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

✅+112.5% 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

❌750% higher power demand at 170W vs 20W.

RTX A500 Embedded GPU

2022

Why buy it

✅Draws 20W instead of 170W, a 150W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (6,197 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.
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022

RTX A500 Embedded GPU

2022

Why buy it

✅+112.5% 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.

Why buy it

✅Draws 20W instead of 170W, a 150W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌750% higher power demand at 170W vs 20W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (6,197 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.
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU better than RTX A500 Embedded GPU?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 13,170 vs 6,197 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is a 2022 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while RTX A500 Embedded GPU is a 2022 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 112.5% 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 priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 112.5% higher G3D Mark. G3D-per-dollar is basically tied between them. If you are comfortable paying the premium for the stronger gaming result, GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the one to buy. If staying closer to budget matters more, RTX A500 Embedded GPU still makes more sense on price alone and remains capable enough for modern gaming.

Is RTX A500 Embedded GPU still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. RTX A500 Embedded GPU is still a strong gaming GPU in 2026: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. This mostly comes down to price. If you want to stay closer to an unclear MSRP, it remains a strong choice; if you are comfortable paying more, GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU earns that extra money with a clearly stronger gaming result and a more complete overall package.

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 3060 Laptop GPU Benchmark Check

RTX A500 Embedded GPU Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	RTX A500 Embedded GPU
1080p
low	109 FPS	81 FPS
medium	98 FPS	70 FPS
high	84 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	70 FPS	37 FPS
1440p
low	95 FPS	71 FPS
medium	83 FPS	62 FPS
high	70 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	59 FPS	28 FPS
4K
low	48 FPS	26 FPS
medium	43 FPS	24 FPS
high	30 FPS	16 FPS
ultra	26 FPS	14 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU Open RTX A500 Embedded GPU

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	RTX A500 Embedded GPU
1080p
low	357 FPS	115 FPS
medium	310 FPS	90 FPS
high	248 FPS	70 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	53 FPS
1440p
low	221 FPS	86 FPS
medium	190 FPS	64 FPS
high	154 FPS	52 FPS
ultra	123 FPS	40 FPS
4K
low	108 FPS	51 FPS
medium	89 FPS	39 FPS
high	72 FPS	31 FPS
ultra	55 FPS	23 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU Open RTX A500 Embedded GPU

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	RTX A500 Embedded GPU
1080p
low	593 FPS	279 FPS
medium	474 FPS	223 FPS
high	395 FPS	186 FPS
ultra	296 FPS	139 FPS
1440p
low	444 FPS	209 FPS
medium	356 FPS	167 FPS
high	296 FPS	139 FPS
ultra	222 FPS	105 FPS
4K
low	296 FPS	139 FPS
medium	237 FPS	112 FPS
high	198 FPS	93 FPS
ultra	148 FPS	70 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU Open RTX A500 Embedded GPU

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	RTX A500 Embedded GPU
1080p
low	565 FPS	156 FPS
medium	474 FPS	127 FPS
high	395 FPS	108 FPS
ultra	296 FPS	89 FPS
1440p
low	444 FPS	112 FPS
medium	356 FPS	93 FPS
high	296 FPS	80 FPS
ultra	222 FPS	66 FPS
4K
low	296 FPS	66 FPS
medium	237 FPS	54 FPS
high	198 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	148 FPS	32 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU Open RTX A500 Embedded GPU

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU and RTX A500 Embedded GPU

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 A500 Embedded GPU

The RTX A500 Embedded GPU is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 30 2022. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 435 MHz to 1335 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 20W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 16 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,197 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU scores 13,170 versus the RTX A500 Embedded GPU's 6,197 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU leads by 112.5%. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is built on Ampere while the RTX A500 Embedded GPU uses Ampere, both on a 8 nm process. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 2,048 (RTX A500 Embedded GPU). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 5.468 TFLOPS (RTX A500 Embedded GPU). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1335 MHz. Ray tracing: 28 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 16 (RTX A500 Embedded GPU) with 112 Tensor cores vs 64.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	RTX A500 Embedded GPU
G3D Mark Score	13,170+113%	6,197
Architecture	Ampere	Ampere
Process Node	8 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	3584+75%	2048
Compute (TFLOPS)	12.74 TFLOPS+133%	5.468 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1777 MHz+33%	1335 MHz
ROPs	48+50%	32
TMUs	112+75%	64
L1 Cache	3.5 MB+75%	2 MB
L2 Cache	3 MB+50%	2 MB
Ray Tracing Cores	28+75%	16
Tensor Cores	112+75%	64

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The RTX A500 Embedded GPU supports the newer Upscaling support, whereas the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is capped at DLSS 2 Super Resolution.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	RTX A500 Embedded GPU
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the RTX A500 Embedded GPU 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 128-bit. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 2 MB (RTX A500 Embedded GPU) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	RTX A500 Embedded GPU
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+50%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit
L2 Cache	3 MB+50%	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 12_2 (RTX A500 Embedded GPU). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 0.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	RTX A500 Embedded GPU
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12_2
Max Displays	4	0

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (7th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs NVENC 7th Gen (RTX A500 Embedded GPU). Decoder: NVDEC (5th Gen) vs NVDEC 5th Gen.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	RTX A500 Embedded GPU
Encoder	NVENC (7th Gen)	NVENC 7th Gen
Decoder	NVDEC (5th Gen)	NVDEC 5th Gen
Codecs	H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9	—

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU draws 170W versus the RTX A500 Embedded GPU's 20W — a 157.9% difference. The RTX A500 Embedded GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 350W (RTX A500 Embedded GPU). Power connectors: Mobile vs PCIe-powered.