GeForce GTX 850A vs GeForce RTX 3060

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 850A 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 850A 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 850A

2015

Why buy it

✅Costs $179 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Draws 75W instead of 170W, a 95W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌2015 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 5.1 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Why buy it

✅1016.5% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 910.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 5.1 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅2300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 512 MB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌126.7% higher power demand at 170W vs 75W.

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 1016.5% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 2115.8% in PassMark G3D (16,995 vs 767), 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 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 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 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 910.2% (51.7 vs 5.1), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 850A vs GeForce RTX 3060 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 850A

The GeForce GTX 850A is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 13 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 993 MHz to 1124 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 767 points.

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.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 850A scores 767 versus the GeForce RTX 3060's 16,995 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 2115.8%. The GeForce GTX 850A is built on Maxwell while the GeForce RTX 3060 uses Ampere, both on 28 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 640 (GeForce GTX 850A) vs 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060). Raw compute: 1.439 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 850A) vs 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060). Boost clocks: 1124 MHz vs 1777 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 850A	GeForce RTX 3060
G3D Mark Score	767	16,995+2116%
Architecture	Maxwell	Ampere
Process Node	28 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	640	3584+460%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.439 TFLOPS	12.74 TFLOPS+785%
Boost Clock	1124 MHz	1777 MHz+58%
ROPs	16	48+200%
TMUs	40	112+180%
L1 Cache	0.31 MB	3.5 MB+1029%
L2 Cache	2 MB	3 MB+50%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 850A is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 850A	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

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 850A has 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 carries 12 GB. GeForce RTX 3060 gives you 2300% 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 850A and 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 850A) vs 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 850A	GeForce RTX 3060
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	12 GB+2300%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	360 GB/s
Bus Width	128-bit	192-bit+50%
L2 Cache	2 MB	3 MB+50%

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 850A draws 75W versus the GeForce RTX 3060's 170W — a 77.6% difference. The GeForce GTX 850A is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 850A) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 3060). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 8-pin.

Feature	GeForce GTX 850A	GeForce RTX 3060
TDP	75W-56%	170W
Recommended PSU	350W-36%	550W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	8-pin
Length	—	242mm
Height	—	112mm
Slots	—	2
Temp (Load)	—	75
Perf/Watt	10.2	100.0+880%

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Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 850A came in at $150, while the GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 850A was 54.4% cheaper ($179 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 5.1 (GeForce GTX 850A) vs 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 913.7% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 (2021 vs 2015).

Feature	GeForce GTX 850A	GeForce RTX 3060
MSRP	$150-54%	$329
Performance per Dollar	5.1	51.7+914%
Codename	GM107	GA106
Release	March 13 2015	January 12 2021
Ranking	#621	#114

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