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

✅14.9% more average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $570 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $899 MSRP).
✅Delivers 211.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 16.6 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $899 MSRP).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 8 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).

Quadro RTX 4000

2018

Why buy it

✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅Measures 241mm instead of 242mm, a 1mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 3060 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
❌
173.3% HIGHER MSRP
$899 MSRPvs$329 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 16.6 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($899 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Quadro RTX 4000

2018

Why buy it

✅14.9% more average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $570 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $899 MSRP).
✅Delivers 211.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 16.6 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $899 MSRP).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 8 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅Measures 241mm instead of 242mm, a 1mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 3060 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
❌
173.3% HIGHER MSRP
$899 MSRPvs$329 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 16.6 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($899 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 better than Quadro RTX 4000?

Yes, but this is not really about a huge raw performance gap. GeForce RTX 3060 averages 14.9% more FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data. The broader synthetic picture is also very close at 16,995 vs 14,925 in G3D Mark. The bigger reason to prefer GeForce RTX 3060 is the overall package: you are getting a newer generation, DLSS Super Resolution.

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 2018, 13.9% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 8 GB, and the stronger feature stack with DLSS Super Resolution instead of DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. 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 $570 cheaper on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $899 MSRP, and you are getting 14.9% more estimated average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data and 13.9% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 211.2%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is Quadro RTX 4000 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Quadro RTX 4000 is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is very strong for 1080p, good for 1440p, and more limited at 4K. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $899 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

Quadro RTX 4000 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro RTX 4000
1080p
low	149 FPS	129 FPS
medium	131 FPS	111 FPS
high	118 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	63 FPS
1440p
low	126 FPS	105 FPS
medium	104 FPS	87 FPS
high	92 FPS	67 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	46 FPS
4K
low	67 FPS	46 FPS
medium	58 FPS	40 FPS
high	39 FPS	28 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	24 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Quadro RTX 4000

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro RTX 4000
1080p
low	354 FPS	270 FPS
medium	310 FPS	225 FPS
high	249 FPS	185 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	156 FPS
1440p
low	222 FPS	203 FPS
medium	196 FPS	168 FPS
high	160 FPS	136 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	109 FPS
4K
low	110 FPS	117 FPS
medium	94 FPS	100 FPS
high	77 FPS	80 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	58 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Quadro RTX 4000

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro RTX 4000
1080p
low	765 FPS	672 FPS
medium	612 FPS	537 FPS
high	510 FPS	448 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	336 FPS
1440p
low	535 FPS	504 FPS
medium	432 FPS	403 FPS
high	366 FPS	336 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	252 FPS
4K
low	367 FPS	336 FPS
medium	298 FPS	269 FPS
high	221 FPS	224 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	168 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Quadro RTX 4000

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro RTX 4000
1080p
low	523 FPS	248 FPS
medium	452 FPS	215 FPS
high	383 FPS	172 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	145 FPS
1440p
low	428 FPS	190 FPS
medium	371 FPS	168 FPS
high	298 FPS	132 FPS
ultra	245 FPS	108 FPS
4K
low	279 FPS	113 FPS
medium	259 FPS	95 FPS
high	225 FPS	77 FPS
ultra	186 FPS	58 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Quadro RTX 4000

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and Quadro RTX 4000

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.

Quadro RTX 4000

The Quadro RTX 4000 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 13 2018. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1005 MHz to 1545 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 160W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 36 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 14,925 points. Launch price was $899.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Quadro RTX 4000's 14,925 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 13.9%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Quadro RTX 4000 uses Turing, both on 8 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 2,304 (Quadro RTX 4000). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 7.119 TFLOPS (Quadro RTX 4000). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1545 MHz. Ray tracing: 28 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 36 (Quadro RTX 4000) with 112 Tensor cores vs 288.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro RTX 4000
G3D Mark Score	16,995+14%	14,925
Architecture	Ampere	Turing
Process Node	8 nm	12 nm
Shading Units	3584+56%	2304
Compute (TFLOPS)	12.74 TFLOPS+79%	7.119 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1777 MHz+15%	1545 MHz
ROPs	48	64+33%
TMUs	112	144+29%
L1 Cache	3.5 MB+52%	2.3 MB
L2 Cache	3 MB	4 MB+33%
Ray Tracing Cores	28	36+29%
Tensor Cores	112	288+157%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the Quadro RTX 4000 is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The GeForce RTX 3060 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The Quadro RTX 4000 supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce RTX 3060 is capped at DLSS 2 Super Resolution.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro RTX 4000
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution
Frame Generation	Not Supported	DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction	No	Yes (DLSS 3.5)
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3060 comes with 12 GB of VRAM, while the Quadro RTX 4000 has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 360 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 448 GB/s (Quadro RTX 4000) — a 24.4% advantage for the Quadro RTX 4000. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 4 MB (Quadro RTX 4000) — the Quadro RTX 4000 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro RTX 4000
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+50%	8 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	360 GB/s	448 GB/s+24%
Bus Width	192-bit	256-bit+33%
L2 Cache	3 MB	4 MB+33%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12.2 (Quadro RTX 4000). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro RTX 4000
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12.2+2%
Vulkan	1.3+18%	1.1
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs NVENC 7.0 (Quadro RTX 4000). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs PureVideo HD VP10. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Quadro RTX 4000).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro RTX 4000
Encoder	NVENC 7th Gen	NVENC 7.0
Decoder	NVDEC 5th Gen	PureVideo HD VP10
Codecs	AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Quadro RTX 4000's 160W — a 6.1% difference. The Quadro RTX 4000 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 500W (Quadro RTX 4000). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 242mm vs 241mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 80°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Quadro RTX 4000
TDP	170W	160W-6%
Recommended PSU	550W	500W-9%
Power Connector	8-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	242mm	241mm
Height	112mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75-6%	80°C
Perf/Watt	100.0+7%	93.3

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329 MSRP, while the Quadro RTX 4000 launched at $899. The GeForce RTX 3060 costs 63.4% less ($570 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 16.6 (Quadro RTX 4000) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 211.4% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2018).