GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU vs Quadro CX

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
NVIDIA

Quadro CX

2008Core: 602 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

  • +1290.7% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).
  • 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 0.5 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).

Quadro CX

2008

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 0.5 vs 0 G3D/$ ($1,999 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (947 vs 13,170).
  • Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • Very weak future-proofing: 2008-era hardware with 4 GB 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 Quadro CX?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 13,170 vs 947 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is a 2022 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Quadro CX is a 2008 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 2008, 1290.7% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 6 GB instead of 4 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 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 $1,999 MSRP, and you are getting 1290.7% higher G3D Mark. Quadro CX really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.
Is Quadro CX still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
No, not for a fresh gaming build. Quadro CX is 2008 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM, 947 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 GPUQuadro CX
1080p
low109 FPS13 FPS
medium98 FPS9 FPS
high84 FPS6 FPS
ultra70 FPS3 FPS
1440p
low95 FPS9 FPS
medium83 FPS5 FPS
high70 FPS2 FPS
ultra59 FPS1 FPS
4K
low48 FPS4 FPS
medium43 FPS2 FPS
high30 FPS1 FPS
ultra26 FPS1 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPUQuadro CX
1080p
low357 FPS30 FPS
medium310 FPS14 FPS
high248 FPS10 FPS
ultra195 FPS7 FPS
1440p
low221 FPS16 FPS
medium190 FPS7 FPS
high154 FPS5 FPS
ultra123 FPS4 FPS
4K
low108 FPS5 FPS
medium89 FPS3 FPS
high72 FPS2 FPS
ultra55 FPS2 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPUQuadro CX
1080p
low593 FPS43 FPS
medium474 FPS34 FPS
high395 FPS28 FPS
ultra296 FPS21 FPS
1440p
low444 FPS32 FPS
medium356 FPS26 FPS
high296 FPS21 FPS
ultra222 FPS16 FPS
4K
low296 FPS21 FPS
medium237 FPS17 FPS
high198 FPS14 FPS
ultra148 FPS11 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPUQuadro CX
1080p
low519 FPS43 FPS
medium439 FPS34 FPS
high376 FPS28 FPS
ultra296 FPS21 FPS
1440p
low425 FPS8 FPS
medium356 FPS6 FPS
high296 FPS5 FPS
ultra222 FPS4 FPS
4K
low277 FPS5 FPS
medium237 FPS4 FPS
high198 FPS3 FPS
ultra148 FPS3 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU and Quadro CX

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

Quadro CX

The Quadro CX is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 11 2008. It features the Tesla 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 602 MHz. It has 192 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 947 points. Launch price was $1,999.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU scores 13,170 versus the Quadro CX's 947 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU leads by 1290.7%. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is built on Ampere while the Quadro CX uses Tesla 2.0, both on 8 nm vs 55 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 192 (Quadro CX). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 0.4623 TFLOPS (Quadro CX).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPUQuadro CX
G3D Mark Score
13,170+1291%
947
Architecture
Ampere
Tesla 2.0
Process Node
8 nm
55 nm
Shading Units
3584+1767%
192
Compute (TFLOPS)
12.74 TFLOPS+2656%
0.4623 TFLOPS
ROPs
48+100%
24
TMUs
112+75%
64
L2 Cache
3 MB+1479%
0.19 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 Quadro CX relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPUQuadro CX
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 Quadro CX has 4 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU offers 50% 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 0.19 MB (Quadro CX) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPUQuadro CX
VRAM Capacity
6 GB+50%
4 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Bus Width
192-bit+200%
64-bit
L2 Cache
3 MB+1479%
0.19 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 11.1 (10_0) (Quadro CX). Vulkan: 1.4 vs N/A. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPUQuadro CX
DirectX
12 Ultimate+8%
11.1 (10_0)
Vulkan
1.4
N/A
OpenGL
4.6+39%
3.3
Max Displays
4+100%
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (7th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs None (Quadro CX). Decoder: NVDEC (5th Gen) vs PureVideo HD. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Quadro CX).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPUQuadro CX
Encoder
NVENC (7th Gen)
None
Decoder
NVDEC (5th Gen)
PureVideo HD
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 Quadro CX's 150W — a 12.5% difference. The Quadro CX is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 350W (Quadro CX). Power connectors: Mobile vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 80.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPUQuadro CX
TDP
170W
150W-12%
Recommended PSU
500W
350W-30%
Power Connector
Mobile
PCIe-powered
Length
267mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
75°C-6%
80
Perf/Watt
77.5+1130%
6.3
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2008).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPUQuadro CX
MSRP
$1999
Codename
GA106
GT200B
Release
October 12 2022
November 11 2008
Ranking
#147
#901