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 RTX 2060 12GB vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB 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 RTX 2060 12GB vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB: 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 RTX 2060 12GB

2021

Why buy it

✅53.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅277.8% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (272 vs 72).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 6 GB).

Trade-offs

❌GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the safer long-term pick here because the hardware is newer and the feature stack is stronger.
❌
178.1% HIGHER MSRP
$470 MSRPvs$169 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 33.9 vs 63.6 G3D/$ ($470 MSRP vs $169 MSRP).
❌162.9% higher power demand at 184W vs 70W.
❌43.1% longer card at 229mm vs 160mm.

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $301 less on MSRP ($169 MSRP vs $470 MSRP).
✅Delivers 87.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 33.9 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs $470 MSRP).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
✅Draws 70W instead of 184W, a 114W reduction.
✅Measures 160mm instead of 229mm, a 69mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 2060 12GB across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (72 vs 272), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 2060 12GB is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 53.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 48.2% in PassMark G3D (15,935 vs 10,749), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 8nm process instead of 12nm and a newer 2024 generation instead of 2021. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB makes the most sense to buy today. It is $301 cheaper on MSRP at $169 vs $470, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 87.6% (63.6 vs 33.9), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. GeForce RTX 2060 12GB still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce RTX 2060 12GB vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Technical Specifications

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

GeForce RTX 2060 12GB

The GeForce RTX 2060 12GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 7 2021. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1470 MHz to 1650 MHz. It has 2176 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 184W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 34 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 15,935 points.

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 2 2024. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1042 MHz to 1470 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 70W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 18 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,749 points. Launch price was $179.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 2060 12GB scores 15,935 versus the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB's 10,749 — the GeForce RTX 2060 12GB leads by 48.2%. The GeForce RTX 2060 12GB is built on Turing while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB uses Ampere, both on 12 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 2,176 (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Raw compute: 7.181 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Boost clocks: 1650 MHz vs 1470 MHz. Ray tracing: 34 RT cores (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 18 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) with 272 Tensor cores vs 72.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
G3D Mark Score	15,935+48%	10,749
Architecture	Turing	Ampere
Process Node	12 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	2176	2304+6%
Compute (TFLOPS)	7.181 TFLOPS+6%	6.774 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1650 MHz+12%	1470 MHz
ROPs	48+50%	32
TMUs	136+89%	72
L1 Cache	2.1 MB	2.3 MB+10%
L2 Cache	3 MB+50%	2 MB
Ray Tracing Cores	34+89%	18
Tensor Cores	272+278%	72

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	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 RTX 2060 12GB has 12 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB carries 6 GB. GeForce RTX 2060 12GB gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 336 GB/s (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 168 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) — a 100% advantage for the GeForce RTX 2060 12GB. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 2060 12GB and 96-bit on the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) — the GeForce RTX 2060 12GB has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+100%	6 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	336 GB/s+100%	168 GB/s
Bus Width	192-bit+100%	96-bit
L2 Cache	3 MB+50%	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
DirectX	12.1	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 6.0 (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP9 vs NVDEC (7th Gen). Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB).

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
Encoder	NVENC 6.0	NVENC (5th Gen)
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP9	NVDEC (7th Gen)
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9	H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only)

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 2060 12GB draws 184W versus the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB's 70W — a 89.8% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Power connectors: 8-pin vs None. Card length: 229mm vs 160mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 88°C vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
TDP	184W	70W-62%
Recommended PSU	550W	300W-45%
Power Connector	8-pin	None
Length	229mm	160mm
Height	113mm	—
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	88°C	75°C-15%
Perf/Watt	86.6	153.6+77%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 2060 12GB came in at $470, while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB launched at $169. On MSRP, GeForce RTX 3050 6GB was 64% cheaper ($301 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 33.9 (GeForce RTX 2060 12GB) vs 63.6 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB offers 87.6% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB (2024 vs 2021).

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060 12GB	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
MSRP	$470	$169-64%
Performance per Dollar	33.9	63.6+88%
Codename	TU106	GA107
Release	December 7 2021	February 2 2024
Ranking	#133	#252

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