GeForce RTX 2060 vs Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

CPU

GPU

GeForce RTX 2060

2019Core: 1365 MHzBoost: 1680 MHz

Popular choices:

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Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

2015Core: 954 MHzBoost: 993 MHz

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - GPU

GeForce RTX 2060

6 GB 160

14,114

+303.3%

GeForce GTX 1650

GeForce GTX TITAN Black

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

GeForce RTX 3050 8GB

GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile

RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation

RTX 4000 Ada Generation

GeForce RTX 3080 Ti

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

2 GB 30

3,500

0.0%

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

Radeon RX 6850M

Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary

GeForce RTX 5060

About G3D Mark

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce RTX 2060

2019

Why buy it

✅+303.3% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 73.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 23.3 G3D/$ ($349 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 2 GB).
✅More future proof: Turing (2018−2022) on 12nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌433.3% higher power demand at 160W vs 30W.

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

2015

Why buy it

✅Costs $199 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $349 MSRP).
✅Draws 30W instead of 160W, a 130W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (3,500 vs 14,114).
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 23.3 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $349 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 2060

2019

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

2015

Why buy it

✅+303.3% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 73.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 23.3 G3D/$ ($349 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 2 GB).
✅More future proof: Turing (2018−2022) on 12nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Costs $199 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $349 MSRP).
✅Draws 30W instead of 160W, a 130W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌433.3% higher power demand at 160W vs 30W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (3,500 vs 14,114).
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 23.3 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $349 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 2060 better than Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)?

Yes. GeForce RTX 2060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 14,114 vs 3,500 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 2060 is a 2019 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is a 2015 model from an older generation with no meaningful modern upscaling stack. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 2060 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2019 generation instead of 2015, 303.3% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 6 GB instead of 2 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce RTX 2060 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 2060 is about 132.7% more expensive on MSRP at $349 MSRP versus $150 MSRP, and you are getting 303.3% higher G3D Mark. Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is 2015 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM, 3,500 in G3D Mark, and no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

Games Benchmarks

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 9800X3D 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 RTX 2060 Benchmark Check

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 2060	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
1080p
low	108 FPS	77 FPS
medium	98 FPS	65 FPS
high	82 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	69 FPS	28 FPS
1440p
low	95 FPS	61 FPS
medium	83 FPS	51 FPS
high	69 FPS	31 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	19 FPS
4K
low	47 FPS	22 FPS
medium	43 FPS	21 FPS
high	31 FPS	13 FPS
ultra	27 FPS	11 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 2060 Open Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 2060	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
1080p
low	290 FPS	97 FPS
medium	247 FPS	68 FPS
high	197 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	155 FPS	31 FPS
1440p
low	192 FPS	53 FPS
medium	164 FPS	31 FPS
high	131 FPS	22 FPS
ultra	104 FPS	15 FPS
4K
low	108 FPS	18 FPS
medium	91 FPS	11 FPS
high	75 FPS	9 FPS
ultra	57 FPS	7 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 2060 Open Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 2060	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
1080p
low	635 FPS	158 FPS
medium	508 FPS	126 FPS
high	423 FPS	105 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	79 FPS
1440p
low	476 FPS	118 FPS
medium	381 FPS	94 FPS
high	318 FPS	79 FPS
ultra	238 FPS	59 FPS
4K
low	318 FPS	79 FPS
medium	254 FPS	63 FPS
high	212 FPS	52 FPS
ultra	159 FPS	39 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 2060 Open Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 2060	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
1080p
low	428 FPS	157 FPS
medium	354 FPS	126 FPS
high	286 FPS	105 FPS
ultra	244 FPS	79 FPS
1440p
low	357 FPS	110 FPS
medium	302 FPS	88 FPS
high	235 FPS	77 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	59 FPS
4K
low	204 FPS	64 FPS
medium	166 FPS	50 FPS
high	154 FPS	41 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	30 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 2060 Open Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 2060 and Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

GeForce RTX 2060

The GeForce RTX 2060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 7 2019. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1365 MHz to 1680 MHz. It has 1920 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 160W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 30 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 14,114 points. Launch price was $349.

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is manufactured by an unknown manufacturer. It was released in October 1 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 954 MHz to 993 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,500 points.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 2060 scores 14,114 versus the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)'s 3,500 — the GeForce RTX 2060 leads by 303.3%. The GeForce RTX 2060 is built on Turing while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) uses Maxwell, both on 12 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 1,920 (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 384 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)). Boost clocks: 1680 MHz vs 993 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
G3D Mark Score	14,114+303%	3,500
Architecture	Turing	Maxwell
Process Node	12 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1920+400%	384
Boost Clock	1680 MHz+69%	993 MHz

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 2060 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 2060 comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) has 2 GB. The GeForce RTX 2060 offers 200% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 128-bit.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+200%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	336 GB/s	Unknown
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (12_2) (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 12 (11_0) (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
DirectX	12 Ultimate (12_2)	12 (11_0)
Vulkan	1.3+18%	1.1
OpenGL	4.6+2%	4.5
Max Displays	4+100%	2

🎬

Media & Encoding

Decoder: NVDEC (Turing) vs NVDEC 1st Gen. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,VP9,VP8,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce RTX 2060) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)).

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
Encoder	NVENC (Turing)	—
Decoder	NVDEC (Turing)	NVDEC 1st Gen
Codecs	H.264,H.265,VP9,VP8,MPEG-2,VC-1	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 2060 draws 160W versus the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)'s 30W — a 136.8% difference. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 350W (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 72 vs 75.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
TDP	160W	30W-81%
Recommended PSU	500W	350W-30%
Power Connector	8-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	229mm	—
Height	113mm	—
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	72-4%	75
Perf/Watt	88.2	116.7+32%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 2060 launched at $349 MSRP, while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) launched at $150. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) costs 57% less ($199 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 23.3 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)) — the GeForce RTX 2060 offers 73.4% better value. The GeForce RTX 2060 is the newer GPU (2019 vs 2015).