GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile vs GeForce RTX 3060

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile

2024Core: 1065 MHzBoost: 1343 MHz
RTX family
·······
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060

2021Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz
RTX family
·······

GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile vs GeForce RTX 3060 Performance Spectrum

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.

GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile vs GeForce RTX 3060 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 3050 A Mobile vs GeForce RTX 3060: 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 3050 A Mobile

2024

Why buy it

  • Draws 45W instead of 170W, a 125W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (56 vs 112), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 51.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Why buy it

  • 66.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • 100% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (112 vs 56).
  • 50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 8 GB).

Trade-offs

  • 277.8% higher power demand at 170W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 3060 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 66.9% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 50.8% in PassMark G3D (16,995 vs 11,269), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 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 3060 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and lighter 1440p, GeForce RTX 3060 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile vs GeForce RTX 3060 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile

The GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in 2024. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1065 MHz to 1343 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 45W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 14 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 11,269 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060

The GeForce RTX 3060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 12 2021. 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: 16,995 points. Launch price was $329.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile scores 11,269 versus the GeForce RTX 3060's 16,995 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 50.8%. The GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile is built on Ampere while the GeForce RTX 3060 uses Ampere, both on a 8 nm process. Shader units: 1,792 (GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile) vs 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060). Raw compute: 4.813 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile) vs 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060). Boost clocks: 1343 MHz vs 1777 MHz. Ray tracing: 14 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile) vs 28 (GeForce RTX 3060) with 56 Tensor cores vs 112.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 A MobileGeForce RTX 3060
G3D Mark Score
11,269
16,995+51%
Architecture
Ampere
Ampere
Process Node
8 nm
8 nm
Shading Units
1792
3584+100%
Compute (TFLOPS)
4.813 TFLOPS
12.74 TFLOPS+165%
Boost Clock
1343 MHz
1777 MHz+32%
ROPs
32
48+50%
TMUs
56
112+100%
L1 Cache
1.8 MB
3.5 MB+94%
L2 Cache
2 MB
3 MB+50%
Ray Tracing Cores
14
28+100%
Tensor Cores
56
112+100%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 A MobileGeForce RTX 3060
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 3050 A Mobile has 8 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 carries 12 GB. GeForce RTX 3060 gives you 50% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 128 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile) vs 360 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060) — a 181.3% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile and 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile) vs 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 A MobileGeForce RTX 3060
VRAM Capacity
8 GB
12 GB+50%
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
128 GB/s
360 GB/s+181%
Bus Width
64-bit
192-bit+200%
L2 Cache
2 MB
3 MB+50%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.2 (GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 A MobileGeForce RTX 3060
DirectX
12.2+2%
12 Ultimate
Vulkan
1.3
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 8th Gen NVENC (GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile) vs NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060). Decoder: 5th Gen NVDEC vs NVDEC 5th Gen. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile) vs AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 A MobileGeForce RTX 3060
Encoder
8th Gen NVENC
NVENC 7th Gen
Decoder
5th Gen NVDEC
NVDEC 5th Gen
Codecs
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1
AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile draws 45W versus the GeForce RTX 3060's 170W — a 116.3% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 3060). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 8-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 242mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 75.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 A MobileGeForce RTX 3060
TDP
45W-74%
170W
Recommended PSU
500W-9%
550W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
8-pin
Length
0mm
242mm
Height
0mm
112mm
Slots
0-100%
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
75
Perf/Watt
250.4+150%
100.0
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile (2024 vs 2021).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 A MobileGeForce RTX 3060
MSRP
$329
Codename
GA106
GA106
Release
2024
January 12 2021
Ranking
#242
#114

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.