GeForce RTX 3060 vs Quadro P3000

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060

2021Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
NVIDIA

Quadro P3000

2016Core: 1506 MHzBoost: 1645 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

  • +166.2% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Costs $271 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $600 MSRP).
  • Delivers 385.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 10.6 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $600 MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 6 GB).

Trade-offs

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

Quadro P3000

2016

Why buy it

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

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (6,384 vs 16,995).
  • Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
  • 82.4% HIGHER MSRP
    $600 MSRPvs$329 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 better than Quadro P3000?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 16,995 vs 6,384 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Quadro P3000 is a 2016 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 2016, 166.2% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 6 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 $271 cheaper on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $600 MSRP, and you are getting 166.2% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 385.5%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.
Is Quadro P3000 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. Quadro P3000 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 $600 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 P3000
1080p
low149 FPS141 FPS
medium131 FPS130 FPS
high118 FPS110 FPS
ultra99 FPS84 FPS
1440p
low126 FPS125 FPS
medium104 FPS107 FPS
high92 FPS89 FPS
ultra80 FPS70 FPS
4K
low67 FPS57 FPS
medium58 FPS50 FPS
high39 FPS41 FPS
ultra32 FPS36 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3060Quadro P3000
1080p
low354 FPS287 FPS
medium310 FPS230 FPS
high249 FPS192 FPS
ultra195 FPS144 FPS
1440p
low222 FPS215 FPS
medium196 FPS172 FPS
high160 FPS144 FPS
ultra128 FPS108 FPS
4K
low110 FPS102 FPS
medium94 FPS83 FPS
high77 FPS70 FPS
ultra60 FPS54 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3060Quadro P3000
1080p
low765 FPS287 FPS
medium612 FPS230 FPS
high510 FPS192 FPS
ultra382 FPS144 FPS
1440p
low535 FPS215 FPS
medium432 FPS172 FPS
high366 FPS144 FPS
ultra287 FPS108 FPS
4K
low367 FPS144 FPS
medium298 FPS115 FPS
high221 FPS96 FPS
ultra176 FPS72 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3060Quadro P3000
1080p
low523 FPS287 FPS
medium452 FPS230 FPS
high383 FPS192 FPS
ultra319 FPS144 FPS
1440p
low428 FPS215 FPS
medium371 FPS172 FPS
high298 FPS144 FPS
ultra245 FPS108 FPS
4K
low279 FPS144 FPS
medium259 FPS115 FPS
high225 FPS96 FPS
ultra186 FPS72 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and Quadro P3000

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 P3000

The Quadro P3000 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 1 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1506 MHz to 1645 MHz. It has 3840 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,384 points. Launch price was $5,999.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Quadro P3000's 6,384 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 166.2%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Quadro P3000 uses Pascal, both on 8 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 3,840 (Quadro P3000). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12.63 TFLOPS (Quadro P3000). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1645 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro P3000
G3D Mark Score
16,995+166%
6,384
Architecture
Ampere
Pascal
Process Node
8 nm
16 nm
Shading Units
3584
3840+7%
Compute (TFLOPS)
12.74 TFLOPS
12.63 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1777 MHz+8%
1645 MHz
ROPs
48
96+100%
TMUs
112
240+114%
L1 Cache
3.5 MB+150%
1.4 MB
L2 Cache
3 MB
3 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 P3000 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro P3000
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 P3000 has 6 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro P3000
VRAM Capacity
12 GB+100%
6 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR6
Bus Width
192-bit
256-bit+33%
L2 Cache
3 MB
3 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12 (12_1) (Quadro P3000). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro P3000
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 6th Gen NVENC (Pascal) (Quadro P3000). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs 3rd Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Quadro P3000).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro P3000
Encoder
NVENC 7th Gen
6th Gen NVENC (Pascal)
Decoder
NVDEC 5th Gen
3rd Gen NVDEC
Codecs
AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9
H.264,HEVC,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Quadro P3000's 250W — a 38.1% difference. The GeForce RTX 3060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 350W (Quadro P3000). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 80°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro P3000
TDP
170W-32%
250W
Recommended PSU
550W
350W-36%
Power Connector
8-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
242mm
Height
112mm
Slots
2
0-100%
Temp (Load)
75-6%
80°C
Perf/Watt
100.0+292%
25.5
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329 MSRP, while the Quadro P3000 launched at $600. The GeForce RTX 3060 costs 45.2% less ($271 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 10.6 (Quadro P3000) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 387.7% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2016).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Quadro P3000
MSRP
$329-45%
$600
Performance per Dollar
51.7+388%
10.6
Codename
GA106
GP102
Release
January 12 2021
October 1 2016
Ranking
#114
#141