NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile vs NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation Comparison

The NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile represent two distinct design philosophies from the same manufacturer. The RTX 2000 Ada is a workstation-focused card built on a modern 5 nm process, while the RTX 3060 Mobile is an end-of-life laptop part on an older 8 nm node. Benchmark data shows the RTX 2000 Ada Generation wins 7 of 10 head-to-head tests, with decisive victories in compute and legacy DirectX workloads, while the RTX 3060 Mobile edges ahead in a few modern 3D and OpenCL tests. The data positions the RTX 2000 Ada as the more versatile performer, though the RTX 3060 Mobile holds its own in specific scenarios.

The Verdict

The RTX 2000 Ada Generation is the clear recommendation for users prioritizing raw compute throughput and legacy API compatibility. Its PassMark GPU compute score of 7834 is 37% higher than the RTX 3060 Mobile’s 5718, making it the superior choice for GPU-accelerated tasks that leverage non-graphics pipelines. The workstation card also dominates in DirectX 9, 11, and 12 legacy tests, with margins ranging from 22.4% to 47.9%. For professionals running older software or compute-heavy workloads, the RTX 2000 Ada’s data profile is unambiguous.

The RTX 3060 Mobile, despite being older and end-of-life, wins the most modern graphics test: 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, scoring 1821 versus 1767, a 3% lead. It also outperforms in Geekbench OpenCL (79483 vs 78074, a 1.8% edge) and PassMark DirectX 10 (90 vs 82, an 8.9% lead). Users with workloads that favor these specific tests—particularly modern DX12 gaming scenarios—might find the RTX 3060 Mobile acceptable, but its wins are narrow and isolated.

The average benchmark score tells a similar story: the RTX 2000 Ada sits at 18954, while the RTX 3060 Mobile trails at 18159. The workstation card also holds a percentile rank of 63 against all GPUs, versus 62 for the mobile part. When considering the entire benchmark suite, the RTX 2000 Ada Generation is the data-backed winner. The RTX 3060 Mobile’s only justifiable selection is for users who specifically need its 3DMark Steel Nomad performance or who are constrained to a laptop form factor, where the RTX 2000 Ada’s dual-slot, 168 mm length design cannot fit.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gulf between these two GPUs is stark. The RTX 2000 Ada Generation uses the AD107 chip built on TSMC’s 5 nm process, packing 18,900 million transistors into a 159 mm² die. This yields a transistor density of 118.9 million per mm². In contrast, the RTX 3060 Mobile uses the GA106 chip on Samsung’s 8 nm node, with 12,000 million transistors spread across a much larger 276 mm² die, achieving only 43.5 million transistors per mm². The RTX 2000 Ada’s process advantage is evident in its density, which is over 2.7 times higher.

The RTX 2000 Ada Generation belongs to the Workstation Ada generation, while the RTX 3060 Mobile is part of the GeForce 30 Mobile lineup. The workstation card features 2816 shading units, 88 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, alongside 22 RT cores and 88 tensor cores. The RTX 3060 Mobile counters with 3840 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, plus 30 RT cores and 120 tensor cores. Despite having fewer shaders and RT cores, the RTX 2000 Ada achieves higher clock speeds—1620 MHz base and 2130 MHz boost—versus the RTX 3060 Mobile’s 900 MHz base and 1425 MHz boost. This clock advantage helps the RTX 2000 Ada deliver 12.00 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, exceeding the RTX 3060 Mobile’s 10.94 TFLOPS.

The RTX 2000 Ada also leads in pixel and texture rates, posting 102.2 GPixel/s and 187.4 GTexel/s, respectively, against the RTX 3060 Mobile’s 68.40 GPixel/s and 171.0 GTexel/s. Both cards support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, so API feature parity exists. However, the RTX 2000 Ada’s newer architecture delivers these features at higher efficiency, as reflected in its lower 70 W TDP versus the RTX 3060 Mobile’s 80 W TDP. The RTX 2000 Ada is also an active production part, while the RTX 3060 Mobile is end-of-life, indicating a longer support horizon for the workstation card.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most decisive victory for the RTX 2000 Ada Generation comes in PassMark DirectX 9, where it scores 216 against the RTX 3060 Mobile’s 146, a 47.9% advantage. This legacy API test shows the workstation card’s strength in older workloads, likely benefiting from its higher boost clock and newer architecture. Similarly, in PassMark GPU compute, the RTX 2000 Ada scores 7834 versus 5718, a 37% lead, confirming its compute-oriented design.

The PassMark G3D test also favors the RTX 2000 Ada significantly, with a score of 16927 versus 13230, a 27.9% margin. The 2D performance gap is even more pronounced: the RTX 2000 Ada scores 1072 in PassMark G2D, while the RTX 3060 Mobile manages only 588—an 82.3% difference, the largest of any test. This suggests the RTX 2000 Ada is substantially better at 2D and interface-heavy workloads, which is relevant for workstation multitasking.

