GeForce RTX 3060 vs Quadro K4200

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060

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

Quadro K4200

2014Core: 771 MHzBoost: 784 MHz
Similar parts

GeForce RTX 3060 vs Quadro K4200 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 K4200 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 K4200: 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

  • 222.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 4 GB).
  • Better long-term bet: Ampere on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 57.4% higher power demand at 170W vs 108W.

Quadro K4200

2014

Why buy it

  • Draws 108W instead of 170W, a 62W reduction.
  • Measures 241mm instead of 242mm, a 1mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • 2014 hardware with 4 GB 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 vs 51.7 G3D/$ (Unknown 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 222.9% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 292.3% in PassMark G3D (16,995 vs 4,332), 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 4 GB of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 8nm process instead of 28nm, 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 today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce RTX 3060 vs Quadro K4200 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 K4200

The Quadro K4200 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 22 2014. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 771 MHz to 784 MHz. It has 1344 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 108W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,332 points. Launch price was $854.99.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Quadro K4200's 4,332 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 292.3%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Quadro K4200 uses Kepler, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 1,344 (Quadro K4200). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 2.107 TFLOPS (Quadro K4200). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 784 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro K4200
G3D Mark Score
16,995+292%
4,332
Architecture
Ampere
Kepler
Process Node
8 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
3584+167%
1344
Compute (TFLOPS)
12.74 TFLOPS+505%
2.107 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1777 MHz+127%
784 MHz
ROPs
48+50%
32
TMUs
112
112
L1 Cache
3.5 MB+3082%
0.11 MB
L2 Cache
3 MB+500%
0.5 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Quadro K4200 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro K4200
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 K4200 carries 4 GB. GeForce RTX 3060 gives you 200% 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 K4200. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 0.5 MB (Quadro K4200) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro K4200
VRAM Capacity
12 GB+200%
4 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Bus Width
192-bit+200%
64-bit
L2 Cache
3 MB+500%
0.5 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12_0 (Quadro K4200). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro K4200
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12_0
Max Displays
4+33%
3
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs NVENC 2nd Gen (Quadro K4200). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs NVDEC 1st Gen.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro K4200
Encoder
NVENC 7th Gen
NVENC 2nd Gen
Decoder
NVDEC 5th Gen
NVDEC 1st Gen
Codecs
AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Quadro K4200's 108W — a 44.6% difference. The Quadro K4200 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 350W (Quadro K4200). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 242mm vs 241mm, occupying 2 vs 1 slots.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro K4200
TDP
170W
108W-36%
Recommended PSU
550W
350W-36%
Power Connector
8-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
242mm
241mm
Height
112mm
Slots
2
1-50%
Temp (Load)
75
Perf/Watt
100.0+149%
40.1
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3060 came in at $329, while the Quadro K4200 launched at $0. On MSRP, Quadro K4200 was 100+% cheaper ($329 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs Infinity (Quadro K4200) — the Quadro K4200 offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 (2021 vs 2014).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro K4200
MSRP
$329
$0-100%
Performance per Dollar
51.7
Infinity
Codename
GA106
GK104
Release
January 12 2021
July 22 2014
Ranking
#114
#475

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