GeForce RTX 3060 vs Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

CPU

GPU

GeForce RTX 3060

2021Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

2015Core: 954 MHzBoost: 993 MHz

Popular choices:

•RTX 3060••••••••

Performance Spectrum - GPU

GeForce RTX 3060

12 GB 170

16,995

+385.6%

GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Mobile

GeForce RTX 2060 (Mobile)

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

RTX 2000 Ada Generation Embedded GPU

TITAN V

GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16GB

GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Mobile

GeForce RTX 5070

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

2 GB 30

3,500

0.0%

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

Radeon RX 6850M

Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary

GeForce RTX 5060

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

2021

Why buy it

✅+385.6% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 121.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 23.3 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).
✅More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌466.7% higher power demand at 170W vs 30W.

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

2015

Why 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 (3,500 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.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 23.3 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

2015

Why buy it

✅+385.6% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 121.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 23.3 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).
✅More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Costs $179 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Draws 30W instead of 170W, a 140W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌466.7% higher power demand at 170W vs 30W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (3,500 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.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 23.3 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 better than Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 16,995 vs 3,500 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) 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 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2021 generation instead of 2015, 385.6% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 2 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 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 3060 is about 119.3% more expensive on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $150 MSRP, and you are getting 385.6% higher G3D Mark. Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is 2015 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM, 3,500 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 Benchmark Check

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
1080p
low	149 FPS	77 FPS
medium	131 FPS	65 FPS
high	118 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	28 FPS
1440p
low	126 FPS	61 FPS
medium	104 FPS	51 FPS
high	92 FPS	31 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	19 FPS
4K
low	67 FPS	22 FPS
medium	58 FPS	21 FPS
high	39 FPS	13 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	11 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
1080p
low	354 FPS	97 FPS
medium	310 FPS	68 FPS
high	249 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	31 FPS
1440p
low	222 FPS	53 FPS
medium	196 FPS	31 FPS
high	160 FPS	22 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	15 FPS
4K
low	110 FPS	18 FPS
medium	94 FPS	11 FPS
high	77 FPS	9 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	7 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
1080p
low	765 FPS	158 FPS
medium	612 FPS	126 FPS
high	510 FPS	105 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	79 FPS
1440p
low	535 FPS	118 FPS
medium	432 FPS	94 FPS
high	366 FPS	79 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	59 FPS
4K
low	367 FPS	79 FPS
medium	298 FPS	63 FPS
high	221 FPS	52 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	39 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
1080p
low	523 FPS	157 FPS
medium	452 FPS	126 FPS
high	383 FPS	105 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	79 FPS
1440p
low	428 FPS	110 FPS
medium	371 FPS	88 FPS
high	298 FPS	77 FPS
ultra	245 FPS	59 FPS
4K
low	279 FPS	64 FPS
medium	259 FPS	50 FPS
high	225 FPS	41 FPS
ultra	186 FPS	30 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

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 (940M, GDDR5)

The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) 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: 3,500 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)'s 3,500 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 385.6%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) uses Maxwell, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 384 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 993 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
G3D Mark Score	16,995+386%	3,500
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 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
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 comes with 12 GB of VRAM, while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) has 2 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 offers 500% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 128-bit.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
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 (940M, GDDR5)). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12 (11_0)
Vulkan	1.3+18%	1.1
OpenGL	4.6+2%	4.5
Max Displays	4+100%	2

🎬

Media & Encoding

Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs NVDEC 1st Gen. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
Encoder	NVENC 7th Gen	—
Decoder	NVDEC 5th Gen	NVDEC 1st Gen
Codecs	AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)'s 30W — a 140% difference. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 350W (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 75.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
TDP	170W	30W-82%
Recommended PSU	550W	350W-36%
Power Connector	8-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	242mm	—
Height	112mm	—
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	75	75
Perf/Watt	100.0	116.7+17%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329 MSRP, while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) launched at $150. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) costs 54.4% less ($179 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 23.3 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 121.9% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2015).