GeForce RTX 3060 12GB
NVIDIA
G3D Mark
16,777
MSRP
$329
AVG Price
$340
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.
Overview
The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 11 2022. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1260 MHz to 1710 MHz. It has 8960 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 350W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 70 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 16,777 points. Launch price was $799.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce RTX 3060 12GB
FPS Benchmarks
Predicted performance for GeForce RTX 3060 12GB across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 7800X3D to isolate GPU performance.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Valorant
Technical Analysis
Detailed breakdown of GeForce RTX 3060 12GB specifications and capabilities.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB scores 16,777 in the G3D Mark benchmark (the standard measure of rasterization GPU performance), placing it in the High-End tier as a Aging generation graphics card. It is built on the Ampere (2020−2025) architecture (codename: GA102), manufactured on a 8 nm process— smaller process nodes improve power efficiency and transistor density. It packs 8960 shader units (the primary compute units for rendering pixels), 280 TMUs (texture mapping units), and 96 ROPs (render output units that handle final pixel output). Raw FP32 compute power: 30.64 TFLOPS — this measures the theoretical peak floating-point performance. Boost clock reaches 1710 MHz from a base of 1260 MHz.
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB |
|---|---|
| G3D MarkPassMark 3D graphics benchmark score | 16,777 |
| ArchitectureGPU microarchitecture generation | Ampere (2020−2025) |
| CodenameInternal GPU die codename | GA102 |
| Manufacturing ProcessFabrication node — smaller = more efficient | 8 nm |
| Shader UnitsCore compute units for rendering/compute | 8960 |
| TMUsTexture Mapping Units — handle texture sampling | 280 |
| ROPsRender Output Units — final pixel/color blending | 96 |
| Boost ClockMaximum GPU frequency under load | 1710 MHz |
| Base ClockGuaranteed minimum GPU frequency | 1260 MHz |
| Compute (FP32)Peak single-precision floating-point performance | 30.64 TFLOPS |
| Texture Fill RateTextures processed per second | 478.8 GTexel/s |
| PCIe InterfaceCPU↔GPU data link generation | PCIe 4.0 x16 |
| Transistor Count | 28,300 million |
| Performance RankPosition in global GPU performance ranking | #38 |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is equipped with 12 GB of GDDR6 video memory connected via a 192-bit memory bus, delivering 360 GB/s of bandwidth. GDDR6 provides fast memory access for gaming and compute workloads. Memory operates at 16 Gbps effective speed.
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB |
|---|---|
| VRAM SizeVideo memory capacity — more = better for high-res textures | 12 GB |
| VRAM TypeMemory technology generation | GDDR6 |
| Memory BusWidth of data path — wider = more bandwidth | 192-bit |
| Memory SpeedEffective memory data rate | 16 Gbps |
| BandwidthMaximum data throughput between GPU and VRAM | 360 GB/s |
| L1 Cache | 8.8 MB |
| L2 Cache | 6 MB |
Advanced Features & APIs
The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB supports modern upscaling and frame generation technologies: NVIDIA Reflex, DLSS Super Resolution — these can dramatically boost effective FPS by generating intermediate frames or upscaling from lower internal resolution. Graphics API support: DirectX 12 Ultimate, Vulkan 1.3, OpenGL 4.6— latest API versions enable the most advanced rendering features like ray tracing and mesh shaders.
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB |
|---|---|
| NVIDIA Reflex | ✅ Supported |
| DLSS Frame Generation | ❌ Not Supported |
| DLSS Super Resolution | ✅ Supported |
| DirectXMicrosoft graphics API version | 12 Ultimate |
| VulkanCross-platform graphics API | 1.3 |
| OpenGLLegacy graphics API | 4.6 |
| Compute APIGPGPU framework (CUDA/ROCm/OpenCL) | CUDA 8.6 |
Display & Media
Display outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a — supports up to 4 simultaneous displays. Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th gen, decoder: NVDEC 5th gen— dedicated hardware for video encoding/decoding accelerates streaming, recording, and video playback. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1.
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB |
|---|---|
| HDMI 2.1 PortsNumber of HDMI 2.1 display connectors | 1x |
| DisplayPort 1.4a PortsNumber of DisplayPort 1.4a display connectors | 3x |
| Max DisplaysMaximum simultaneously connected monitors | 4 |
| Hardware EncoderVideo encoding engine version | NVENC 7th gen |
| Hardware DecoderVideo decoding engine version | NVDEC 5th gen |
| CodecsSupported video compression formats | H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB draws 350 Watt under load (TDP) — a 550W PSU minimum is recommended. Power connector: 8-pin. Physical size: 242mm long, 112mm tall, occupying 2 expansion slots, weighing 996g— verify your case has clearance before purchasing. Typical temperatures: 35°C at idle, 75°C under load.
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB |
|---|---|
| TDPPower consumption under load | 350 Watt |
| Recommended PSUMinimum power supply wattage | 550W |
| Power ConnectorRequired PCIe power cable type | 8-pin |
| Card LengthGPU card length — check case clearance | 242mm |
| Card Height | 112mm |
| Slot WidthExpansion slots occupied | 2-slot |
| Weight | 996g |
| Idle TemperatureTypical temperature at desktop idle | 35°C |
| Load TemperatureTypical temperature under gaming load | 75°C |
Value Analysis
At an average price of $340 (MSRP: $329), the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB delivers 49 G3D Mark points per dollar. Overall performance ranking position: #38 among all indexed GPUs.
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB |
|---|---|
| MSRPManufacturer's Suggested Retail Price | $329 |
| Avg Price (30d)Average market price over the last 30 days | $340 |
| Performance RankPosition in global GPU performance ranking | #38 |
| Release Date | January 11 2022 |
| Release Year | 2022 |
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Our Recommendation for GeForce RTX 3060 12GB
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