GeForce RTX 3060 vs L4

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060

2021Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz
RTX family
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VS

L4

2023Core: 795 MHzBoost: 2040 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce RTX 3060 vs L4 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 L4: 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

2021

Why buy it

  • +67.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Costs $2,016 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $2,345 MSRP).
  • Delivers 1093.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 4.3 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $2,345 MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 8 GB).

Trade-offs

  • 136.1% higher power demand at 170W vs 72W.
  • 43.2% longer card at 242mm vs 169mm.

L4

2023

Why buy it

  • Draws 72W instead of 170W, a 98W reduction.
  • Measures 169mm instead of 242mm, a 73mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.
  • More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,153 vs 16,995).
  • Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • 612.8% HIGHER MSRP
    $2,345 MSRPvs$329 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 4.3 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($2,345 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 3060 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 67.4% in PassMark G3D (16,995 vs 10,153), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
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 and the newer upscaling stack, DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. 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 $2,016 cheaper on MSRP at $329 vs $2,345, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 1093.1% (51.7 vs 4.3), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 3060 vs L4 Technical Specifications

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

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.

NVIDIA

L4

The L4 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 21 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 795 MHz to 2040 MHz. It has 7424 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 72W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 60 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,153 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the L4's 10,153 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 67.4%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the L4 uses Ada Lovelace, both on 8 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 7,424 (L4). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 30.29 TFLOPS (L4). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 2040 MHz. Ray tracing: 28 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 60 (L4) with 112 Tensor cores vs 240.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060L4
G3D Mark Score
16,995+67%
10,153
Architecture
Ampere
Ada Lovelace
Process Node
8 nm
5 nm
Shading Units
3584
7424+107%
Compute (TFLOPS)
12.74 TFLOPS
30.29 TFLOPS+138%
Boost Clock
1777 MHz
2040 MHz+15%
ROPs
48
80+67%
TMUs
112
240+114%
L1 Cache
3.5 MB
7.5 MB+114%
L2 Cache
3 MB
48 MB+1500%
Ray Tracing Cores
28
60+114%
Tensor Cores
112
240+114%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The L4 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060L4
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
Standard
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3060 has 12 GB of VRAM, while the L4 carries 8 GB. GeForce RTX 3060 gives you 50% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060 and 128-bit on the L4. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 48 MB (L4) — the L4 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060L4
VRAM Capacity
12 GB+50%
8 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR6
Bus Width
192-bit+50%
128-bit
L2 Cache
3 MB
48 MB+1500%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12.2 (L4). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 0.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060L4
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12.2+2%
Vulkan
1.3
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
0
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 8th Gen NVENC (2x) (L4). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs 5th Gen NVDEC (4x). Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (L4).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060L4
Encoder
NVENC 7th Gen
8th Gen NVENC (2x)
Decoder
NVDEC 5th Gen
5th Gen NVDEC (4x)
Codecs
AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the L4's 72W — a 81% difference. The L4 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 500W (L4). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 242mm vs 169mm, occupying 2 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 75°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060L4
TDP
170W
72W-58%
Recommended PSU
550W
500W-9%
Power Connector
8-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
242mm
169mm
Height
112mm
69mm
Slots
2
1-50%
Temp (Load)
75
75°C
Perf/Watt
100.0
141.0+41%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3060 came in at $329, while the L4 launched at $2345. On MSRP, GeForce RTX 3060 was 86% cheaper ($2016 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 4.3 (L4) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 1102.3% better value. The newer card here is L4 (2023 vs 2021).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060L4
MSRP
$329-86%
$2345
Performance per Dollar
51.7+1102%
4.3
Codename
GA106
AD104
Release
January 12 2021
March 21 2023
Ranking
#114
#259

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