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 960 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 960 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 960

2015

Why buy it

✅Costs $130 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Draws 100W instead of 170W, a 70W reduction.
✅Measures 241mm instead of 242mm, a 1mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌2015 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 30.8 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Why buy it

✅175.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 67.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 30.8 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 4 GB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌70% higher power demand at 170W vs 100W.

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 175.8% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 177.1% in PassMark G3D (16,995 vs 6,133), 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 4 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 RTX 3060 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $130 more expensive on MSRP at $329 vs $199, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 67.6% (51.7 vs 30.8), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GTX 960 vs GeForce RTX 3060 Technical Specifications

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

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 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 960 scores 6,133 versus the GeForce RTX 3060's 16,995 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 177.1%. The GeForce GTX 960 is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GeForce RTX 3060 uses Ampere, both on 28 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 1,024 (GeForce GTX 960) vs 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060). Raw compute: 2.413 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 960) vs 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060). Boost clocks: 1178 MHz vs 1777 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 3060
G3D Mark Score	6,133	16,995+177%
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Ampere
Process Node	28 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	1024	3584+250%
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.413 TFLOPS	12.74 TFLOPS+428%
Boost Clock	1178 MHz	1777 MHz+51%
ROPs	32	48+50%
TMUs	64	112+75%
L1 Cache	0.38 MB	3.5 MB+821%
L2 Cache	1 MB	3 MB+200%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 960 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	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

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 960 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 carries 12 GB. GeForce RTX 3060 gives you 200% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 112 GB/s (GeForce GTX 960) vs 360 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060) — a 221.4% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 960 and 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce GTX 960) vs 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 3060
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	12 GB+200%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	112 GB/s	360 GB/s+221%
Bus Width	128-bit	192-bit+50%
L2 Cache	1 MB	3 MB+200%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (12_1) (GeForce GTX 960) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 3060
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 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060). Decoder: NVDEC (2nd Gen) vs NVDEC 5th Gen. Supported codecs: HEVC,H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,VP8 (GeForce GTX 960) vs AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060).

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 3060
Encoder	NVENC (5th Gen)	NVENC 7th Gen
Decoder	NVDEC (2nd Gen)	NVDEC 5th Gen
Codecs	HEVC,H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,VP8	AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 960 draws 100W versus the GeForce RTX 3060's 170W — a 51.9% difference. The GeForce GTX 960 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 960) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 3060). Power connectors: 6-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 241mm vs 242mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 C vs 75.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 3060
TDP	100W-41%	170W
Recommended PSU	400W-27%	550W
Power Connector	6-pin	8-pin
Length	241mm	242mm
Height	111mm	112mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75 C	75
Perf/Watt	61.3	100.0+63%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 960 came in at $199, while the GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 960 was 39.5% cheaper ($130 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 30.8 (GeForce GTX 960) vs 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 67.9% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 (2021 vs 2015).

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 3060
MSRP	$199-40%	$329
Performance per Dollar	30.8	51.7+68%
Codename	GM206	GA106
Release	January 22 2015	January 12 2021
Ranking	#393	#114

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