GeForce RTX 3060 vs Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3

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

✅+772.9% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $270 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Delivers 1489.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 3.3 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs Unknown).

Trade-offs

❌2328.6% higher power demand at 170W vs 7W.

Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3

2018

Why buy it

✅Draws 7W instead of 170W, a 163W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (1,947 vs 16,995).
❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2018-era hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌
82.1% HIGHER MSRP
$599 MSRPvs$329 MSRP

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3

2018

Why buy it

✅+772.9% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $270 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Delivers 1489.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 3.3 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs Unknown).

Why buy it

✅Draws 7W instead of 170W, a 163W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌2328.6% higher power demand at 170W vs 7W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (1,947 vs 16,995).
❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2018-era hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌
82.1% HIGHER MSRP
$599 MSRPvs$329 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 better than Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 16,995 vs 1,947 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 is a 2018 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 2018, 772.9% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of Unknown, 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 $270 cheaper on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $599 MSRP, and you are getting 772.9% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 1489.2%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still fine for 1080p, but 1440p and especially 4K require more compromise. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $599 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

Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3
1080p
low	149 FPS	88 FPS
medium	131 FPS	70 FPS
high	118 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	41 FPS
1440p
low	126 FPS	66 FPS
medium	104 FPS	53 FPS
high	92 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	32 FPS
4K
low	67 FPS	29 FPS
medium	58 FPS	27 FPS
high	39 FPS	18 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	16 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3
1080p
low	354 FPS	88 FPS
medium	310 FPS	70 FPS
high	249 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	39 FPS
1440p
low	222 FPS	66 FPS
medium	196 FPS	48 FPS
high	160 FPS	35 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	26 FPS
4K
low	110 FPS	38 FPS
medium	94 FPS	25 FPS
high	77 FPS	20 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	14 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3
1080p
low	765 FPS	88 FPS
medium	612 FPS	70 FPS
high	510 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	44 FPS
1440p
low	535 FPS	66 FPS
medium	432 FPS	53 FPS
high	366 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	33 FPS
4K
low	367 FPS	44 FPS
medium	298 FPS	35 FPS
high	221 FPS	29 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	22 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3
1080p
low	523 FPS	88 FPS
medium	452 FPS	70 FPS
high	383 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	44 FPS
1440p
low	428 FPS	66 FPS
medium	371 FPS	53 FPS
high	298 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	245 FPS	33 FPS
4K
low	279 FPS	44 FPS
medium	259 FPS	35 FPS
high	225 FPS	29 FPS
ultra	186 FPS	22 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3

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.

Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3

The Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 is manufactured by Qualcomm. It was released in December 6 2018. The thermal design power (TDP) is 7W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,947 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3's 1,947 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 772.9%.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3
G3D Mark Score	16,995+773%	1,947
Process Node	8 nm	7 nm

✨

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 Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3
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 Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 has 0 MB. The GeForce RTX 3060 offers 100+% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs System.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3
VRAM Capacity	12 GB	Shared System RAM
Memory Type	GDDR6	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	360 GB/s	Unknown
Bus Width	192-bit	System

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3's 7W — a 184.2% difference. The Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 1W (Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Integrated.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3
TDP	170W	7W-96%
Recommended PSU	550W	1W-100%
Power Connector	8-pin	Integrated
Length	242mm	—
Height	112mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	75	—
Perf/Watt	100.0	278.1+178%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329 MSRP, while the Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 launched at $599. The GeForce RTX 3060 costs 45.1% less ($270 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 3.3 (Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 1466.7% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2018).