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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Why buy it

✅+292.3% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅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).
✅More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform 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 PassMark G3D performance (4,332 vs 16,995).
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 51.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Quadro K4200

2014

Why buy it

✅+292.3% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅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).
✅More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

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

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

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (4,332 vs 16,995).
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 51.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 better than Quadro K4200?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 16,995 vs 4,332 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Quadro K4200 is a 2014 model from an older generation with no meaningful modern upscaling stack. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 3060 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2021 generation instead of 2014, 292.3% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 4 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce RTX 3060 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 3060 is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $329 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 292.3% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is Quadro K4200 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Quadro K4200 is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around an unclear MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 3060 is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

Games Benchmarks

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 9800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

GeForce RTX 3060 Benchmark Check

Quadro K4200 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro K4200
1080p
low	149 FPS	78 FPS
medium	131 FPS	67 FPS
high	118 FPS	53 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	35 FPS
1440p
low	126 FPS	68 FPS
medium	104 FPS	60 FPS
high	92 FPS	42 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	27 FPS
4K
low	67 FPS	25 FPS
medium	58 FPS	23 FPS
high	39 FPS	15 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	13 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Quadro K4200

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro K4200
1080p
low	354 FPS	79 FPS
medium	310 FPS	56 FPS
high	249 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	27 FPS
1440p
low	222 FPS	44 FPS
medium	196 FPS	29 FPS
high	160 FPS	21 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	15 FPS
4K
low	110 FPS	17 FPS
medium	94 FPS	11 FPS
high	77 FPS	9 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	6 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Quadro K4200

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro K4200
1080p
low	765 FPS	195 FPS
medium	612 FPS	156 FPS
high	510 FPS	130 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	97 FPS
1440p
low	535 FPS	146 FPS
medium	432 FPS	117 FPS
high	366 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	73 FPS
4K
low	367 FPS	97 FPS
medium	298 FPS	78 FPS
high	221 FPS	65 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	49 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Quadro K4200

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro K4200
1080p
low	523 FPS	131 FPS
medium	452 FPS	103 FPS
high	383 FPS	88 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	71 FPS
1440p
low	428 FPS	99 FPS
medium	371 FPS	79 FPS
high	298 FPS	68 FPS
ultra	245 FPS	51 FPS
4K
low	279 FPS	58 FPS
medium	259 FPS	44 FPS
high	225 FPS	35 FPS
ultra	186 FPS	24 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Quadro K4200

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and Quadro K4200

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.

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.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro 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 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Quadro K4200 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro 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 comes with 12 GB of VRAM, while the Quadro K4200 has 4 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 offers 200% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 64-bit. 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.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro 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.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro 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.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro 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.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro 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

The GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329 MSRP, while the Quadro K4200 launched at $0. The Quadro K4200 costs 100+% less ($329 savings) on MSRP. 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 GeForce RTX 3060 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2014).