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

✅+43.9% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $5,370 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $5,699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 2393.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 2.1 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $5,699 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 12 GB vs 24 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.

Tesla P40

2016

Why buy it

✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (24 GB vs 12 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (11,808 vs 16,995).
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 24 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
1632.2% HIGHER MSRP
$5,699 MSRPvs$329 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 2.1 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($5,699 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Tesla P40

2016

Why buy it

✅+43.9% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $5,370 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $5,699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 2393.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 2.1 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $5,699 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (24 GB vs 12 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 12 GB vs 24 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (11,808 vs 16,995).
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 24 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
1632.2% HIGHER MSRP
$5,699 MSRPvs$329 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 2.1 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($5,699 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 better than Tesla P40?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 16,995 vs 11,808 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Tesla P40 is a 2016 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 2016, 43.9% more raw performance headroom, better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, and a 8nm process instead of 16nm. 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?

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 $5,370 cheaper on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $5,699 MSRP, and you are getting 43.9% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 2393.1%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is Tesla P40 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Tesla P40 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 $5,699 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 P40 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla P40
1080p
low	149 FPS	243 FPS
medium	131 FPS	230 FPS
high	118 FPS	197 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	161 FPS
1440p
low	126 FPS	224 FPS
medium	104 FPS	189 FPS
high	92 FPS	151 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	124 FPS
4K
low	67 FPS	120 FPS
medium	58 FPS	99 FPS
high	39 FPS	75 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	67 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Tesla P40

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla P40
1080p
low	354 FPS	326 FPS
medium	310 FPS	281 FPS
high	249 FPS	215 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	171 FPS
1440p
low	222 FPS	213 FPS
medium	196 FPS	179 FPS
high	160 FPS	146 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	115 FPS
4K
low	110 FPS	103 FPS
medium	94 FPS	84 FPS
high	77 FPS	70 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	54 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Tesla P40

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla P40
1080p
low	765 FPS	531 FPS
medium	612 FPS	425 FPS
high	510 FPS	354 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	266 FPS
1440p
low	535 FPS	399 FPS
medium	432 FPS	319 FPS
high	366 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	199 FPS
4K
low	367 FPS	266 FPS
medium	298 FPS	213 FPS
high	221 FPS	177 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	133 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Tesla P40

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla P40
1080p
low	523 FPS	473 FPS
medium	452 FPS	420 FPS
high	383 FPS	354 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	266 FPS
1440p
low	428 FPS	374 FPS
medium	371 FPS	319 FPS
high	298 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	245 FPS	199 FPS
4K
low	279 FPS	240 FPS
medium	259 FPS	213 FPS
high	225 FPS	177 FPS
ultra	186 FPS	133 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Tesla P40

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and Tesla P40

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 P40

The Tesla P40 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 13 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1303 MHz to 1531 MHz. It has 3840 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 11,808 points. Launch price was $5,699.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Tesla P40's 11,808 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 43.9%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Tesla P40 uses Pascal, both on 8 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 3,840 (Tesla P40). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 11.76 TFLOPS (Tesla P40). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1531 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla P40
G3D Mark Score	16,995+44%	11,808
Architecture	Ampere	Pascal
Process Node	8 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	3584	3840+7%
Compute (TFLOPS)	12.74 TFLOPS+8%	11.76 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1777 MHz+16%	1531 MHz
ROPs	48	96+100%
TMUs	112	240+114%
L1 Cache	3.5 MB+150%	1.4 MB
L2 Cache	3 MB	3 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 P40 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla P40
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 P40 has 24 GB. The Tesla P40 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla P40
VRAM Capacity	12 GB	24 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Bus Width	192-bit	256-bit+33%
L2 Cache	3 MB	3 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12.1 (Tesla P40). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 0.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla P40
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12.1
Vulkan	1.3+18%	1.1
OpenGL	4.6+2%	4.5
Max Displays	4	0

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs NVENC 4.0 (2x) (Tesla P40). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs PureVideo HD VP6. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (Tesla P40).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla P40
Encoder	NVENC 7th Gen	NVENC 4.0 (2x)
Decoder	NVDEC 5th Gen	PureVideo HD VP6
Codecs	AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Tesla P40's 250W — a 38.1% difference. The GeForce RTX 3060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 500W (Tesla P40). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 242mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 85°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla P40
TDP	170W-32%	250W
Recommended PSU	550W	500W-9%
Power Connector	8-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	242mm	267mm
Height	112mm	112mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75-12%	85°C
Perf/Watt	100.0+112%	47.2

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329 MSRP, while the Tesla P40 launched at $5699. The GeForce RTX 3060 costs 94.2% less ($5370 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 2.1 (Tesla P40) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 2361.9% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2016).