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

✅+6080% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 2886.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 1.7 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $159 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅2300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 512 MB).
✅More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌150% higher power demand at 170W vs 68W.
❌66.9% longer card at 242mm vs 145mm.

NVS 310

2015

Why buy it

✅Costs $170 less on MSRP ($159 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Draws 68W instead of 170W, a 102W reduction.
✅Measures 145mm instead of 242mm, a 97mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (275 vs 16,995).
❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB 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 512 MB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.7 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($159 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

NVS 310

2015

Why buy it

✅+6080% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 2886.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 1.7 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $159 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅2300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 512 MB).
✅More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Costs $170 less on MSRP ($159 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Draws 68W instead of 170W, a 102W reduction.
✅Measures 145mm instead of 242mm, a 97mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌150% higher power demand at 170W vs 68W.
❌66.9% longer card at 242mm vs 145mm.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (275 vs 16,995).
❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB 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 512 MB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.7 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($159 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 better than NVS 310?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 16,995 vs 275 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while NVS 310 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, 6080.0% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 512 MB, 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 106.9% more expensive on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $159 MSRP, and you are getting 6080.0% higher G3D Mark. NVS 310 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is NVS 310 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. NVS 310 is 2015 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM, 275 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

NVS 310 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	NVS 310
1080p
low	149 FPS	12 FPS
medium	131 FPS	10 FPS
high	118 FPS	8 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	5 FPS
1440p
low	126 FPS	9 FPS
medium	104 FPS	7 FPS
high	92 FPS	3 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	2 FPS
4K
low	67 FPS	5 FPS
medium	58 FPS	3 FPS
high	39 FPS	1 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	1 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open NVS 310

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	NVS 310
1080p
low	354 FPS	12 FPS
medium	310 FPS	10 FPS
high	249 FPS	8 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	6 FPS
1440p
low	222 FPS	9 FPS
medium	196 FPS	7 FPS
high	160 FPS	6 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	5 FPS
4K
low	110 FPS	6 FPS
medium	94 FPS	3 FPS
high	77 FPS	3 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	2 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open NVS 310

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	NVS 310
1080p
low	765 FPS	12 FPS
medium	612 FPS	10 FPS
high	510 FPS	8 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	6 FPS
1440p
low	535 FPS	9 FPS
medium	432 FPS	7 FPS
high	366 FPS	6 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	5 FPS
4K
low	367 FPS	6 FPS
medium	298 FPS	5 FPS
high	221 FPS	4 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	3 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open NVS 310

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	NVS 310
1080p
low	523 FPS	12 FPS
medium	452 FPS	10 FPS
high	383 FPS	8 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	6 FPS
1440p
low	428 FPS	9 FPS
medium	371 FPS	7 FPS
high	298 FPS	6 FPS
ultra	245 FPS	5 FPS
4K
low	279 FPS	6 FPS
medium	259 FPS	5 FPS
high	225 FPS	4 FPS
ultra	186 FPS	3 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open NVS 310

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and NVS 310

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.

NVS 310

The NVS 310 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 4 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 902 MHz to 1033 MHz. It has 512 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 68W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 275 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the NVS 310's 275 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 6080%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the NVS 310 uses Maxwell, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 512 (NVS 310). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 1.058 TFLOPS ×2 (NVS 310). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1033 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	NVS 310
G3D Mark Score	16,995+6080%	275
Architecture	Ampere	Maxwell
Process Node	8 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	3584+600%	512 ×2
Compute (TFLOPS)	12.74 TFLOPS+1104%	1.058 TFLOPS ×2
Boost Clock	1777 MHz+72%	1033 MHz
ROPs	48+200%	16 ×2
TMUs	112+250%	32 ×2
L1 Cache	3.5 MB+1300%	0.25 MB
L2 Cache	3 MB+200%	1 MB

✨

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 NVS 310 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	NVS 310
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 NVS 310 has 512 MB. The GeForce RTX 3060 offers 2300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 1 MB (NVS 310) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	NVS 310
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+2300%	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Bus Width	192-bit+200%	64-bit
L2 Cache	3 MB+200%	1 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12 (11_0) (NVS 310). OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	NVS 310
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12 (11_0)
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4+100%	2

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs Fermi NVENC (NVS 310). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs VP4. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (NVS 310).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	NVS 310
Encoder	NVENC 7th Gen	Fermi NVENC
Decoder	NVDEC 5th Gen	VP4
Codecs	AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the NVS 310's 68W — a 85.7% difference. The NVS 310 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 350W (NVS 310). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 242mm vs 145mm, occupying 2 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	NVS 310
TDP	170W	68W-60%
Recommended PSU	550W	350W-36%
Power Connector	8-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	242mm	145mm
Height	112mm	69mm
Slots	2	1-50%
Temp (Load)	75	75°C
Perf/Watt	100.0+2400%	4.0

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329 MSRP, while the NVS 310 launched at $159. The NVS 310 costs 51.7% less ($170 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 1.7 (NVS 310) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 2941.2% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2015).