GeForce RTX 3060
GeForce RTX 3090
GeForce RTX 3060 vs GeForce RTX 3090 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 vs GeForce RTX 3090 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.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Valorant
Among Us
Apex Legends
ARC Raiders
Baldur's Gate 3
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
GeForce RTX 3060 vs GeForce RTX 3090: 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
2021Why buy it
- ✅Costs $1,170 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).
- ✅Delivers 191.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 17.7 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).
- ✅Draws 170W instead of 350W, a 180W reduction.
- ✅Measures 242mm instead of 312mm, a 70mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3090 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
- ❌Less VRAM, with 12 GB vs 24 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
- ❌Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (112 vs 328), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.
GeForce RTX 3090
2020Why buy it
- ✅63.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
- ✅192.9% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (328 vs 112).
- ✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (24 GB vs 12 GB).
Trade-offs
- ❌355.6% HIGHER MSRP$1,499 MSRPvs$329 MSRP
- ❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 17.7 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($1,499 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
- ❌105.9% higher power demand at 350W vs 170W.
- ❌28.9% longer card at 312mm vs 242mm.
Quick Answers
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GeForce RTX 3060 vs GeForce RTX 3090 Technical Specifications
Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.
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.
GeForce RTX 3090
The GeForce RTX 3090 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1395 MHz to 1695 MHz. It has 10496 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 350W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 82 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 26,594 points. Launch price was $1,499.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the GeForce RTX 3090's 26,594 — the GeForce RTX 3090 leads by 56.5%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the GeForce RTX 3090 uses Ampere, both on a 8 nm process. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 10,496 (GeForce RTX 3090). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 35.58 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3090). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1695 MHz. Ray tracing: 28 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 82 (GeForce RTX 3090) with 112 Tensor cores vs 328.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | GeForce RTX 3090 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 16,995 | 26,594+56% |
| Architecture | Ampere | Ampere |
| Process Node | 8 nm | 8 nm |
| Shading Units | 3584 | 10496+193% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 12.74 TFLOPS | 35.58 TFLOPS+179% |
| Boost Clock | 1777 MHz+5% | 1695 MHz |
| ROPs | 48 | 112+133% |
| TMUs | 112 | 328+193% |
| L1 Cache | 3.5 MB | 10.3 MB+194% |
| L2 Cache | 3 MB | 6 MB+100% |
| Ray Tracing Cores | 28 | 82+193% |
| Tensor Cores | 112 | 328+193% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | GeForce RTX 3090 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 3060 has 12 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3090 carries 24 GB. GeForce RTX 3090 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 360 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 936 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3090) — a 160% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3090. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060 and 384-bit on the GeForce RTX 3090. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 6 MB (GeForce RTX 3090) — the GeForce RTX 3090 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | GeForce RTX 3090 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 12 GB | 24 GB+100% |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR6X |
| Memory Bandwidth | 360 GB/s | 936 GB/s+160% |
| Bus Width | 192-bit | 384-bit+100% |
| L2 Cache | 3 MB | 6 MB+100% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3090). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | GeForce RTX 3090 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 Ultimate | 12 Ultimate |
| Vulkan | 1.3 | 1.4+8% |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 4 | 4 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3090). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs NVDEC 5th gen. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3090).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | GeForce RTX 3090 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC 7th Gen | NVENC 7th gen |
| Decoder | NVDEC 5th Gen | NVDEC 5th gen |
| Codecs | AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 | H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the GeForce RTX 3090's 350W — a 69.2% difference. The GeForce RTX 3060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 750W (GeForce RTX 3090). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 2x 8-pin. Card length: 242mm vs 312mm, occupying 2 vs 3 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 85°C.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | GeForce RTX 3090 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 170W-51% | 350W |
| Recommended PSU | 550W-27% | 750W |
| Power Connector | 8-pin | 2x 8-pin |
| Length | 242mm | 312mm |
| Height | 112mm | 140mm |
| Slots | 2-33% | 3 |
| Temp (Load) | 75-12% | 85°C |
| Perf/Watt | 100.0+32% | 76.0 |
Value Analysis
At launch, the GeForce RTX 3060 came in at $329, while the GeForce RTX 3090 launched at $1499. On MSRP, GeForce RTX 3060 was 78.1% cheaper ($1170 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 17.7 (GeForce RTX 3090) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 192.1% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 (2021 vs 2020).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | GeForce RTX 3090 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $329-78% | $1499 |
| Performance per Dollar | 51.7+192% | 17.7 |
| Codename | GA106 | GA102 |
| Release | January 12 2021 | September 1 2020 |
| Ranking | #114 | #37 |
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