GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU vs RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile

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 3060 Laptop GPU vs RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile 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 3060 Laptop GPU vs RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile: 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 3060 Laptop GPU

2022

Why buy it

✅23.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅75% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (112 vs 64).

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025).
❌RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile is the safer long-term pick here because the hardware is newer and the feature stack is stronger.
❌385.7% higher power demand at 170W vs 35W.

RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile

2024

Why buy it

✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025).
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
✅Draws 35W instead of 170W, a 135W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (64 vs 112), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 23.6% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 18% in PassMark G3D (13,170 vs 11,162), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 6 GB of VRAM, the newer feature stack, with DLSS 4 Super Resolution (2025) and DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation (2025), while GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is limited to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) and no comparable frame-generation support, a 5nm process instead of 8nm, and a newer 2024 generation instead of 2022. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU 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 Laptop GPU is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU vs RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile Technical Specifications

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

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.

RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile

The RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 26 2024. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1485 MHz to 2025 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 35W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 16 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 11,162 points.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU scores 13,170 versus the RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile's 11,162 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU leads by 18%. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is built on Ampere while the RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile uses Ada Lovelace, both on 8 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 2,048 (RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 8.294 TFLOPS (RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 2025 MHz. Ray tracing: 28 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 16 (RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile) with 112 Tensor cores vs 64.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile
G3D Mark Score	13,170+18%	11,162
Architecture	Ampere	Ada Lovelace
Process Node	8 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	3584+75%	2048
Compute (TFLOPS)	12.74 TFLOPS+54%	8.294 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1777 MHz	2025 MHz+14%
ROPs	48+50%	32
TMUs	112+75%	64
L1 Cache	3.5 MB+75%	2 MB
L2 Cache	3 MB	12 MB+300%
Ray Tracing Cores	28+75%	16
Tensor Cores	112+75%	64

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile is support for DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile supports the newer DLSS 4 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is capped at DLSS 2 Super Resolution.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	DLSS 4 Super Resolution
Frame Generation	Not Supported	DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction	No	Yes (DLSS 4)
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU has 6 GB of VRAM, while the RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile carries 8 GB. RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile gives you 33.3% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 336 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 128 GB/s (RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile) — a 162.5% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU and 64-bit on the RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 12 MB (RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile) — the RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile
VRAM Capacity	6 GB	8 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	336 GB/s+163%	128 GB/s
Bus Width	192-bit+200%	64-bit
L2 Cache	3 MB	12 MB+300%

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Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 12 (12_2) (RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12 (12_2)
Vulkan	1.4	1.4
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (7th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 8th Gen NVENC (RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile). Decoder: NVDEC (5th Gen) vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs H.264,H.265 (HEVC),AV1,VP9 (RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile
Encoder	NVENC (7th Gen)	8th Gen NVENC
Decoder	NVDEC (5th Gen)	5th Gen NVDEC
Codecs	H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9	H.264,H.265 (HEVC),AV1,VP9

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU draws 170W versus the RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile's 35W — a 131.7% difference. The RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 500W (RTX 500 Ada Generation Mobile). Power connectors: Mobile vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 80°C.