GeForce MX230 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.

GeForce MX230 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 MX230 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 MX230

2019

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 12.2 vs 0 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Draws 10W instead of 170W, a 160W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌2019 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022

Why buy it

✅586.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 2 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 12.2 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
❌1600% higher power demand at 170W vs 10W.

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 586.8% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 621.2% in PassMark G3D (13,170 vs 1,826), 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 2 GB of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 8nm process instead of 14nm, 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 MX230 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 MX230 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 MX230 vs GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU Technical Specifications

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

GeForce MX230

The GeForce MX230 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 21 2019. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1519 MHz to 1582 MHz. It has 256 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 10W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,826 points.

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 MX230 scores 1,826 versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU's 13,170 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU leads by 621.2%. The GeForce MX230 is built on Pascal while the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU uses Ampere, both on 14 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 256 (GeForce MX230) vs 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Raw compute: 0.81 TFLOPS (GeForce MX230) vs 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Boost clocks: 1582 MHz vs 1777 MHz.

Feature	GeForce MX230	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
G3D Mark Score	1,826	13,170+621%
Architecture	Pascal	Ampere
Process Node	14 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	256	3584+1300%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.81 TFLOPS	12.74 TFLOPS+1473%
Boost Clock	1582 MHz	1777 MHz+12%
ROPs	16	48+200%
TMUs	16	112+600%
L1 Cache	0.09 MB	3.5 MB+3789%
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	3 MB+500%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce MX230 is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce MX230	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 MX230 has 2 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU carries 6 GB. GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU gives you 200% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 48 GB/s (GeForce MX230) vs 336 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) — a 600% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the GeForce MX230 and 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (GeForce MX230) 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 MX230	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	6 GB+200%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	48 GB/s	336 GB/s+600%
Bus Width	64-bit	192-bit+200%
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	3 MB+500%

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce MX230 draws 10W versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU's 170W — a 177.8% difference. The GeForce MX230 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce MX230) vs 500W (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Power connectors: Mobile vs Mobile.

Feature	GeForce MX230	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
TDP	10W-94%	170W
Recommended PSU	350W-30%	500W
Power Connector	Mobile	Mobile
Temp (Load)	—	75°C
Perf/Watt	182.6+136%	77.5

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU (2022 vs 2019).

Feature	GeForce MX230	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
MSRP	$150	—
Codename	GP108	GA106
Release	February 21 2019	October 12 2022
Ranking	#708	#147

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