GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU vs RTX 4000 Ada Generation

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz
RTX family
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VS
NVIDIA

RTX 4000 Ada Generation

2023Core: 1500 MHzBoost: 1560 MHz
RTX family
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GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU vs RTX 4000 Ada Generation 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 3060 Laptop GPU vs RTX 4000 Ada Generation 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 3060 Laptop GPU vs RTX 4000 Ada Generation: 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 3060 Laptop GPU

2022

Why buy it

  • 200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than RTX 4000 Ada Generation across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • RTX 4000 Ada Generation is the safer long-term pick here because the hardware is newer and the feature stack is stronger.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 12.0 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
  • 142.9% higher power demand at 170W vs 70W.

RTX 4000 Ada Generation

2023

Why buy it

  • 6.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 12.0 vs 0 G3D/$ ($1,999 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • Better long-term bet: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
  • Draws 70W instead of 170W, a 100W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
RTX 4000 Ada Generation is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 6.6% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 82.6% in PassMark G3D (24,046 vs 13,170), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
RTX 4000 Ada Generation is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: the newer feature stack, with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) and DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023), while GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is limited to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) and no comparable frame-generation support, a 5nm process instead of 8nm, 48 vs 28 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2023 generation instead of 2022. That gives it the more rounded hardware package for newer games.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
RTX 4000 Ada Generation makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU vs RTX 4000 Ada Generation Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 12 2022. 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: 13,170 points.

NVIDIA

RTX 4000 Ada Generation

The RTX 4000 Ada Generation is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 9 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1500 MHz to 1560 MHz. It has 6144 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 70W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 48 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 24,046 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU scores 13,170 versus the RTX 4000 Ada Generation's 24,046 — the RTX 4000 Ada Generation leads by 82.6%. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is built on Ampere while the RTX 4000 Ada Generation uses Ada Lovelace, both on 8 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 6,144 (RTX 4000 Ada Generation). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 26.73 TFLOPS (RTX 4000 Ada Generation). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1560 MHz. Ray tracing: 28 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 48 (RTX 4000 Ada Generation) with 112 Tensor cores vs 192.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURTX 4000 Ada Generation
G3D Mark Score
13,170
24,046+83%
Architecture
Ampere
Ada Lovelace
Process Node
8 nm
5 nm
Shading Units
3584
6144+71%
Compute (TFLOPS)
12.74 TFLOPS
26.73 TFLOPS+110%
Boost Clock
1777 MHz+14%
1560 MHz
ROPs
48
64+33%
TMUs
112
192+71%
L1 Cache
3.5 MB
6 MB+71%
L2 Cache
3 MB
48 MB+1500%
Ray Tracing Cores
28
48+71%
Tensor Cores
112
192+71%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the RTX 4000 Ada Generation 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 3060 Laptop GPU does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The RTX 4000 Ada Generation supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is capped at DLSS 2 Super Resolution.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURTX 4000 Ada Generation
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 3060 Laptop GPU has 6 GB of VRAM, while the RTX 4000 Ada Generation carries 2 GB. GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU gives you 200% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 336 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 360 GB/s (RTX 4000 Ada Generation) — a 7.1% advantage for the RTX 4000 Ada Generation. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU and 160-bit on the RTX 4000 Ada Generation. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 48 MB (RTX 4000 Ada Generation) — the RTX 4000 Ada Generation has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURTX 4000 Ada Generation
VRAM Capacity
6 GB+200%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR6 ECC
Memory Bandwidth
336 GB/s
360 GB/s+7%
Bus Width
192-bit+20%
160-bit
L2 Cache
3 MB
48 MB+1500%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 12.2 (RTX 4000 Ada Generation). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURTX 4000 Ada Generation
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12.2+2%
Vulkan
1.4+8%
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (7th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 8th Gen NVENC (3x) (RTX 4000 Ada Generation). Decoder: NVDEC (5th Gen) vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (RTX 4000 Ada Generation).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURTX 4000 Ada Generation
Encoder
NVENC (7th Gen)
8th Gen NVENC (3x)
Decoder
NVDEC (5th Gen)
5th Gen NVDEC
Codecs
H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU draws 170W versus the RTX 4000 Ada Generation's 70W — a 83.3% difference. The RTX 4000 Ada Generation is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 750W (RTX 4000 Ada Generation). Power connectors: Mobile vs 1x 8-pin. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 80°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURTX 4000 Ada Generation
TDP
170W
70W-59%
Recommended PSU
500W-33%
750W
Power Connector
Mobile
1x 8-pin
Length
267mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
75°C-6%
80°C
Perf/Watt
77.5
343.5+343%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is RTX 4000 Ada Generation (2023 vs 2022).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURTX 4000 Ada Generation
MSRP
$1999
Codename
GA106
AD104
Release
October 12 2022
August 9 2023
Ranking
#147
#47

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