GeForce RTX 3060 vs GeForce GTX 660M
GeForce RTX 3060
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GeForce GTX 660M
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Performance Spectrum - GPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce RTX 3060
Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTX 660M
Why is GeForce RTX 3060 better than GeForce GTX 660M?
The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti vastly outperforms the GTX 660M by approximately 402% in aggregate benchmarks—a comparison spanning eight years of GPU development. The RTX 3060 Ti features 4864 CUDA cores on Ampere (8nm) versus the 660M's 384 cores on Kepler (28nm), with dedicated ray tracing and tensor cores for advanced gaming features.
The RTX 3060 Ti delivers excellent 1440p gaming with 8 GB GDDR6 at 448 GB/s bandwidth, reaching 28,145 in 3DMark Fire Strike. It handles modern AAA titles at high settings with ray tracing and DLSS support at 200W TDP.
The GTX 660M is a 2012 mobile GPU designed for moderate 1080p gaming in laptops at its time, with 2 GB GDDR5 and 50W TDP. It scores only 5,040 in Fire Strike and struggles with modern DirectX 12 titles due to limited feature level support. This comparison is relevant for anyone upgrading from a decade-old gaming laptop to a modern desktop system.
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The GeForce RTX 3060 is significantly newer (2021 vs 2012). The GeForce RTX 3060 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The GeForce GTX 660M lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce RTX 3060 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1070.5% higher G3D Mark score and 500% more VRAM (12 GB vs 2 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce GTX 660M.
| Insight | GeForce RTX 3060 | GeForce GTX 660M |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+1070.5%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1070.5%) |
| Longevity | 🔮Strong Longevity (Ampere / 8nm) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / Kepler (2012−2018)) |
| Ecosystem | ✨ DLSS 2 Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | 🎮 High Capacity (12 GB) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | — |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce RTX 3060 remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.
Performance Check
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 7800X3D 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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and GeForce GTX 660M
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.
GeForce GTX 660M
The GeForce GTX 660M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 22 2012. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 835 MHz to 950 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,452 points.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the GeForce GTX 660M's 1,452 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 1070.5%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the GeForce GTX 660M uses Kepler, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 384 (GeForce GTX 660M). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 0.7296 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 660M). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 950 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | GeForce GTX 660M |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 16,995+1070% | 1,452 |
| Architecture | Ampere | Kepler |
| Process Node | 8 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 3584+833% | 384 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 12.74 TFLOPS+1646% | 0.7296 TFLOPS |
| Boost Clock | 1777 MHz+87% | 950 MHz |
| ROPs | 48+200% | 16 |
| TMUs | 112+250% | 32 |
| L1 Cache | 3.5 MB+11567% | 0.03 MB |
| L2 Cache | 3 MB+1100% | 0.25 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 GeForce GTX 660M relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | GeForce GTX 660M |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | DLSS 2.0 | FSR 2.1 (Compatible) |
| Frame Generation | FSR 3 / AFMF (Compatible) | FSR 3 (Compatible) |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | NVIDIA Reflex | Standard |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce RTX 3060 comes with 12 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 660M 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. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 0.25 MB (GeForce GTX 660M) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | GeForce GTX 660M |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 12 GB+500% | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 360 GB/s | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 192-bit+50% | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 3 MB+1100% | 0.25 MB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 660M). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | GeForce GTX 660M |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 Ultimate | 12 (11_0) |
| Vulkan | 1.3+8% | 1.2 |
| OpenGL | 4.6+2% | 4.5 |
| Max Displays | 4 | 4 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs NVENC 1st Gen (GeForce GTX 660M). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs PureVideo HD VP5. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GTX 660M).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | GeForce GTX 660M |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC 7th Gen | NVENC 1st Gen |
| Decoder | NVDEC 5th Gen | PureVideo HD VP5 |
| Codecs | AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the GeForce GTX 660M's 50W — a 109.1% difference. The GeForce GTX 660M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 660M). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 1x 6-pin. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 60°C.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | GeForce GTX 660M |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 170W | 50W-71% |
| Recommended PSU | 550W | 350W-36% |
| Power Connector | 8-pin | 1x 6-pin |
| Length | 242mm | — |
| Height | 112mm | — |
| Slots | 2 | 0-100% |
| Temp (Load) | 75 | 60°C-20% |
| Perf/Watt | 100.0+245% | 29.0 |
Value Analysis
The GeForce RTX 3060 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2012).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | GeForce GTX 660M |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $329 | — |
| Avg Price (30d) | $289 | — |
| Codename | GA106 | GK107 |
| Release | January 12 2021 | March 22 2012 |
| Ranking | #114 | #774 |
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