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

✅+589.2% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $60 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $389 MSRP).
✅Delivers 714.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 6.3 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $389 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅500% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

❌126.7% higher power demand at 170W vs 75W.

P106-090

2017

Why buy it

✅Draws 75W instead of 170W, a 95W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (2,466 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: 2017-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌
18.2% HIGHER MSRP
$389 MSRPvs$329 MSRP

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

P106-090

2017

Why buy it

✅+589.2% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $60 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $389 MSRP).
✅Delivers 714.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 6.3 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $389 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅500% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 2 GB).

Why buy it

✅Draws 75W instead of 170W, a 95W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌126.7% higher power demand at 170W vs 75W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (2,466 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: 2017-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌
18.2% HIGHER MSRP
$389 MSRPvs$329 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 better than P106-090?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 16,995 vs 2,466 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while P106-090 is a 2017 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 2017, 589.2% 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 today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 3060 is about $60 cheaper on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $389 MSRP, and you are getting 589.2% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 714.9%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is P106-090 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. P106-090 is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $389 MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 3060 is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

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

P106-090 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	P106-090
1080p
low	149 FPS	111 FPS
medium	131 FPS	89 FPS
high	118 FPS	74 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	55 FPS
1440p
low	126 FPS	83 FPS
medium	104 FPS	67 FPS
high	92 FPS	55 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	42 FPS
4K
low	67 FPS	41 FPS
medium	58 FPS	38 FPS
high	39 FPS	26 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	23 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open P106-090

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	P106-090
1080p
low	354 FPS	111 FPS
medium	310 FPS	89 FPS
high	249 FPS	74 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	55 FPS
1440p
low	222 FPS	83 FPS
medium	196 FPS	67 FPS
high	160 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	37 FPS
4K
low	110 FPS	40 FPS
medium	94 FPS	31 FPS
high	77 FPS	27 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	20 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open P106-090

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	P106-090
1080p
low	765 FPS	111 FPS
medium	612 FPS	89 FPS
high	510 FPS	74 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	55 FPS
1440p
low	535 FPS	83 FPS
medium	432 FPS	67 FPS
high	366 FPS	55 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	42 FPS
4K
low	367 FPS	55 FPS
medium	298 FPS	44 FPS
high	221 FPS	37 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	28 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open P106-090

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	P106-090
1080p
low	523 FPS	111 FPS
medium	452 FPS	89 FPS
high	383 FPS	74 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	55 FPS
1440p
low	428 FPS	83 FPS
medium	371 FPS	67 FPS
high	298 FPS	55 FPS
ultra	245 FPS	42 FPS
4K
low	279 FPS	55 FPS
medium	259 FPS	44 FPS
high	225 FPS	37 FPS
ultra	186 FPS	28 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open P106-090

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and P106-090

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.

P106-090

The P106-090 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 31 2017. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1354 MHz to 1531 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,466 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the P106-090's 2,466 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 589.2%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the P106-090 uses Pascal, both on 8 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 768 (P106-090). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 2.352 TFLOPS (P106-090). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1531 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	P106-090
G3D Mark Score	16,995+589%	2,466
Architecture	Ampere	Pascal
Process Node	8 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	3584+367%	768
Compute (TFLOPS)	12.74 TFLOPS+442%	2.352 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1777 MHz+16%	1531 MHz
ROPs	48	48
TMUs	112+133%	48
L1 Cache	3.5 MB+1150%	0.28 MB
L2 Cache	3 MB+100%	1.5 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 P106-090 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	P106-090
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 P106-090 has 2 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 offers 500% 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 1.5 MB (P106-090) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	P106-090
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+500%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Bus Width	192-bit+200%	64-bit
L2 Cache	3 MB+100%	1.5 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12 (P106-090). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 0.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	P106-090
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12
Vulkan	1.3	1.4+8%
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	0

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs NVENC (Pascal) (P106-090). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs NVDEC. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs H.264,H.265,VP9 (P106-090).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	P106-090
Encoder	NVENC 7th Gen	NVENC (Pascal)
Decoder	NVDEC 5th Gen	NVDEC
Codecs	AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9	H.264,H.265,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the P106-090's 75W — a 77.6% difference. The P106-090 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 350W (P106-090). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 242mm vs 250mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 60°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	P106-090
TDP	170W	75W-56%
Recommended PSU	550W	350W-36%
Power Connector	8-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	242mm	250mm
Height	112mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75	60°C-20%
Perf/Watt	100.0+204%	32.9

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329 MSRP, while the P106-090 launched at $389. The GeForce RTX 3060 costs 15.4% less ($60 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 6.3 (P106-090) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 720.6% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2017).