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

✅+156.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 74.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 29.6 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $224 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

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

P106-100

2017

Why buy it

✅Costs $105 less on MSRP ($224 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Draws 75W instead of 170W, a 95W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (6,628 vs 16,995).
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2017-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 29.6 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($224 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

P106-100

2017

Why buy it

✅+156.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 74.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 29.6 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $224 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Costs $105 less on MSRP ($224 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅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 (6,628 vs 16,995).
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2017-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 29.6 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($224 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 better than P106-100?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 16,995 vs 6,628 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while P106-100 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, 156.4% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 4 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 46.9% more expensive on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $224 MSRP, and you are getting 156.4% higher G3D Mark. P106-100 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is P106-100 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. P106-100 is 2017 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM, 6,628 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

P106-100 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	P106-100
1080p
low	149 FPS	138 FPS
medium	131 FPS	127 FPS
high	118 FPS	108 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	81 FPS
1440p
low	126 FPS	123 FPS
medium	104 FPS	107 FPS
high	92 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	70 FPS
4K
low	67 FPS	51 FPS
medium	58 FPS	47 FPS
high	39 FPS	35 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	31 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open P106-100

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	P106-100
1080p
low	354 FPS	262 FPS
medium	310 FPS	216 FPS
high	249 FPS	160 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	128 FPS
1440p
low	222 FPS	173 FPS
medium	196 FPS	143 FPS
high	160 FPS	114 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	90 FPS
4K
low	110 FPS	99 FPS
medium	94 FPS	80 FPS
high	77 FPS	66 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	51 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open P106-100

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	P106-100
1080p
low	765 FPS	298 FPS
medium	612 FPS	239 FPS
high	510 FPS	199 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	149 FPS
1440p
low	535 FPS	224 FPS
medium	432 FPS	179 FPS
high	366 FPS	149 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	112 FPS
4K
low	367 FPS	149 FPS
medium	298 FPS	119 FPS
high	221 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	75 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open P106-100

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	P106-100
1080p
low	523 FPS	298 FPS
medium	452 FPS	239 FPS
high	383 FPS	199 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	149 FPS
1440p
low	428 FPS	224 FPS
medium	371 FPS	179 FPS
high	298 FPS	149 FPS
ultra	245 FPS	112 FPS
4K
low	279 FPS	130 FPS
medium	259 FPS	100 FPS
high	225 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	186 FPS	72 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open P106-100

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and P106-100

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.

P106-100

The P106-100 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 12 2017. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1607 MHz to 1733 MHz. It has 1920 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,628 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the P106-100's 6,628 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 156.4%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the P106-100 uses Pascal, both on 8 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 1,920 (P106-100). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 6.655 TFLOPS (P106-100). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1733 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	P106-100
G3D Mark Score	16,995+156%	6,628
Architecture	Ampere	Pascal
Process Node	8 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	3584+87%	1920
Compute (TFLOPS)	12.74 TFLOPS+91%	6.655 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1777 MHz+3%	1733 MHz
ROPs	48	64+33%
TMUs	112	120+7%
L1 Cache	3.5 MB+400%	0.7 MB
L2 Cache	3 MB+50%	2 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 P106-100 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	P106-100
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 P106-100 has 4 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 offers 200% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 2 MB (P106-100) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	P106-100
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+200%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit
L2 Cache	3 MB+50%	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12_1 (P106-100). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 0.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	P106-100
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12_1
Max Displays	4	0

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs NVENC 6th Gen (P106-100). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs NVDEC 3rd Gen.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	P106-100
Encoder	NVENC 7th Gen	NVENC 6th Gen
Decoder	NVDEC 5th Gen	NVDEC 3rd Gen
Codecs	AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9	—

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the P106-100's 75W — a 77.6% difference. The P106-100 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 350W (P106-100). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 242mm vs 250mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	P106-100
TDP	170W	75W-56%
Recommended PSU	550W	350W-36%
Power Connector	8-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	242mm	250mm
Height	112mm	—
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75	—
Perf/Watt	100.0+13%	88.4

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329 MSRP, while the P106-100 launched at $224. The P106-100 costs 31.9% less ($105 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 29.6 (P106-100) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 74.7% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2017).