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 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 960 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 960

2015

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 30.8 vs 0 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Draws 100W instead of 170W, a 70W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU 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.
❌2015 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022

Why buy it

✅146.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅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

❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 30.8 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌70% higher power demand at 170W vs 100W.

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 146.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 114.7% in PassMark G3D (13,170 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 Laptop GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 6 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 GTX 960 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 960 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 960 vs GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU 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 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.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 960 scores 6,133 versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU's 13,170 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU leads by 114.7%. The GeForce GTX 960 is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU uses Ampere, both on 28 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 1,024 (GeForce GTX 960) vs 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Raw compute: 2.413 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 960) vs 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Boost clocks: 1178 MHz vs 1777 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
G3D Mark Score	6,133	13,170+115%
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%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

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

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce 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

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 960 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU carries 6 GB. GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU gives you 50% 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 336 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) — a 200% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 960 and 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce GTX 960) vs 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	6 GB+50%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	112 GB/s	336 GB/s+200%
Bus Width	128-bit	192-bit+50%
L2 Cache	1 MB	3 MB+200%

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Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (12_1) (GeForce GTX 960) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
DirectX	12 (12_1)	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.3	1.4+8%
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce GTX 960) vs NVENC (7th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Decoder: NVDEC (2nd Gen) vs NVDEC (5th Gen). Supported codecs: HEVC,H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,VP8 (GeForce GTX 960) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU).

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

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 960 draws 100W versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU's 170W — a 51.9% difference. The GeForce GTX 960 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 960) vs 500W (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Power connectors: 6-pin vs Mobile. Typical load temperature: 75 C vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
TDP	100W-41%	170W
Recommended PSU	400W-20%	500W
Power Connector	6-pin	Mobile
Length	241mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	75 C	75°C
Perf/Watt	61.3	77.5+26%

💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU (2022 vs 2015).

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
MSRP	$199	—
Codename	GM206	GA106
Release	January 22 2015	October 12 2022
Ranking	#393	#147

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