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

✅+45.9% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $171 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
✅Delivers 121.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 23.3 G3D/$ ($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

❌70% higher power demand at 170W vs 100W.

Quadro P5200

2018

Why buy it

✅Draws 100W instead of 170W, a 70W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (11,650 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.
❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 4 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
❌
52% HIGHER MSRP
$500 MSRPvs$329 MSRP

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Quadro P5200

2018

Why buy it

✅+45.9% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $171 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
✅Delivers 121.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 23.3 G3D/$ ($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).

Why buy it

✅Draws 100W instead of 170W, a 70W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌70% higher power demand at 170W vs 100W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (11,650 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.
❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 4 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
❌
52% HIGHER MSRP
$500 MSRPvs$329 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 better than Quadro P5200?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 16,995 vs 11,650 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Quadro P5200 is a 2018 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 2018, 45.9% 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 about $171 cheaper on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $500 MSRP, and you are getting 45.9% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 121.7%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is Quadro P5200 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Quadro P5200 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 $500 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 P5200 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro P5200
1080p
low	149 FPS	145 FPS
medium	131 FPS	134 FPS
high	118 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	88 FPS
1440p
low	126 FPS	128 FPS
medium	104 FPS	109 FPS
high	92 FPS	93 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	73 FPS
4K
low	67 FPS	59 FPS
medium	58 FPS	52 FPS
high	39 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	38 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Quadro P5200

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro P5200
1080p
low	354 FPS	290 FPS
medium	310 FPS	240 FPS
high	249 FPS	185 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	146 FPS
1440p
low	222 FPS	190 FPS
medium	196 FPS	157 FPS
high	160 FPS	128 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	102 FPS
4K
low	110 FPS	99 FPS
medium	94 FPS	80 FPS
high	77 FPS	67 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	52 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Quadro P5200

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro P5200
1080p
low	765 FPS	524 FPS
medium	612 FPS	419 FPS
high	510 FPS	350 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	262 FPS
1440p
low	535 FPS	393 FPS
medium	432 FPS	315 FPS
high	366 FPS	262 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	197 FPS
4K
low	367 FPS	262 FPS
medium	298 FPS	210 FPS
high	221 FPS	175 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	131 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Quadro P5200

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro P5200
1080p
low	523 FPS	334 FPS
medium	452 FPS	272 FPS
high	383 FPS	245 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	208 FPS
1440p
low	428 FPS	253 FPS
medium	371 FPS	202 FPS
high	298 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	245 FPS	144 FPS
4K
low	279 FPS	133 FPS
medium	259 FPS	109 FPS
high	225 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	186 FPS	77 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Quadro P5200

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and Quadro P5200

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 P5200

The Quadro P5200 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 21 2018. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1556 MHz to 1746 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 11,650 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Quadro P5200's 11,650 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 45.9%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Quadro P5200 uses Pascal, both on 8 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 2,560 (Quadro P5200). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 8.94 TFLOPS (Quadro P5200). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1746 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro P5200
G3D Mark Score	16,995+46%	11,650
Architecture	Ampere	Pascal
Process Node	8 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	3584+40%	2560
Compute (TFLOPS)	12.74 TFLOPS+43%	8.94 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1777 MHz+2%	1746 MHz
ROPs	48	64+33%
TMUs	112	160+43%
L1 Cache	3.5 MB+272%	0.94 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 P5200 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro P5200
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 P5200 has 4 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 offers 200% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 2 MB (Quadro P5200) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro P5200
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+200%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Bus Width	192-bit	256-bit+33%
L2 Cache	3 MB+50%	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12.1 (Quadro P5200). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro P5200
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12.1
Vulkan	1.3+18%	1.1
OpenGL	4.6+2%	4.5
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs NVENC 5.0 (Quadro P5200). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs PureVideo HD VP7. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (Quadro P5200).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro P5200
Encoder	NVENC 7th Gen	NVENC 5.0
Decoder	NVDEC 5th Gen	PureVideo HD VP7
Codecs	AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Quadro P5200's 100W — a 51.9% difference. The Quadro P5200 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 500W (Quadro P5200). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 242mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 85°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro P5200
TDP	170W	100W-41%
Recommended PSU	550W	500W-9%
Power Connector	8-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	242mm	0mm
Height	112mm	0mm
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	75-12%	85°C
Perf/Watt	100.0	116.5+17%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329 MSRP, while the Quadro P5200 launched at $500. The GeForce RTX 3060 costs 34.2% less ($171 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 23.3 (Quadro P5200) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 121.9% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2018).