GeForce GTX 960 vs GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

#16

Radeon RX 7600S

MSRP: $269|Avg: $250

110%

#19

Radeon RX 5600

MSRP: $229|Avg: $150

97%

#22

Radeon RX 7700

MSRP: $449|Avg: $399

94%

#25

Radeon RX 7600M XT

MSRP: $329|Avg: $300

85%

#28

Radeon RX 6650M XT

MSRP: $400|Avg: $400

81%

#29

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#30

Radeon 8050S

MSRP: $400|Avg: $400

77%

#31

Radeon RX 8050S

MSRP: $400|Avg: $400

77%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

⚠️ Generational Difference

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is significantly newer (2022 vs 2015). The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The GeForce GTX 960 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.

🚀 Performance Leadership

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 114.7% higher G3D Mark score and 50% more VRAM (6 GB vs 4 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce GTX 960.

Insight	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-114.7%)	✅Leading raw performance (+114.7%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019))	🔮Strong Longevity (Ampere (2020−2025) / 8nm)
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	✨ DLSS 2 Upscaling
VRAM	❌ Less VRAM capacity	🎮 High Capacity (6 GB)
Efficiency	⚡ Higher Power Consumption	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
Case Fit	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly	—

💎 Value Proposition

While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.

Performance Check

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 7800X3D 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 3060 Laptop GPU Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 960 and GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

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.

⚡

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%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 960	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
Upscaling Tech	FSR 2.1 (Compatible)	DLSS 2.0
Frame Generation	FSR 3 (Compatible)	FSR 3 / AFMF (Compatible)
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 960 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU has 6 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. 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. Bus width: 128-bit vs 192-bit. 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%

🖥️

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

🎬

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

🔌

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.