GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs GeForce RTX 4060

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024Core: 1042 MHzBoost: 1470 MHz
RTX family
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4060

2023Core: 1830 MHzBoost: 2460 MHz
RTX family
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GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs GeForce RTX 4060 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 3050 6GB vs GeForce RTX 4060 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 3050 6GB vs GeForce RTX 4060: 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 3050 6GB

2024

Why buy it

  • Costs $130 less on MSRP ($169 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
  • Draws 70W instead of 115W, a 45W reduction.
  • Measures 160mm instead of 240mm, a 80mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • GeForce RTX 4060 is the safer long-term pick here because the hardware is newer and the feature stack is stronger.

GeForce RTX 4060

2023

Why buy it

  • 68.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • 33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).
  • Better long-term bet: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 64.3% higher power demand at 115W vs 70W.
  • 50% longer card at 240mm vs 160mm.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 4060 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 68.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 81.9% in PassMark G3D (19,548 vs 10,749), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 4060 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 6 GB of VRAM, the newer feature stack, with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) and DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023), while GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is limited to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) and no comparable frame-generation support, a 5nm process instead of 8nm, and 24 vs 18 ray-tracing units. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce RTX 4060 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $130 more expensive on MSRP at $299 vs $169, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 2.8% (65.4 vs 63.6), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs GeForce RTX 4060 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 2 2024. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1042 MHz to 1470 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 70W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 18 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,749 points. Launch price was $179.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4060

The GeForce RTX 4060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 18 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1830 MHz to 2460 MHz. It has 3072 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 115W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 24 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 19,548 points. Launch price was $299.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB scores 10,749 versus the GeForce RTX 4060's 19,548 — the GeForce RTX 4060 leads by 81.9%. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is built on Ampere while the GeForce RTX 4060 uses Ada Lovelace, both on 8 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 3,072 (GeForce RTX 4060). Raw compute: 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 15.11 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060). Boost clocks: 1470 MHz vs 2460 MHz. Ray tracing: 18 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 24 (GeForce RTX 4060) with 72 Tensor cores vs 96.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBGeForce RTX 4060
G3D Mark Score
10,749
19,548+82%
Architecture
Ampere
Ada Lovelace
Process Node
8 nm
5 nm
Shading Units
2304
3072+33%
Compute (TFLOPS)
6.774 TFLOPS
15.11 TFLOPS+123%
Boost Clock
1470 MHz
2460 MHz+67%
ROPs
32
48+50%
TMUs
72
96+33%
L1 Cache
2.3 MB
3 MB+30%
L2 Cache
2 MB
24 MB+1100%
Ray Tracing Cores
18
24+33%
Tensor Cores
72
96+33%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the GeForce RTX 4060 is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce RTX 4060 supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is capped at DLSS 2 Super Resolution.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBGeForce RTX 4060
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution
Frame Generation
Not Supported
DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction
No
Yes (DLSS 3.5)
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB has 6 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 4060 carries 8 GB. GeForce RTX 4060 gives you 33.3% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 168 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 272 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4060) — a 61.9% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060. Memory bus width is 96-bit on the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB and 128-bit on the GeForce RTX 4060. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 24 MB (GeForce RTX 4060) — the GeForce RTX 4060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBGeForce RTX 4060
VRAM Capacity
6 GB
8 GB+33%
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
168 GB/s
272 GB/s+62%
Bus Width
96-bit
128-bit+33%
L2 Cache
2 MB
24 MB+1100%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4060). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBGeForce RTX 4060
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12 Ultimate
Vulkan
1.3
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs NVENC 8th gen (GeForce RTX 4060). Decoder: NVDEC (7th Gen) vs NVDEC 5th gen. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4060).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBGeForce RTX 4060
Encoder
NVENC (5th Gen)
NVENC 8th gen
Decoder
NVDEC (7th Gen)
NVDEC 5th gen
Codecs
H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only)
H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB draws 70W versus the GeForce RTX 4060's 115W — a 48.6% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 4060). Power connectors: None vs 8-pin. Card length: 160mm vs 240mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 73°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBGeForce RTX 4060
TDP
70W-39%
115W
Recommended PSU
300W-45%
550W
Power Connector
None
8-pin
Length
160mm
240mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
73°C-3%
Perf/Watt
153.6
170.0+11%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB came in at $169, while the GeForce RTX 4060 launched at $299. On MSRP, GeForce RTX 3050 6GB was 43.5% cheaper ($130 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 63.6 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 65.4 (GeForce RTX 4060) — the GeForce RTX 4060 offers 2.8% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB (2024 vs 2023).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBGeForce RTX 4060
MSRP
$169-43%
$299
Performance per Dollar
63.6
65.4+3%
Codename
GA107
AD107
Release
February 2 2024
May 18 2023
Ranking
#252
#84

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