NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile represent two distinct eras of GPU design, separated by nearly eight years of architectural evolution. The data shows a clear generational shift, with the mobile Ampere part delivering substantially higher raw compute performance despite its lower power envelope. This analysis compares the two based strictly on benchmark results and specification differences.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head comparison in the data set includes only two shared benchmark tests, and the results are overwhelmingly one-sided. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the RTX 3060 Mobile scores 79,483 against the GTX 780’s 22,863. That is a delta of -71.2% from the perspective of the older card, meaning the RTX 3060 Mobile is roughly three and a half times faster in this compute-oriented workload. The gap is decisive and reflects the massive increase in shading units and raw FP32 throughput.

The Vulkan test tells a similar story. The RTX 3060 Mobile posts a score of 80,344, while the GTX 780 manages 24,514. The delta is -69.5%, again favoring the Ampere mobile part by a wide margin. In both tests, the RTX 3060 Mobile wins, and the GTX 780 secures zero head-to-head victories. This is not a close contest; the newer architecture simply overwhelms the older one in every measured metric.

Looking at the broader benchmark context, the GTX 780’s average benchmark score is 19,164, placing it at the 64th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA TITAN Xp, scores 19,177, a delta of -0.1%, indicating the GTX 780 is essentially tied with that high-end card from a later generation. The RTX 3060 Mobile, by contrast, has an average score of 18,159, which puts it at the 62nd percentile. Its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 at 18,189, a delta of -0.2%. Interestingly, the average scores are close, but the head-to-head tests show the RTX 3060 Mobile far ahead. This discrepancy suggests the GTX 780’s average is buoyed by its strong OpenCL and Vulkan scores, while the RTX 3060 Mobile’s average is pulled down by its less impressive Passmark results, where it scores only 90 in DirectX 10, 110 in DirectX 11, and 58 in DirectX 12.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 3060 Mobile wins outright in both shared compute benchmarks. Its OpenCL score of 79,483 is 247% higher than the GTX 780’s 22,863, and its Vulkan score of 80,344 is 228% higher than the GTX 780’s 24,514. This makes the RTX 3060 Mobile the clear choice for any workload that leverages these APIs, including general-purpose GPU compute and modern Vulkan-based games.

The GTX 780, despite its losses, still holds relevance in the broader benchmark landscape. Its average score of 19,164 is higher than the RTX 3060 Mobile’s 18,159, a difference of about 5.5%. This is driven by its Geekbench Metal score of 10,114, a test the RTX 3060 Mobile does not have data for. For users relying on Metal-based applications, the GTX 780 may still be serviceable, though the data does not provide a direct comparison. The GTX 780 also shows a slight edge over the RTX 3060 Mobile in average score relative to its nearest rivals, with a delta of -0.1% against the TITAN Xp versus the RTX 3060 Mobile’s -0.2% against the Radeon Pro 5700. This is a marginal difference, however, and does not offset the massive losses in the head-to-head tests.

In terms of API support, the RTX 3060 Mobile supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, while the GTX 780 is limited to DirectX 12 (11_0) and Vulkan 1.2.175. This gives the newer card a feature advantage in modern titles that use ray tracing or mesh shaders, though the data does not include specific benchmarks for those features.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The GTX 780 has an average benchmark score of 19,164, compared to the RTX 3060 Mobile’s 18,159. This puts the GTX 780 at the 64th percentile of all GPUs, while the RTX 3060 Mobile sits at the 62nd percentile.

Q: How much faster is the RTX 3060 Mobile in OpenCL?

A: The RTX 3060 Mobile scores 79,483 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 71.2% higher than the GTX 780’s 22,863. This is a substantial margin, indicating the Ampere architecture’s superior compute throughput.

Q: Does the GTX 780 win any head-to-head benchmark?

A: No. In the two shared tests (Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Vulkan), the RTX 3060 Mobile wins both. The GTX 780 has zero wins in the head-to-head comparison.

Q: What is the memory configuration difference?

A: The GTX 780 has 3 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 384-bit bus with a bandwidth of 288.4 GB/s. The RTX 3060 Mobile has 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus with a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. The newer card has double the capacity and higher bandwidth.

Q: How do the transistor counts compare?

A: The GTX 780 uses 7,080 million transistors on a 561 mm² die, which yields a density of 12.6 million transistors per square millimeter. The RTX 3060 Mobile uses 12,000 million transistors on a 276 mm² die, yielding a density of 43.5 million per square millimeter.

