GeForce RTX 3060 vs RTX A4000

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060

2021Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
NVIDIA

RTX A4000

2021Core: 735 MHzBoost: 1560 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

  • Costs $782 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $1,111 MSRP).
  • Delivers 194.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 17.5 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $1,111 MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than RTX A4000 across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 12 GB vs 16 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (112 vs 192), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.
  • 21.4% higher power demand at 170W vs 140W.

RTX A4000

2021

Why buy it

  • 19.3% more average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 71.4% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (192 vs 112).
  • 33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 12 GB).
  • Draws 140W instead of 170W, a 30W reduction.
  • Measures 241mm instead of 242mm, a 1mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • 237.7% HIGHER MSRP
    $1,111 MSRPvs$329 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 17.5 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($1,111 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is RTX A4000 better than GeForce RTX 3060?
Yes. RTX A4000 is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 19.3% more average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data, 14.5% higher PassMark G3D performance, 192 vs 112 Tensor cores, and 16 GB vs 12 GB of VRAM.
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 better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That broader feature stack should age better as more games lean on modern upscaling and frame-generation support.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?
RTX A4000 is about 237.7% more expensive on MSRP at $1,111 MSRP versus $329 MSRP, and you are getting 19.3% more estimated average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data and 14.5% higher G3D Mark. GeForce RTX 3060 still holds the G3D-per-dollar lead, so the performance win comes with a real value premium. If you are comfortable paying the premium for the stronger gaming result, RTX A4000 is the one to buy. If staying closer to budget matters more, GeForce RTX 3060 still makes more sense on price alone and remains capable enough for modern gaming.
When does GeForce RTX 3060 make more sense than RTX A4000?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is very strong for 1080p, good for 1440p, and more limited at 4K. It makes more sense if your priority is future-proofing and staying closer to $329 MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of RTX A4000. The trade-off is that RTX A4000 currently gives you 14.5% higher G3D Mark and 19.3% more estimated average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data. GeForce RTX 3060 still holds the G3D-per-dollar lead, so the performance win comes with a real value premium.

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 3060RTX A4000
1080p
low149 FPS166 FPS
medium131 FPS148 FPS
high118 FPS125 FPS
ultra99 FPS90 FPS
1440p
low126 FPS146 FPS
medium104 FPS124 FPS
high92 FPS91 FPS
ultra80 FPS66 FPS
4K
low67 FPS70 FPS
medium58 FPS60 FPS
high39 FPS43 FPS
ultra32 FPS38 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3060RTX A4000
1080p
low354 FPS261 FPS
medium310 FPS219 FPS
high249 FPS182 FPS
ultra195 FPS158 FPS
1440p
low222 FPS187 FPS
medium196 FPS150 FPS
high160 FPS129 FPS
ultra128 FPS107 FPS
4K
low110 FPS95 FPS
medium94 FPS78 FPS
high77 FPS68 FPS
ultra60 FPS53 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3060RTX A4000
1080p
low765 FPS873 FPS
medium612 FPS701 FPS
high510 FPS584 FPS
ultra382 FPS438 FPS
1440p
low535 FPS657 FPS
medium432 FPS526 FPS
high366 FPS438 FPS
ultra287 FPS328 FPS
4K
low367 FPS438 FPS
medium298 FPS350 FPS
high221 FPS292 FPS
ultra176 FPS219 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3060RTX A4000
1080p
low523 FPS282 FPS
medium452 FPS246 FPS
high383 FPS201 FPS
ultra319 FPS173 FPS
1440p
low428 FPS217 FPS
medium371 FPS193 FPS
high298 FPS159 FPS
ultra245 FPS134 FPS
4K
low279 FPS132 FPS
medium259 FPS113 FPS
high225 FPS90 FPS
ultra186 FPS73 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and RTX A4000

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

RTX A4000

The RTX A4000 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 12 2021. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 735 MHz to 1560 MHz. It has 6144 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 140W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 48 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 19,463 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the RTX A4000's 19,463 — the RTX A4000 leads by 14.5%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the RTX A4000 uses Ampere, both on a 8 nm process. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 6,144 (RTX A4000). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 19.17 TFLOPS (RTX A4000). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1560 MHz. Ray tracing: 28 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 48 (RTX A4000) with 112 Tensor cores vs 192.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060RTX A4000
G3D Mark Score
16,995
19,463+15%
Architecture
Ampere
Ampere
Process Node
8 nm
8 nm
Shading Units
3584
6144+71%
Compute (TFLOPS)
12.74 TFLOPS
19.17 TFLOPS+50%
Boost Clock
1777 MHz+14%
1560 MHz
ROPs
48
96+100%
TMUs
112
192+71%
L1 Cache
3.5 MB
6 MB+71%
L2 Cache
3 MB
4 MB+33%
Ray Tracing Cores
28
48+71%
Tensor Cores
112
192+71%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The RTX A4000 supports the newer Upscaling support, whereas the GeForce RTX 3060 is capped at DLSS 2 Super Resolution.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060RTX A4000
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3060 comes with 12 GB of VRAM, while the RTX A4000 has 16 GB. The RTX A4000 offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 360 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 448 GB/s (RTX A4000) — a 24.4% advantage for the RTX A4000. Bus width: 192-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 4 MB (RTX A4000) — the RTX A4000 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060RTX A4000
VRAM Capacity
12 GB
16 GB+33%
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
360 GB/s
448 GB/s+24%
Bus Width
192-bit
192-bit
L2 Cache
3 MB
4 MB+33%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12.2 (RTX A4000). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060RTX A4000
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12.2+2%
Vulkan
1.3+8%
1.2
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 7th Gen NVENC (RTX A4000). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode) (RTX A4000).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060RTX A4000
Encoder
NVENC 7th Gen
7th Gen NVENC
Decoder
NVDEC 5th Gen
5th Gen NVDEC
Codecs
AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode)
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the RTX A4000's 140W — a 19.4% difference. The RTX A4000 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 650W (RTX A4000). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 242mm vs 241mm, occupying 2 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 75°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060RTX A4000
TDP
170W
140W-18%
Recommended PSU
550W-15%
650W
Power Connector
8-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
242mm
241mm
Height
112mm
111mm
Slots
2
1-50%
Temp (Load)
75
75°C
Perf/Watt
100.0
139.0+39%
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329 MSRP, while the RTX A4000 launched at $1111. The GeForce RTX 3060 costs 70.4% less ($782 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 17.5 (RTX A4000) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 195.4% better value.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060RTX A4000
MSRP
$329-70%
$1111
Performance per Dollar
51.7+195%
17.5
Codename
GA106
GA104
Release
January 12 2021
April 12 2021
Ranking
#114
#85