GeForce RTX 3060 vs Quadro M3000M

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060

2021Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
NVIDIA

Quadro M3000M

2015Core: 1050 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

  • +204.9% 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

  • 126.7% higher power demand at 170W vs 75W.

Quadro M3000M

2015

Why buy it

  • Draws 75W instead of 170W, a 95W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (5,574 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: 2015-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 M3000M?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 16,995 vs 5,574 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Quadro M3000M is a 2015 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 2015, 204.9% 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 204.9% 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 M3000M still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. Quadro M3000M 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3060Quadro M3000M
1080p
low149 FPS105 FPS
medium131 FPS89 FPS
high118 FPS74 FPS
ultra99 FPS43 FPS
1440p
low126 FPS91 FPS
medium104 FPS79 FPS
high92 FPS58 FPS
ultra80 FPS33 FPS
4K
low67 FPS28 FPS
medium58 FPS27 FPS
high39 FPS18 FPS
ultra32 FPS16 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3060Quadro M3000M
1080p
low354 FPS167 FPS
medium310 FPS133 FPS
high249 FPS100 FPS
ultra195 FPS63 FPS
1440p
low222 FPS114 FPS
medium196 FPS88 FPS
high160 FPS67 FPS
ultra128 FPS45 FPS
4K
low110 FPS55 FPS
medium94 FPS44 FPS
high77 FPS35 FPS
ultra60 FPS23 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3060Quadro M3000M
1080p
low765 FPS251 FPS
medium612 FPS201 FPS
high510 FPS167 FPS
ultra382 FPS125 FPS
1440p
low535 FPS188 FPS
medium432 FPS150 FPS
high366 FPS125 FPS
ultra287 FPS94 FPS
4K
low367 FPS125 FPS
medium298 FPS100 FPS
high221 FPS84 FPS
ultra176 FPS63 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3060Quadro M3000M
1080p
low523 FPS185 FPS
medium452 FPS153 FPS
high383 FPS135 FPS
ultra319 FPS108 FPS
1440p
low428 FPS130 FPS
medium371 FPS109 FPS
high298 FPS98 FPS
ultra245 FPS77 FPS
4K
low279 FPS76 FPS
medium259 FPS61 FPS
high225 FPS49 FPS
ultra186 FPS37 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and Quadro M3000M

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 M3000M

The Quadro M3000M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 18 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 1050 MHz. It has 1,024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,574 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Quadro M3000M's 5,574 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 204.9%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Quadro M3000M uses Maxwell 2.0, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 1 (Quadro M3000M). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 2.15 TFLOPS (Quadro M3000M).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro M3000M
G3D Mark Score
16,995+205%
5,574
Architecture
Ampere
Maxwell 2.0
Process Node
8 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
3584+250%
1,024
Compute (TFLOPS)
12.74 TFLOPS+493%
2.15 TFLOPS
ROPs
48+50%
32
TMUs
112+75%
64
L1 Cache
3.5 MB+821%
0.38 MB
L2 Cache
3 MB+50%
2 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 M3000M relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro M3000M
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 M3000M has 4 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 offers 200% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 2 MB (Quadro M3000M) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro M3000M
VRAM Capacity
12 GB+200%
4 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR6
Bus Width
192-bit+50%
128-bit
L2 Cache
3 MB+50%
2 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12 (12_1) (Quadro M3000M). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro M3000M
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12 (12_1)
Vulkan
1.3
1.4+8%
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 3rd Gen NVENC (Maxwell) (Quadro M3000M). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs PureVideo HD VP6. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Decode Only) (Quadro M3000M).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro M3000M
Encoder
NVENC 7th Gen
3rd Gen NVENC (Maxwell)
Decoder
NVDEC 5th Gen
PureVideo HD VP6
Codecs
AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9
H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Decode Only)
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Quadro M3000M's 75W — a 77.6% difference. The Quadro M3000M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 350W (Quadro M3000M). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 75°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro M3000M
TDP
170W
75W-56%
Recommended PSU
550W
350W-36%
Power Connector
8-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
242mm
Height
112mm
Slots
2
0-100%
Temp (Load)
75
75°C
Perf/Watt
100.0+35%
74.3
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2015).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro M3000M
MSRP
$329
Codename
GA106
GM204
Release
January 12 2021
August 18 2015
Ranking
#114
#411