Q: Which GPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The RTX 3060 Mobile has a boost clock of 1425 MHz, while the GTX 780 has a boost clock of 902 MHz. The base clocks are 900 MHz for the mobile part and 863 MHz for the desktop part.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in nearly every measurable specification. The GTX 780 is built on a 28 nm process at TSMC, while the RTX 3060 Mobile uses an 8 nm process at Samsung. The die sizes are starkly different: the GTX 780’s chip is 561 mm², while the RTX 3060 Mobile’s is 276 mm². Transistor counts are 7,080 million versus 12,000 million, and the density is 12.6 million per square millimeter versus 43.5 million.

Memory configurations are also distinct. The GTX 780 offers 3 GB of GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus, delivering 288.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The RTX 3060 Mobile doubles capacity to 6 GB of GDDR6, but uses a narrower 192-bit bus, still achieving higher bandwidth at 336.0 GB/s. The memory clock is 1502 MHz (6 Gbps effective) for the GTX 780, versus 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective) for the RTX 3060 Mobile.

Compute resources differ significantly. The GTX 780 has 2304 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, and 48 ROPs. The RTX 3060 Mobile has 3840 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. The newer card also includes 30 ray tracing cores and 120 tensor cores, features absent from the GTX 780. The FP32 throughput is 4.156 TFLOPS for the GTX 780 and 10.94 TFLOPS for the RTX 3060 Mobile. The RTX 3060 Mobile also supports FP16 at 10.94 TFLOPS (1:1), while the GTX 780 has no listed FP16 capability.

Power and physical characteristics diverge as well. The GTX 780 has a TDP of 250 W, requires a 600 W power supply, and uses a dual-slot cooler with 1x 6-pin and 1x 8-pin power connectors. It measures 267 mm in length, 111 mm in height, and 38 mm in width. The RTX 3060 Mobile has a TDP of 80 W, no power connectors, no suggested PSU, and no listed dimensions, as it is a portable device-dependent part. The bus interface is PCIe 3.0 x16 for the GTX 780 and PCIe 4.0 x16 for the RTX 3060 Mobile.

Architecture Differences

The GTX 780 is based on the GK110 chip under the Kepler architecture, part of the GeForce 700 generation. It was released on May 22, 2013, with a launch MSRP of 649 USD. The RTX 3060 Mobile uses the GA106 chip under the Ampere architecture, part of the GeForce 30 Mobile series. It was released on January 11, 2021. The GTX 780’s predecessor is the GeForce 600 series, and its successor is the GeForce 900 series. The RTX 3060 Mobile’s predecessor is the GeForce 20 Mobile series, with no listed successor.

The process node is the most fundamental architectural difference: 28 nm for Kepler versus 8 nm for Ampere. This allows the RTX 3060 Mobile to pack 12,000 million transistors into a smaller die, achieving a density more than three times higher. The RTX 3060 Mobile also introduces dedicated hardware for ray tracing and tensor operations, which the GTX 780 lacks entirely. The FP16 capability on the Ampere part is a key addition, enabling faster mixed-precision workloads.

API support is another differentiator. The GTX 780 supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The RTX 3060 Mobile supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The newer card’s DirectX 12 Ultimate feature level includes support for ray tracing and variable rate shading, features that are not available on the Kepler-based GTX 780.

The display outputs also reflect their intended use cases. The GTX 780 offers 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2, suitable for a desktop workstation. The RTX 3060 Mobile’s outputs are listed as "Portable Device Dependent," meaning they vary by laptop implementation.

The Verdict

The data points to a straightforward conclusion for most users. The RTX 3060 Mobile is the superior performer in the shared benchmarks, delivering 71.2% higher OpenCL scores and 69.5% higher Vulkan scores. Its 6 GB of GDDR6 memory, higher bandwidth, and more than double the FP32 throughput make it the better choice for compute-heavy tasks and modern gaming. The inclusion of ray tracing and tensor cores further widens the feature gap, even if specific benchmarks for those features are not in the data.

The GTX 780, however, holds a slight edge in average benchmark score (19,164 versus 18,159) and percentile ranking (64th versus 62nd). This is likely due to its strong Metal score, which the RTX 3060 Mobile lacks data for. For users locked into Metal-based workflows, the GTX 780 may still be a viable option, but the lack of modern API support and the lower compute performance make it a difficult recommendation for new purchases.

For gamers and general-purpose compute users, the RTX 3060 Mobile is the clear winner. Its higher memory capacity, faster bandwidth, and superior raw throughput align with the demands of modern software. For legacy application support or Metal-specific workloads, the GTX 780 has a niche, but the architectural advantages of Ampere are undeniable. The data consistently favors the newer mobile part, making it the rational choice for virtually all use cases.