 128-bit+33% | 96-bit |
| L2 Cache | 0.5 MB | 2 MB+300% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 680M) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 680M | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (11_0) | 12 Ultimate |
| Vulkan | 1.2 | 1.3+8% |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 4 | 4 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: 1st Gen NVENC (Kepler) (GeForce GTX 680M) vs NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP5 vs NVDEC (7th Gen). Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GTX 680M) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 680M | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | 1st Gen NVENC (Kepler) | NVENC (5th Gen) |
| Decoder | PureVideo HD VP5 | NVDEC (7th Gen) |
| Codecs | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 | H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only) |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GTX 680M draws 100W versus the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB's 70W — a 35.3% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 680M) vs 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs None. Typical load temperature: 81°C vs 75°C.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 680M | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 100W | 70W-30% |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 300W-14% |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | None |
| Length | — | 160mm |
| Slots | 0-100% | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 81°C | 75°C-7% |
| Perf/Watt | 32.8 | 153.6+368% |
Value Analysis
The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB (2024 vs 2012).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 680M | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | — | $169 |
| Codename | GK104 | GA107 |
| Release | June 4 2012 | February 2 2024 |
| Ranking | #561 | #252 |
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.
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar GPU comparisons based on GeForce GTX 680M and GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
