NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3GB vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop

These two cards score identically in our gaming index. The decision comes down to VRAM, power draw and price.

Dead heat — both cards score 13/100
Specification NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop
Performance score 13/100 13/100
Tier D D
VRAM 3 GB 4 GB
Power draw (TDP) 120 W 75 W
Launch MSRP $199
Performance per $100 6.5
Release year 2016 2021
DLSS — No ✓ Yes
FSR ✓ Yes ✓ Yes
XeSS — No — No
Ray tracing — No ✓ Yes

Which should you buy?

Performance is a tie, so the tie-breakers below decide it. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop carries more VRAM (4GB vs 3GB), which matters at 1440p and above and for texture-heavy titles. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop draws 45W less, so it is easier on your power supply and case cooling — check the PSU calculator before committing.