GeForce RTX 3060 vs Tesla K80

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

✅+216.9% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $4,671 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $5,000 MSRP).
✅Delivers 4716% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 1.1 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $5,000 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

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

Tesla K80

2014

Why buy it

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

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (5,363 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: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌
1419.8% HIGHER MSRP
$5,000 MSRPvs$329 MSRP

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Tesla K80

2014

Why buy it

✅+216.9% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $4,671 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $5,000 MSRP).
✅Delivers 4716% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 1.1 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $5,000 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

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

Trade-offs

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

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (5,363 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: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌
1419.8% HIGHER MSRP
$5,000 MSRPvs$329 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 better than Tesla K80?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 16,995 vs 5,363 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Tesla K80 is a 2014 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 2014, 216.9% 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 $4,671 cheaper on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $5,000 MSRP, and you are getting 216.9% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 4716%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is Tesla K80 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Tesla K80 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 $5,000 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

Tesla K80 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla K80
1080p
low	149 FPS	100 FPS
medium	131 FPS	87 FPS
high	118 FPS	69 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	41 FPS
1440p
low	126 FPS	87 FPS
medium	104 FPS	77 FPS
high	92 FPS	55 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	32 FPS
4K
low	67 FPS	28 FPS
medium	58 FPS	27 FPS
high	39 FPS	18 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	15 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Tesla K80

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla K80
1080p
low	354 FPS	153 FPS
medium	310 FPS	116 FPS
high	249 FPS	89 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	69 FPS
1440p
low	222 FPS	109 FPS
medium	196 FPS	79 FPS
high	160 FPS	65 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	48 FPS
4K
low	110 FPS	55 FPS
medium	94 FPS	41 FPS
high	77 FPS	34 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	25 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Tesla K80

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla K80
1080p
low	765 FPS	241 FPS
medium	612 FPS	193 FPS
high	510 FPS	161 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	121 FPS
1440p
low	535 FPS	181 FPS
medium	432 FPS	145 FPS
high	366 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	91 FPS
4K
low	367 FPS	121 FPS
medium	298 FPS	97 FPS
high	221 FPS	80 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	60 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Tesla K80

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla K80
1080p
low	523 FPS	180 FPS
medium	452 FPS	144 FPS
high	383 FPS	125 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	94 FPS
1440p
low	428 FPS	125 FPS
medium	371 FPS	102 FPS
high	298 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	245 FPS	66 FPS
4K
low	279 FPS	74 FPS
medium	259 FPS	57 FPS
high	225 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	186 FPS	31 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Tesla K80

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and Tesla K80

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.

Tesla K80

The Tesla K80 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 17 2014. It features the Kepler 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 562 MHz to 824 MHz. It has 2496 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 300W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,363 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Tesla K80's 5,363 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 216.9%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Tesla K80 uses Kepler 2.0, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 2,496 (Tesla K80). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 4.113 TFLOPS ×2 (Tesla K80). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 824 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla K80
G3D Mark Score	16,995+217%	5,363
Architecture	Ampere	Kepler 2.0
Process Node	8 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	3584+44%	2496 ×2
Compute (TFLOPS)	12.74 TFLOPS+210%	4.113 TFLOPS ×2
Boost Clock	1777 MHz+116%	824 MHz
ROPs	48	48 ×2
TMUs	112	208 ×2+86%
L1 Cache	3.5 MB+1650%	0.2 MB
L2 Cache	3 MB+100%	1.5 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 Tesla K80 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla K80
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 Tesla K80 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 1.5 MB (Tesla K80) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla K80
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+200%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit
L2 Cache	3 MB+100%	1.5 MB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Tesla K80's 300W — a 55.3% difference. The GeForce RTX 3060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 350W (Tesla K80). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla K80
TDP	170W-43%	300W
Recommended PSU	550W	350W-36%
Power Connector	8-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	242mm	—
Height	112mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	75	—
Perf/Watt	100.0+459%	17.9

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329 MSRP, while the Tesla K80 launched at $5000. The GeForce RTX 3060 costs 93.4% less ($4671 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 1.1 (Tesla K80) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 4600% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2014).