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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce GTX 960

2015

Why 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.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
17.8% HIGHER MSRP
$199 MSRPvs$169 MSRP

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024

Why buy it

✅66.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $30 less on MSRP ($169 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Delivers 106.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 30.8 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

GeForce GTX 960

2015

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Why buy it

✅66.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $30 less on MSRP ($169 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Delivers 106.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 30.8 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).

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.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
17.8% HIGHER MSRP
$199 MSRPvs$169 MSRP

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB better than GeForce GTX 960?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB averages 66.1% more FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 10,749 vs 6,133 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is a 2024 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while GeForce GTX 960 is a 2015 model from an older generation with no meaningful modern upscaling stack. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2024 generation instead of 2015, 75.3% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 6 GB instead of 4 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is about $30 cheaper on MSRP at $169 MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and you are getting 66.1% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 75.3% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 106.4%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is GeForce GTX 960 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. GeForce GTX 960 is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $199 MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

Games Benchmarks

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 9800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

GeForce GTX 960 Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
1080p
low	80 FPS	85 FPS
medium	68 FPS	72 FPS
high	57 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	40 FPS
1440p
low	70 FPS	74 FPS
medium	60 FPS	64 FPS
high	44 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	28 FPS	30 FPS
4K
low	25 FPS	27 FPS
medium	24 FPS	25 FPS
high	16 FPS	17 FPS
ultra	14 FPS	15 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 960 Open GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
1080p
low	131 FPS	174 FPS
medium	104 FPS	149 FPS
high	83 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	50 FPS	87 FPS
1440p
low	73 FPS	129 FPS
medium	55 FPS	106 FPS
high	41 FPS	83 FPS
ultra	27 FPS	62 FPS
4K
low	26 FPS	74 FPS
medium	19 FPS	62 FPS
high	16 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	11 FPS	34 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 960 Open GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
1080p
low	276 FPS	484 FPS
medium	221 FPS	387 FPS
high	184 FPS	322 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	242 FPS
1440p
low	207 FPS	363 FPS
medium	166 FPS	290 FPS
high	138 FPS	242 FPS
ultra	103 FPS	181 FPS
4K
low	138 FPS	242 FPS
medium	110 FPS	193 FPS
high	92 FPS	161 FPS
ultra	63 FPS	121 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 960 Open GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
1080p
low	141 FPS	243 FPS
medium	115 FPS	210 FPS
high	100 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	144 FPS
1440p
low	103 FPS	185 FPS
medium	85 FPS	166 FPS
high	74 FPS	131 FPS
ultra	62 FPS	109 FPS
4K
low	59 FPS	104 FPS
medium	46 FPS	87 FPS
high	36 FPS	69 FPS
ultra	27 FPS	55 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 960 Open GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 960 and GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

GeForce GTX 960

The GeForce GTX 960 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 22 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1127 MHz to 1178 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,133 points. Launch price was $199.

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 960 scores 6,133 versus the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB's 10,749 — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB leads by 75.3%. The GeForce GTX 960 is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB uses Ampere, both on 28 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 1,024 (GeForce GTX 960) vs 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Raw compute: 2.413 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 960) vs 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Boost clocks: 1178 MHz vs 1470 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
G3D Mark Score	6,133	10,749+75%
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Ampere
Process Node	28 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	1024	2304+125%
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.413 TFLOPS	6.774 TFLOPS+181%
Boost Clock	1178 MHz	1470 MHz+25%
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	64	72+13%
L1 Cache	0.38 MB	2.3 MB+505%
L2 Cache	1 MB	2 MB+100%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 960 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	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 960 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB has 6 GB. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 112 GB/s (GeForce GTX 960) vs 168 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) — a 50% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB. Bus width: 128-bit vs 96-bit. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce GTX 960) 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 960	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	6 GB+50%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	112 GB/s	168 GB/s+50%
Bus Width	128-bit+33%	96-bit
L2 Cache	1 MB	2 MB+100%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (12_1) (GeForce GTX 960) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
DirectX	12 (12_1)	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce GTX 960) vs NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Decoder: NVDEC (2nd Gen) vs NVDEC (7th Gen). Supported codecs: HEVC,H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,VP8 (GeForce GTX 960) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB).

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
Encoder	NVENC (5th Gen)	NVENC (5th Gen)
Decoder	NVDEC (2nd Gen)	NVDEC (7th Gen)
Codecs	HEVC,H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,VP8	H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only)

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 960 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: 400W (GeForce GTX 960) vs 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Power connectors: 6-pin vs None. Card length: 241mm vs 160mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 C vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
TDP	100W	70W-30%
Recommended PSU	400W	300W-25%
Power Connector	6-pin	None
Length	241mm	160mm
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75 C	75°C
Perf/Watt	61.3	153.6+151%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 960 launched at $199 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB launched at $169. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB costs 15.1% less ($30 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 30.8 (GeForce GTX 960) vs 63.6 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB offers 106.5% better value. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the newer GPU (2024 vs 2015).