GeForce GTX 690 vs GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 690

2012Core: 915 MHzBoost: 1019 MHz
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz

GeForce GTX 690 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 690 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 690 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 690

2012

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 5.5 vs 0 G3D/$ ($999 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 2 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • 2012 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 76.5% higher power demand at 300W vs 170W.

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022

Why buy it

  • 155.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 2 GB).
  • Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
  • Draws 170W instead of 300W, a 130W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 5.5 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $999 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 155.9% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 137.9% in PassMark G3D (13,170 vs 5,536), 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 2 GB of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 8nm process instead of 28nm, 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 690 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 690 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 690 vs GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 690

The GeForce GTX 690 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 3 2012. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 915 MHz to 1019 MHz. It has 3072 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 300W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,536 points. Launch price was $999.

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 690 scores 5,536 versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU's 13,170 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU leads by 137.9%. The GeForce GTX 690 is built on Kepler while the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU uses Ampere, both on 28 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 3,072 (GeForce GTX 690) vs 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Raw compute: 3.13 TFLOPS ×2 (GeForce GTX 690) vs 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Boost clocks: 1019 MHz vs 1777 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 690GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
G3D Mark Score
5,536
13,170+138%
Architecture
Kepler
Ampere
Process Node
28 nm
8 nm
Shading Units
3072 ×2
3584+17%
Compute (TFLOPS)
3.13 TFLOPS ×2
12.74 TFLOPS+307%
Boost Clock
1019 MHz
1777 MHz+74%
ROPs
32 ×2
48+50%
TMUs
128 ×2+14%
112
L1 Cache
0.13 MB
3.5 MB+2592%
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
3 MB+500%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 690 is capped at Upscaling support.

FeatureGeForce GTX 690GeForce 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 690 has 2 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU carries 6 GB. GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU gives you 200% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 192.2 GB/s x2 (GeForce GTX 690) vs 336 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) — a 74.8% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU. Memory bus width is 256-bit x2 on the GeForce GTX 690 and 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (GeForce GTX 690) 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 690GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
VRAM Capacity
2 GB
6 GB+200%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
192.2 GB/s x2
336 GB/s+75%
Bus Width
256-bit x2+33%
192-bit
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
3 MB+500%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12_0 (GeForce GTX 690) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 690GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
DirectX
12_0
12 Ultimate
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 1st Gen (GeForce GTX 690) vs NVENC (7th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Decoder: VP5 vs NVDEC (5th Gen).

FeatureGeForce GTX 690GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
Encoder
NVENC 1st Gen
NVENC (7th Gen)
Decoder
VP5
NVDEC (5th Gen)
Codecs
H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 690 draws 300W versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU's 170W — a 55.3% difference. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce GTX 690) vs 500W (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Power connectors: 2x 8-pin vs Mobile.

FeatureGeForce GTX 690GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
TDP
300W
170W-43%
Recommended PSU
650W
500W-23%
Power Connector
2x 8-pin
Mobile
Length
279mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
Perf/Watt
18.5
77.5+319%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU (2022 vs 2012).

FeatureGeForce GTX 690GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
MSRP
$999
Codename
GK104
GA106
Release
May 3 2012
October 12 2022
Ranking
#414
#147

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