GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU vs NVS 310

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz

Popular choices:

VS

NVS 310

2015Core: 902 MHzBoost: 1033 MHz

Popular choices:

Performance Spectrum - GPU

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 3060 Laptop GPU

2022

Why buy it

  • +4689.1% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 1100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 512 MB).
  • More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 1.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $159 MSRP).
  • 150% higher power demand at 170W vs 68W.

NVS 310

2015

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 1.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($159 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • Draws 68W instead of 170W, a 102W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (275 vs 13,170).
  • Less VRAM, with 512 MB 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 512 MB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU better than NVS 310?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 13,170 vs 275 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is a 2022 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while NVS 310 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 3060 Laptop GPU is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2022 generation instead of 2015, 4689.1% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 6 GB instead of 512 MB, 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 3060 Laptop GPU is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus $159 MSRP, and you are getting 4689.1% higher G3D Mark. NVS 310 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.
Is NVS 310 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
No, not for a fresh gaming build. NVS 310 is 2015 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM, 275 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPUNVS 310
1080p
low109 FPS12 FPS
medium98 FPS10 FPS
high84 FPS8 FPS
ultra70 FPS5 FPS
1440p
low95 FPS9 FPS
medium83 FPS7 FPS
high70 FPS3 FPS
ultra59 FPS2 FPS
4K
low48 FPS5 FPS
medium43 FPS3 FPS
high30 FPS1 FPS
ultra26 FPS1 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPUNVS 310
1080p
low351 FPS12 FPS
medium307 FPS10 FPS
high246 FPS8 FPS
ultra194 FPS6 FPS
1440p
low222 FPS9 FPS
medium195 FPS7 FPS
high159 FPS6 FPS
ultra127 FPS5 FPS
4K
low110 FPS6 FPS
medium93 FPS3 FPS
high77 FPS3 FPS
ultra59 FPS2 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPUNVS 310
1080p
low593 FPS12 FPS
medium474 FPS10 FPS
high395 FPS8 FPS
ultra296 FPS6 FPS
1440p
low444 FPS9 FPS
medium356 FPS7 FPS
high296 FPS6 FPS
ultra222 FPS5 FPS
4K
low296 FPS6 FPS
medium237 FPS5 FPS
high198 FPS4 FPS
ultra148 FPS3 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPUNVS 310
1080p
low519 FPS12 FPS
medium439 FPS10 FPS
high376 FPS8 FPS
ultra296 FPS6 FPS
1440p
low425 FPS9 FPS
medium356 FPS7 FPS
high296 FPS6 FPS
ultra222 FPS5 FPS
4K
low277 FPS6 FPS
medium237 FPS5 FPS
high198 FPS4 FPS
ultra148 FPS3 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU and NVS 310

NVIDIA

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.

NVIDIA

NVS 310

The NVS 310 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 4 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 902 MHz to 1033 MHz. It has 512 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 68W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 275 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU scores 13,170 versus the NVS 310's 275 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU leads by 4689.1%. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is built on Ampere while the NVS 310 uses Maxwell, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 512 (NVS 310). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 1.058 TFLOPS ×2 (NVS 310). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1033 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPUNVS 310
G3D Mark Score
13,170+4689%
275
Architecture
Ampere
Maxwell
Process Node
8 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
3584+600%
512 ×2
Compute (TFLOPS)
12.74 TFLOPS+1104%
1.058 TFLOPS ×2
Boost Clock
1777 MHz+72%
1033 MHz
ROPs
48+200%
16 ×2
TMUs
112+250%
32 ×2
L1 Cache
3.5 MB+1300%
0.25 MB
L2 Cache
3 MB+200%
1 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The NVS 310 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPUNVS 310
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 3060 Laptop GPU comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the NVS 310 has 512 MB. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU offers 1100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 1 MB (NVS 310) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPUNVS 310
VRAM Capacity
6 GB+1100%
0.5 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Bus Width
192-bit+200%
64-bit
L2 Cache
3 MB+200%
1 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 12 (11_0) (NVS 310). OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPUNVS 310
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12 (11_0)
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4+100%
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (7th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs Fermi NVENC (NVS 310). Decoder: NVDEC (5th Gen) vs VP4. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (NVS 310).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPUNVS 310
Encoder
NVENC (7th Gen)
Fermi NVENC
Decoder
NVDEC (5th Gen)
VP4
Codecs
H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9
H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU draws 170W versus the NVS 310's 68W — a 85.7% difference. The NVS 310 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 350W (NVS 310). Power connectors: Mobile vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 75°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPUNVS 310
TDP
170W
68W-60%
Recommended PSU
500W
350W-30%
Power Connector
Mobile
PCIe-powered
Length
145mm
Height
69mm
Slots
1
Temp (Load)
75°C
75°C
Perf/Watt
77.5+1838%
4.0
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2015).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPUNVS 310
MSRP
$159
Codename
GA106
GM107
Release
October 12 2022
November 4 2015
Ranking
#147
#826