GeForce RTX 3060 vs Tesla K80

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060

2021Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz
RTX family
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VS
NVIDIA

Tesla K80

2014Core: 562 MHzBoost: 824 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce RTX 3060 vs Tesla K80 Performance Spectrum

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.

GeForce RTX 3060 vs Tesla K80: 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

  • +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.
  • 2014 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 1419.8% HIGHER MSRP
    $5,000 MSRPvs$329 MSRP

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 3060 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 216.9% in PassMark G3D (16,995 vs 5,363), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
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 28nm, 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 $4,671 cheaper on MSRP at $329 vs $5,000, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 4716% (51.7 vs 1.1), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 3060 vs Tesla K80 Technical Specifications

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

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

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.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Tesla 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 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Tesla K80 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Tesla 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 has 12 GB of VRAM, while the Tesla K80 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 128-bit on the Tesla K80. 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.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Tesla 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.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Tesla 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

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3060 came in at $329, while the Tesla K80 launched at $5000. On MSRP, GeForce RTX 3060 was 93.4% cheaper ($4671 less). 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 newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 (2021 vs 2014).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Tesla K80
MSRP
$329-93%
$5000
Performance per Dollar
51.7+4600%
1.1
Codename
GA106
GK210
Release
January 12 2021
November 17 2014
Ranking
#114
#419

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