In DirectX 11 and 12, the RTX 2000 Ada again prevails. Its PassMark DirectX 11 score of 138 is 25.5% higher than the RTX 3060 Mobile’s 110, and its DirectX 12 score of 71 is 22.4% above the mobile part’s 58. These results indicate that the workstation card maintains its advantage across multiple DirectX generations, not just legacy APIs.

The RTX 3060 Mobile’s wins are narrower but notable. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1821 edges out the RTX 2000 Ada’s 1767 by 3%. This modern DX12 test suggests the mobile card has a slight edge in current-generation 3D rendering. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RTX 3060 Mobile scores 79483 versus 78074, a 1.8% lead, showing competitive compute performance in that specific benchmark. Its PassMark DirectX 10 score of 90 also beats the RTX 2000 Ada’s 82, an 8.9% margin.

The Geekbench Vulkan test is the only one where the RTX 2000 Ada wins among the modern API tests, scoring 83360 versus 80344, a 3.8% lead. This shows that while the RTX 3060 Mobile excels in some OpenCL and DX12 scenarios, the RTX 2000 Ada has the advantage in Vulkan and most other workloads. Overall, the head-to-head data shows the RTX 2000 Ada winning 7 tests and the RTX 3060 Mobile winning 3, with the workstation card’s average score of 18954 versus 18159 reinforcing its overall lead.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every core specification. The RTX 2000 Ada Generation has 2816 shading units, 88 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, while the RTX 3060 Mobile has 3840 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. The RTX 2000 Ada features 22 RT cores and 88 tensor cores, versus 30 RT cores and 120 tensor cores on the RTX 3060 Mobile. Clock speeds diverge sharply: the RTX 2000 Ada runs at 1620 MHz base and 2130 MHz boost, while the RTX 3060 Mobile operates at 900 MHz base and 1425 MHz boost.

Memory configurations are fundamentally different. The RTX 2000 Ada has 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, yielding 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The RTX 3060 Mobile has only 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, providing 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Despite the narrower bus, the RTX 2000 Ada’s larger capacity makes it more suitable for memory-intensive workstation tasks, while the RTX 3060 Mobile’s higher bandwidth favors certain bandwidth-sensitive workloads.

The process node and physical characteristics also differ. The RTX 2000 Ada is built on a 5 nm process by TSMC, while the RTX 3060 Mobile uses an 8 nm process by Samsung. The RTX 2000 Ada has a TDP of 70 W, is dual-slot, and measures 168 mm in length and 69 mm in height. The RTX 3060 Mobile has an 80 W TDP, with dimensions listed as portable device dependent. The RTX 2000 Ada uses a PCIe 4.0 x8 interface, while the RTX 3060 Mobile uses PCIe 4.0 x16. Display outputs also differ: the RTX 2000 Ada has 4x mini-DisplayPort 1.4a, while the RTX 3060 Mobile’s outputs are portable device dependent.

Production status separates the two clearly: the RTX 2000 Ada is Active, while the RTX 3060 Mobile is End-of-life. The RTX 2000 Ada has a launch MSRP of 649 USD, while the RTX 3060 Mobile has no listed launch MSRP. The RTX 2000 Ada’s predecessor is Workstation Ampere and its successor is Blackwell PRO W, while the RTX 3060 Mobile’s predecessor is GeForce 20 Mobile and it has no successor listed.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation has an average benchmark score of 18954, which is higher than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile’s 18159.

Q: How do the two compare in PassMark GPU compute performance?

A: The RTX 2000 Ada Generation scores 7834 in PassMark GPU compute, which is 37% higher than the RTX 3060 Mobile’s 5718, indicating a substantial advantage in compute workloads.

Q: What is the memory capacity and bandwidth difference?

A: The RTX 2000 Ada Generation has 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus with 256.0 GB/s bandwidth, while the RTX 3060 Mobile has 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus with 336.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU wins in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile wins the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test with a score of 1821, beating the RTX 2000 Ada Generation’s 1767 by 3%.

Q: What are the process node and transistor density differences?

A: The RTX 2000 Ada Generation uses a 5 nm process from TSMC with 18,900 million transistors on a 159 mm² die (118.9M / mm²), while the RTX 3060 Mobile uses an 8 nm process from Samsung with 12,000 million transistors on a 276 mm² die (43.5M / mm²).

Q: Which card has a higher boost clock and FP32 performance?

A: The RTX 2000 Ada Generation has a boost clock of 2130 MHz and delivers 12.00 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, while the RTX 3060 Mobile has a boost clock of 1425 MHz and delivers 10.94 TFLOPS.