GeForce RTX 3060 vs Quadro P500

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 P500 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 P500: 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

✅712.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $171 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
✅Delivers 1456.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 3.3 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

❌844.4% higher power demand at 170W vs 18W.

Quadro P500

2018

Why buy it

✅Draws 18W instead of 170W, a 152W reduction.

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.
❌2018 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌
52% HIGHER MSRP
$500 MSRPvs$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 712.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 924.4% in PassMark G3D (16,995 vs 1,659), 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 14nm, 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 to buy today. It is $171 cheaper on MSRP at $329 vs $500, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 1456.9% (51.7 vs 3.3), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 3060 vs Quadro P500 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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 P500

The Quadro P500 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 5 2018. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1455 MHz to 1518 MHz. It has 256 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 18W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,659 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Quadro P500's 1,659 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 924.4%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Quadro P500 uses Pascal, both on 8 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 256 (Quadro P500). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 0.7772 TFLOPS (Quadro P500). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1518 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro P500
G3D Mark Score	16,995+924%	1,659
Architecture	Ampere	Pascal
Process Node	8 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	3584+1300%	256
Compute (TFLOPS)	12.74 TFLOPS+1539%	0.7772 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1777 MHz+17%	1518 MHz
ROPs	48+200%	16
TMUs	112+600%	16
L1 Cache	3.5 MB+3789%	0.09 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 P500 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro P500
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 P500 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 P500. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 0.5 MB (Quadro P500) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro P500
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

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Quadro P500's 18W — a 161.7% difference. The Quadro P500 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 350W (Quadro P500). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro P500
TDP	170W	18W-89%
Recommended PSU	550W	350W-36%
Power Connector	8-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	242mm	—
Height	112mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	75	—
Perf/Watt	100.0+8%	92.2

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3060 came in at $329, while the Quadro P500 launched at $500. On MSRP, GeForce RTX 3060 was 34.2% cheaper ($171 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 3.3 (Quadro P500) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 1466.7% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 (2021 vs 2018).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro P500
MSRP	$329-34%	$500
Performance per Dollar	51.7+1467%	3.3
Codename	GA106	GP108
Release	January 12 2021	January 5 2018
Ranking	#114	#740

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