GeForce RTX 3060
GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile
GeForce RTX 3060 vs GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile 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 4090 Mobile 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 4090 Mobile: 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
- ✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
- ❌Less VRAM, with 12 GB vs 16 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
- ❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
- ❌GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile is the safer long-term pick here because the hardware is newer and the feature stack is stronger.
- ❌41.7% higher power demand at 170W vs 120W.
GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile
2023Why buy it
- ✅57.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
- ✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
- ✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 12 GB).
- ✅Better long-term bet: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 4nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
- ✅Draws 120W instead of 170W, a 50W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 51.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
Quick Answers
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Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
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GeForce RTX 3060 vs GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile 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 4090 Mobile
The GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 3 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1335 MHz to 1695 MHz. It has 9728 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 120W. Manufactured using 4 nm process technology. It features 76 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 27,048 points.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile's 27,048 — the GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile leads by 59.2%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile uses Ada Lovelace, both on 8 nm vs 4 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 9,728 (GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 32.98 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1695 MHz. Ray tracing: 28 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 76 (GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile) with 112 Tensor cores vs 304.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 16,995 | 27,048+59% |
| Architecture | Ampere | Ada Lovelace |
| Process Node | 8 nm | 4 nm |
| Shading Units | 3584 | 9728+171% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 12.74 TFLOPS | 32.98 TFLOPS+159% |
| Boost Clock | 1777 MHz+5% | 1695 MHz |
| ROPs | 48 | 112+133% |
| TMUs | 112 | 304+171% |
| L1 Cache | 3.5 MB | 9.5 MB+171% |
| L2 Cache | 3 MB | 64 MB+2033% |
| Ray Tracing Cores | 28 | 76+171% |
| Tensor Cores | 112 | 304+171% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
The clearest feature edge for the GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile 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 does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce RTX 3060 is capped at DLSS 2 Super Resolution.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| 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 has 12 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile carries 16 GB. GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile gives you 33.3% 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 576 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile) — a 60% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060 and 256-bit on the GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 64 MB (GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile) — the GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 12 GB | 16 GB+33% |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 360 GB/s | 576 GB/s+60% |
| Bus Width | 192-bit | 256-bit+33% |
| L2 Cache | 3 MB | 64 MB+2033% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12.2 (GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 1.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 Ultimate | 12.2+2% |
| Vulkan | 1.3 | 1.3 |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 4+300% | 1 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 8th Gen NVENC (GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC 7th Gen | 8th Gen NVENC |
| Decoder | NVDEC 5th Gen | 5th Gen NVDEC |
| Codecs | AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 | MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile's 120W — a 34.5% difference. The GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 650W (GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Mobile. Card length: 242mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 80°C.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 170W | 120W-29% |
| Recommended PSU | 550W-15% | 650W |
| Power Connector | 8-pin | Mobile |
| Length | 242mm | 0mm |
| Height | 112mm | 0mm |
| Slots | 2 | 0-100% |
| Temp (Load) | 75-6% | 80°C |
| Perf/Watt | 100.0 | 225.4+125% |
Value Analysis
The newer card here is GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile (2023 vs 2021).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $329 | — |
| Codename | GA106 | AD103 |
| Release | January 12 2021 | January 3 2023 |
| Ranking | #114 | #30 |
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