GeForce RTX 3060 vs Quadro K5200

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060

2021Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
NVIDIA

Quadro K5200

2014Core: 667 MHzBoost: 771 MHz

Popular choices:

RTX 3060

Performance Spectrum - GPU

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.

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

  • +176.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Costs $1,921 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $2,250 MSRP).
  • Delivers 1790.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 2.7 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $2,250 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

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

Quadro K5200

2014

Why buy it

  • Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (6,149 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.
  • Poor future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
  • 583.9% HIGHER MSRP
    $2,250 MSRPvs$329 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 better than Quadro K5200?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 16,995 vs 6,149 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Quadro K5200 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, 176.4% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 8 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 about $1,921 cheaper on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $2,250 MSRP, and you are getting 176.4% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 1790.2%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.
Is Quadro K5200 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. Quadro K5200 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 $2,250 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3060Quadro K5200
1080p
low149 FPS128 FPS
medium131 FPS110 FPS
high118 FPS88 FPS
ultra99 FPS53 FPS
1440p
low126 FPS111 FPS
medium104 FPS93 FPS
high92 FPS67 FPS
ultra80 FPS40 FPS
4K
low67 FPS39 FPS
medium58 FPS36 FPS
high39 FPS22 FPS
ultra32 FPS19 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3060Quadro K5200
1080p
low354 FPS101 FPS
medium310 FPS79 FPS
high249 FPS61 FPS
ultra195 FPS44 FPS
1440p
low222 FPS67 FPS
medium196 FPS48 FPS
high160 FPS37 FPS
ultra128 FPS26 FPS
4K
low110 FPS29 FPS
medium94 FPS22 FPS
high77 FPS20 FPS
ultra60 FPS16 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3060Quadro K5200
1080p
low765 FPS277 FPS
medium612 FPS221 FPS
high510 FPS184 FPS
ultra382 FPS138 FPS
1440p
low535 FPS208 FPS
medium432 FPS166 FPS
high366 FPS138 FPS
ultra287 FPS104 FPS
4K
low367 FPS138 FPS
medium298 FPS111 FPS
high221 FPS92 FPS
ultra176 FPS69 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3060Quadro K5200
1080p
low523 FPS248 FPS
medium452 FPS218 FPS
high383 FPS184 FPS
ultra319 FPS138 FPS
1440p
low428 FPS187 FPS
medium371 FPS166 FPS
high298 FPS138 FPS
ultra245 FPS104 FPS
4K
low279 FPS102 FPS
medium259 FPS83 FPS
high225 FPS71 FPS
ultra186 FPS54 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and Quadro K5200

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 K5200

The Quadro K5200 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 22 2014. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 667 MHz to 771 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,149 points. Launch price was $1,699.74.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Quadro K5200's 6,149 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 176.4%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Quadro K5200 uses Kepler, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 2,304 (Quadro K5200). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 3.553 TFLOPS (Quadro K5200). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 771 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro K5200
G3D Mark Score
16,995+176%
6,149
Architecture
Ampere
Kepler
Process Node
8 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
3584+56%
2304
Compute (TFLOPS)
12.74 TFLOPS+259%
3.553 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1777 MHz+130%
771 MHz
ROPs
48
48
TMUs
112
192+71%

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 K5200 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro K5200
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 K5200 has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 360 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 211 GB/s (Quadro K5200) — a 70.6% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro K5200
VRAM Capacity
12 GB+50%
8 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
360 GB/s+71%
211 GB/s
Bus Width
192-bit
256-bit+33%
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Quadro K5200's 150W — a 12.5% difference. The Quadro K5200 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 350W (Quadro K5200). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro K5200
TDP
170W
150W-12%
Recommended PSU
550W
350W-36%
Power Connector
8-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
242mm
Height
112mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
75
Perf/Watt
100.0+144%
41.0
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329 MSRP, while the Quadro K5200 launched at $2250. The GeForce RTX 3060 costs 85.4% less ($1921 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 2.7 (Quadro K5200) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 1814.8% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2014).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro K5200
MSRP
$329-85%
$2250
Performance per Dollar
51.7+1815%
2.7
Codename
GA106
GK110B
Release
January 12 2021
July 22 2014
Ranking
#114
#391