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 970XM FORCE vs GeForce RTX 3060 Ti 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 970XM FORCE vs GeForce RTX 3060 Ti: 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 970XM FORCE

2014

Why buy it

✅Draws 81W instead of 200W, a 119W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 Ti across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌2014 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 50.9 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $399 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

2020

Why buy it

✅171.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 50.9 vs 0 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌146.9% higher power demand at 200W vs 81W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 171.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 202.8% in PassMark G3D (20,312 vs 6,707), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 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 38 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 Ti makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE vs GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE

The GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 7 2014. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 924 MHz to 1038 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 81W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,707 points. Launch price was $2,560.89.

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1410 MHz to 1665 MHz. It has 4864 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 38 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 20,312 points. Launch price was $399.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE scores 6,707 versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti's 20,312 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti leads by 202.8%. The GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti uses Ampere, both on 28 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 1,280 (GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE) vs 4,864 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti). Raw compute: 2.657 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE) vs 16.2 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti). Boost clocks: 1038 MHz vs 1665 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
G3D Mark Score	6,707	20,312+203%
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Ampere
Process Node	28 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	1280	4864+280%
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.657 TFLOPS	16.2 TFLOPS+510%
Boost Clock	1038 MHz	1665 MHz+60%
ROPs	48	80+67%
TMUs	80	152+90%
L1 Cache	0.47 MB	4.8 MB+921%
L2 Cache	1.5 MB	4 MB+167%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
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 970XM FORCE has 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti carries 8 GB. GeForce RTX 3060 Ti gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 120 GB/s (GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE) vs 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) — a 273.3% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE and 256-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti. L2 Cache: 1.5 MB (GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE) vs 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	8 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	120 GB/s	448 GB/s+273%
Bus Width	192-bit	256-bit+33%
L2 Cache	1.5 MB	4 MB+167%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (12_1) (GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE) vs 12 Ultimate (12_2) (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
DirectX	12 (12_1)	12 Ultimate (12_2)
Vulkan	1.4+8%	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 5th Gen NVENC (Maxwell) (GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE) vs NVENC (Ampere) (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti). Decoder: 1st Gen NVDEC vs NVDEC (Ampere). Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE) vs H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti).

Feature	GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
Encoder	5th Gen NVENC (Maxwell)	NVENC (Ampere)
Decoder	1st Gen NVDEC	NVDEC (Ampere)
Codecs	H.264,HEVC,VC-1,MPEG-2	H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE draws 81W versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti's 200W — a 84.7% difference. The GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE) vs 600W (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 242mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 75.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
TDP	81W-60%	200W
Recommended PSU	350W-42%	600W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	8-pin
Length	267mm	242mm
Height	111mm	112mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75°C	75
Perf/Watt	82.8	101.6+23%

💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (2020 vs 2014).

Feature	GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
MSRP	—	$399
Codename	GM204	GA104
Release	October 7 2014	December 1 2020
Ranking	#408	#73

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