GeForce RTX 3060 Ti vs HD Graphics 520

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 Ti

2020

Why buy it

✅+2259.1% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 491.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 50.9 vs 8.6 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs Unknown).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌1233.3% higher power demand at 200W vs 15W.

HD Graphics 520

2015

Why buy it

✅Costs $299 less on MSRP ($100 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).
✅Draws 15W instead of 200W, a 185W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (861 vs 20,312).
❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 8 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 Unknown of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 8.6 vs 50.9 G3D/$ ($100 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

2020

HD Graphics 520

2015

Why buy it

✅+2259.1% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 491.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 50.9 vs 8.6 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs Unknown).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Costs $299 less on MSRP ($100 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).
✅Draws 15W instead of 200W, a 185W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌1233.3% higher power demand at 200W vs 15W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (861 vs 20,312).
❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 8 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 Unknown of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 8.6 vs 50.9 G3D/$ ($100 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 Ti better than HD Graphics 520?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 20,312 vs 861 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is a 2020 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while HD Graphics 520 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 Ti is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2020 generation instead of 2015, 2259.1% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of Unknown, 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 Ti is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is about 299.0% more expensive on MSRP at $399 MSRP versus $100 MSRP, and you are getting 2259.1% higher G3D Mark. HD Graphics 520 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is HD Graphics 520 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. HD Graphics 520 is 2015 hardware with Unknown of VRAM, 861 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.

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Benchmark Check

HD Graphics 520 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	HD Graphics 520
1080p
low	152 FPS	15 FPS
medium	137 FPS	11 FPS
high	118 FPS	6 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	3 FPS
1440p
low	131 FPS	10 FPS
medium	107 FPS	6 FPS
high	91 FPS	3 FPS
ultra	82 FPS	1 FPS
4K
low	77 FPS	4 FPS
medium	65 FPS	2 FPS
high	50 FPS	1 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	1 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Open HD Graphics 520

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	HD Graphics 520
1080p
low	425 FPS	39 FPS
medium	366 FPS	31 FPS
high	296 FPS	26 FPS
ultra	248 FPS	19 FPS
1440p
low	272 FPS	29 FPS
medium	229 FPS	23 FPS
high	190 FPS	19 FPS
ultra	156 FPS	14 FPS
4K
low	133 FPS	19 FPS
medium	114 FPS	14 FPS
high	96 FPS	11 FPS
ultra	73 FPS	8 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Open HD Graphics 520

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	HD Graphics 520
1080p
low	859 FPS	39 FPS
medium	693 FPS	31 FPS
high	602 FPS	26 FPS
ultra	457 FPS	19 FPS
1440p
low	658 FPS	29 FPS
medium	529 FPS	23 FPS
high	452 FPS	19 FPS
ultra	343 FPS	15 FPS
4K
low	434 FPS	19 FPS
medium	346 FPS	15 FPS
high	275 FPS	13 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	10 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Open HD Graphics 520

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	HD Graphics 520
1080p
low	580 FPS	39 FPS
medium	514 FPS	31 FPS
high	424 FPS	26 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	19 FPS
1440p
low	478 FPS	9 FPS
medium	427 FPS	7 FPS
high	335 FPS	5 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	4 FPS
4K
low	285 FPS	6 FPS
medium	266 FPS	4 FPS
high	234 FPS	3 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	2 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Open HD Graphics 520

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 Ti and HD Graphics 520

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1410 MHz to 1665 MHz. It has 4864 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 38 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 20,312 points. Launch price was $399.

HD Graphics 520

The HD Graphics 520 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in September 1 2015. It features the Generation 9.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 300 MHz to 900 MHz. It has 192 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 15W. Manufactured using 14 nm+ process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 861 points.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti scores 20,312 versus the HD Graphics 520's 861 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti leads by 2259.1%. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is built on Ampere while the HD Graphics 520 uses Generation 9.0, both on 8 nm vs 14 nm+. Shader units: 4,864 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 192 (HD Graphics 520). Raw compute: 16.2 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 0.3456 TFLOPS (HD Graphics 520). Boost clocks: 1665 MHz vs 900 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	HD Graphics 520
G3D Mark Score	20,312+2259%	861
Architecture	Ampere	Generation 9.0
Process Node	8 nm	14 nm+
Shading Units	4864+2433%	192
Compute (TFLOPS)	16.2 TFLOPS+4588%	0.3456 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1665 MHz+85%	900 MHz
ROPs	80+2567%	3
TMUs	152+533%	24

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The HD Graphics 520 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	HD Graphics 520
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	Standard

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the HD Graphics 520 has 0 MB. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti offers 100+% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 256-bit vs System.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	HD Graphics 520
VRAM Capacity	8 GB	Shared System RAM
Memory Type	GDDR6	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	448 GB/s	System
Bus Width	256-bit	System

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti draws 200W versus the HD Graphics 520's 15W — a 172.1% difference. The HD Graphics 520 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 600W (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 1W (HD Graphics 520). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Integrated.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	HD Graphics 520
TDP	200W	15W-93%
Recommended PSU	600W	1W-100%
Power Connector	8-pin	Integrated
Length	242mm	—
Height	112mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	75	—
Perf/Watt	101.6+77%	57.4

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti launched at $399 MSRP, while the HD Graphics 520 launched at $100. The HD Graphics 520 costs 74.9% less ($299 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 50.9 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 8.6 (HD Graphics 520) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti offers 491.9% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2015).