GeForce GTX 1660 vs GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop
On performance, the GeForce GTX 1660 and GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop are effectively a dead heat — under a few percent apart.
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Only verified data for GeForce GTX 1660 is available. Benchmarks for other models are currently being processed.
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GeForce GTX 1660 vs GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce GTX 1660 vs GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop
The GeForce GTX 1660 and GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop post nearly the same score in our performance index, so neither holds a meaningful raw-speed advantage. Both are best suited to entry-level 1080p gaming.
Power & Efficiency
The GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop draws just 80W versus 120W for the GeForce GTX 1660, and it also delivers more performance per watt — so it runs cooler and quieter and needs less PSU headroom. Its more modern Ampere architecture on a Samsung 8nm process is part of why it does more with each watt.
VRAM & Future-Proofing
With 6GB against 4GB, the GeForce GTX 1660 has more headroom for 4K textures and memory-hungry creative/AI tasks where the GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop's 4GB can fall short.
Generation & Longevity
The GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop is roughly 2 years newer than the GeForce GTX 1660 (Ampere vs Turing), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 1660 or GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop?
The GeForce GTX 1660 is the faster card. Since one of these is a laptop GPU, its listed price covers the whole system rather than just the chip, so it isn't directly comparable — base your decision on the spec differences above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GeForce GTX 1660 better than the GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 1660 or the GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop?
Does the GeForce GTX 1660 have enough VRAM advantage to matter?
Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 1660 or GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1660 | GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Turing | Ampere |
| Process Node | TSMC 12nm | Samsung 8nm |
| CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / CUDA Cores) | 1,408 | 2,048✓ |
| Ray Tracing Cores | — | 16 |
| Tensor / AI Cores | — | 64 |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1660 | GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,530 MHz✓ | 1,237 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1,785 MHz✓ | 1,500 MHz |
Memory
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1660 | GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 6 GB✓ | 4 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | 192-bit✓ | 128-bit |
| Memory Speed | 8 Gbps | 12 Gbps✓ |
| Bandwidth | 192 GB/s | 192 GB/s |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1660 | GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x8 |
| TDP | 120 W | 80 W✓ |
| Power Connectors | 1x 8-pin | None |
| Released | Mar 2019 | May 2021 |