GeForce RTX 3060
Maxwell GPU Surface Book
GeForce RTX 3060 vs Maxwell GPU Surface Book Performance Spectrum
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.
GeForce RTX 3060 vs Maxwell GPU Surface Book 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.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
GeForce RTX 3060 vs Maxwell GPU Surface Book: 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
2021Why buy it
- ✅+413.3% higher PassMark G3D performance.
- ✅Delivers 134% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 22.1 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
- ✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
- ✅500% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 2 GB).
- ✅Better long-term bet: Ampere on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
Trade-offs
- ❌466.7% higher power demand at 170W vs 30W.
Maxwell GPU Surface Book
2015Why buy it
- ✅Costs $179 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
- ✅Draws 30W instead of 170W, a 140W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (3,311 vs 16,995).
- ❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
- ❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
- ❌2015 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
- ❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 22.1 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
Quick Answers
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GeForce RTX 3060 vs Maxwell GPU Surface Book Technical Specifications
Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.
GeForce RTX 3060
The GeForce RTX 3060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 12 2021. 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: 16,995 points. Launch price was $329.
Maxwell GPU Surface Book
The Maxwell GPU Surface Book is manufactured by an unknown manufacturer. It was released in October 1 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 954 MHz to 993 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,311 points.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Maxwell GPU Surface Book's 3,311 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 413.3%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book uses Maxwell, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 384 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 993 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | Maxwell GPU Surface Book |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 16,995+413% | 3,311 |
| Architecture | Ampere | Maxwell |
| Process Node | 8 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 3584+833% | 384 |
| Boost Clock | 1777 MHz+79% | 993 MHz |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
The GeForce RTX 3060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | Maxwell GPU Surface Book |
|---|---|---|
| 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 has 12 GB of VRAM, while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book carries 2 GB. GeForce RTX 3060 gives you 500% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060 and 128-bit on the Maxwell GPU Surface Book.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | Maxwell GPU Surface Book |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 12 GB+500% | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 360 GB/s | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 192-bit+50% | 128-bit |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12 (11_0) (Maxwell GPU Surface Book). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | Maxwell GPU Surface Book |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 Ultimate | 12 (11_0) |
| Vulkan | 1.3+18% | 1.1 |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 4+33% | 3 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs None (Maxwell GPU Surface Book). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs PureVideo VP6. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | Maxwell GPU Surface Book |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC 7th Gen | None |
| Decoder | NVDEC 5th Gen | PureVideo VP6 |
| Codecs | AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Maxwell GPU Surface Book's 30W — a 140% difference. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 350W (Maxwell GPU Surface Book). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 242mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 85.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | Maxwell GPU Surface Book |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 170W | 30W-82% |
| Recommended PSU | 550W | 350W-36% |
| Power Connector | 8-pin | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 242mm | 0mm |
| Height | 112mm | 0mm |
| Slots | 2 | 0-100% |
| Temp (Load) | 75-12% | 85 |
| Perf/Watt | 100.0 | 110.4+10% |
Value Analysis
At launch, the GeForce RTX 3060 came in at $329, while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book launched at $150. On MSRP, Maxwell GPU Surface Book was 54.4% cheaper ($179 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 22.1 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 133.9% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 (2021 vs 2015).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | Maxwell GPU Surface Book |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $329 | $150-54% |
| Performance per Dollar | 51.7+134% | 22.1 |
| Codename | GA106 | Surface Book |
| Release | January 12 2021 | October 1 2015 |
| Ranking | #114 | #779 |
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