GeForce RTX 3060 vs Quadro FX 550

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060

2021Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz
RTX family
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VS
NVIDIA

Quadro FX 550

2008Core: 610 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce RTX 3060 vs Quadro FX 550 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 Quadro FX 550 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 vs Quadro FX 550: 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

  • 14548.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 12007% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 0.4 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 9500% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 128 MB).
  • Better long-term bet: Ampere on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Quadro FX 550

2008

Why buy it

  • Costs $179 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 128 MB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • 2008 hardware with 128 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.4 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 3060 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 14548.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 26454.7% in PassMark G3D (16,995 vs 64), so the answer here is pretty clean.
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 128 MB of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 8nm process instead of 55nm, and 28 vs 0 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 3060 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $179 more expensive on MSRP at $329 vs $150, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 12007% (51.7 vs 0.4), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 3060 vs Quadro FX 550 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

Quadro FX 550

The Quadro FX 550 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 11 2008. It features the Tesla 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 610 MHz. It has 240 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 189W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 64 points. Launch price was $3,499.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Quadro FX 550's 64 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 26454.7%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Quadro FX 550 uses Tesla 2.0, both on 8 nm vs 55 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 240 (Quadro FX 550). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 0.6221 TFLOPS (Quadro FX 550).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro FX 550
G3D Mark Score
16,995+26455%
64
Architecture
Ampere
Tesla 2.0
Process Node
8 nm
55 nm
Shading Units
3584+1393%
240
Compute (TFLOPS)
12.74 TFLOPS+1948%
0.6221 TFLOPS
ROPs
48+50%
32
TMUs
112+40%
80
L2 Cache
3 MB+1100%
0.25 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Quadro FX 550 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro FX 550
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 Quadro FX 550 carries 128 MB. GeForce RTX 3060 gives you 9500% 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 64-bit on the Quadro FX 550. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 0.25 MB (Quadro FX 550) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro FX 550
VRAM Capacity
12 GB+9500%
0.125 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Bus Width
192-bit+200%
64-bit
L2 Cache
3 MB+1100%
0.25 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Quadro FX 550's 189W — a 10.6% difference. The GeForce RTX 3060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 350W (Quadro FX 550). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro FX 550
TDP
170W-10%
189W
Recommended PSU
550W
350W-36%
Power Connector
8-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
242mm
Height
112mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
75
Perf/Watt
100.0+33233%
0.3
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3060 came in at $329, while the Quadro FX 550 launched at $150. On MSRP, Quadro FX 550 was 54.4% cheaper ($179 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 0.4 (Quadro FX 550) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 12825% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 (2021 vs 2008).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro FX 550
MSRP
$329
$150-54%
Performance per Dollar
51.7+12825%
0.4
Codename
GA106
GT200B
Release
January 12 2021
November 11 2008
Ranking
#114
#815

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