GeForce RTX 2070 vs GeForce RTX 3060

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 2070

2018Core: 1410 MHzBoost: 1620 MHz
RTX family
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060

2021Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz
RTX family
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GeForce RTX 2070 vs GeForce RTX 3060 Performance Spectrum

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.

GeForce RTX 2070 vs GeForce RTX 3060 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce RTX 2070 vs GeForce RTX 3060: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce RTX 2070

2018

Why buy it

  • 157.1% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (288 vs 112).

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • Older hardware, 8 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.
  • 82.1% HIGHER MSRP
    $599 MSRPvs$329 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 26.8 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Why buy it

  • 5.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Costs $270 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
  • Delivers 92.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 26.8 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
  • 50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 8 GB).
  • Better long-term bet: Ampere on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (112 vs 288), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 3060 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 5.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 5.8% in PassMark G3D (16,995 vs 16,068), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3060 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 12 GB vs 8 GB of VRAM, a 8nm process instead of 12nm, and a newer 2021 generation instead of 2018. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce RTX 3060 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $270 cheaper on MSRP at $329 vs $599, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 92.6% (51.7 vs 26.8), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 2070 vs GeForce RTX 3060 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 2070

The GeForce RTX 2070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 17 2018. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1410 MHz to 1620 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 175W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 36 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 16,068 points. Launch price was $499.

NVIDIA

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.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 2070 scores 16,068 versus the GeForce RTX 3060's 16,995 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 5.8%. The GeForce RTX 2070 is built on Turing while the GeForce RTX 3060 uses Ampere, both on 12 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 2,304 (GeForce RTX 2070) vs 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060). Raw compute: 7.465 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 2070) vs 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060). Boost clocks: 1620 MHz vs 1777 MHz. Ray tracing: 36 RT cores (GeForce RTX 2070) vs 28 (GeForce RTX 3060) with 288 Tensor cores vs 112.

FeatureGeForce RTX 2070GeForce RTX 3060
G3D Mark Score
16,068
16,995+6%
Architecture
Turing
Ampere
Process Node
12 nm
8 nm
Shading Units
2304
3584+56%
Compute (TFLOPS)
7.465 TFLOPS
12.74 TFLOPS+71%
Boost Clock
1620 MHz
1777 MHz+10%
ROPs
64+33%
48
TMUs
144+29%
112
L1 Cache
2.3 MB
3.5 MB+52%
L2 Cache
4 MB+33%
3 MB
Ray Tracing Cores
36+29%
28
Tensor Cores
288+157%
112

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGeForce RTX 2070GeForce RTX 3060
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 2070 has 8 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 carries 12 GB. GeForce RTX 3060 gives you 50% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 2070) vs 360 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060) — a 24.4% advantage for the GeForce RTX 2070. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce RTX 2070 and 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 2070) vs 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) — the GeForce RTX 2070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 2070GeForce RTX 3060
VRAM Capacity
8 GB
12 GB+50%
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
448 GB/s+24%
360 GB/s
Bus Width
256-bit+33%
192-bit
L2 Cache
4 MB+33%
3 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce RTX 2070) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 2070GeForce RTX 3060
DirectX
12.1
12 Ultimate
Vulkan
1.3
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 6.0 (GeForce RTX 2070) vs NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP9 vs NVDEC 5th Gen. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (GeForce RTX 2070) vs AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060).

FeatureGeForce RTX 2070GeForce RTX 3060
Encoder
NVENC 6.0
NVENC 7th Gen
Decoder
PureVideo HD VP9
NVDEC 5th Gen
Codecs
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9
AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 2070 draws 175W versus the GeForce RTX 3060's 170W — a 2.9% difference. The GeForce RTX 3060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 2070) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 3060). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 242mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 75.

FeatureGeForce RTX 2070GeForce RTX 3060
TDP
175W
170W-3%
Recommended PSU
550W
550W
Power Connector
8-pin
8-pin
Length
267mm
242mm
Height
112mm
112mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
80°C
75-6%
Perf/Watt
91.8
100.0+9%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 2070 came in at $599, while the GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329. On MSRP, GeForce RTX 3060 was 45.1% cheaper ($270 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 26.8 (GeForce RTX 2070) vs 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 92.9% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 (2021 vs 2018).

FeatureGeForce RTX 2070GeForce RTX 3060
MSRP
$599
$329-45%
Performance per Dollar
26.8
51.7+93%
Codename
TU106
GA106
Release
October 17 2018
January 12 2021
Ranking
#129
#114

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