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 8GB

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $70 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).
✅Draws 170W instead of 200W, a 30W reduction.
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 Ti across 40 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (112 vs 152), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 46.2 vs 50.9 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

2020

Why buy it

✅23.2% more average FPS across 40 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 10.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 50.9 vs 46.2 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅35.7% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (152 vs 112).

Trade-offs

❌17.6% higher power demand at 200W vs 170W.

GeForce RTX 3060 8GB

2022

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $70 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).
✅Draws 170W instead of 200W, a 30W reduction.
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅23.2% more average FPS across 40 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 10.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 50.9 vs 46.2 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅35.7% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (152 vs 112).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 Ti across 40 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (112 vs 152), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 46.2 vs 50.9 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌17.6% higher power demand at 200W vs 170W.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 Ti better than GeForce RTX 3060 8GB?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 23.2% more average FPS across 40 tracked games in our benchmark data, 33.6% higher PassMark G3D performance, and 152 vs 112 Tensor cores. It also comes from 2020 instead of 2022, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 3060 8GB is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2022 generation instead of 2020. That makes it the safer long-run choice for modern games.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is about 21.3% more expensive on MSRP at $399 MSRP versus $329 MSRP, and you are getting 23.2% more estimated average FPS across 40 tracked games in our benchmark data and 33.6% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 10.1%. GeForce RTX 3060 8GB is the newer 2022 card, so it still has a real case if you care more about newer architecture, lower power draw (170W vs 200W), and future-proofing than about squeezing out the strongest gaming value today.

When does GeForce RTX 3060 8GB make more sense than GeForce RTX 3060 Ti?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 8GB is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is very strong for 1080p, good for 1440p, and more limited at 4K. It makes more sense if your priority is newer architecture, lower power draw (170W vs 200W), future-proofing, and staying closer to $329 MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce RTX 3060 Ti. The trade-off is that GeForce RTX 3060 Ti currently gives you 33.6% higher G3D Mark and 23.2% more estimated average FPS across 40 tracked games in our benchmark data. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 10.1%.

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 8GB Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 8GB	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
1080p
low	183 FPS	152 FPS
medium	163 FPS	137 FPS
high	140 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	154 FPS	131 FPS
medium	127 FPS	107 FPS
high	108 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	82 FPS
4K
low	73 FPS	77 FPS
medium	63 FPS	65 FPS
high	42 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	43 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 8GB Open GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 8GB	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
1080p
low	350 FPS	425 FPS
medium	298 FPS	366 FPS
high	240 FPS	296 FPS
ultra	185 FPS	248 FPS
1440p
low	214 FPS	272 FPS
medium	182 FPS	229 FPS
high	149 FPS	190 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	156 FPS
4K
low	104 FPS	133 FPS
medium	85 FPS	114 FPS
high	71 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	54 FPS	73 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 8GB Open GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 8GB	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
1080p
low	684 FPS	859 FPS
medium	547 FPS	693 FPS
high	456 FPS	602 FPS
ultra	342 FPS	457 FPS
1440p
low	513 FPS	658 FPS
medium	411 FPS	529 FPS
high	342 FPS	452 FPS
ultra	257 FPS	343 FPS
4K
low	342 FPS	434 FPS
medium	274 FPS	346 FPS
high	228 FPS	275 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	221 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 8GB Open GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 8GB	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
1080p
low	545 FPS	580 FPS
medium	478 FPS	514 FPS
high	402 FPS	424 FPS
ultra	333 FPS	373 FPS
1440p
low	434 FPS	478 FPS
medium	382 FPS	427 FPS
high	305 FPS	335 FPS
ultra	248 FPS	290 FPS
4K
low	285 FPS	285 FPS
medium	268 FPS	266 FPS
high	228 FPS	234 FPS
ultra	171 FPS	195 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 8GB Open GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 8GB and GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

GeForce RTX 3060 8GB

The GeForce RTX 3060 8GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 12 2022. 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: 15,208 points.

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1410 MHz to 1665 MHz. It has 4864 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 38 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 20,312 points. Launch price was $399.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 8GB scores 15,208 versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti's 20,312 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti leads by 33.6%. The GeForce RTX 3060 8GB is built on Ampere while the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti uses Ampere, both on a 8 nm process. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060 8GB) vs 4,864 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 8GB) vs 16.2 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1665 MHz. Ray tracing: 28 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3060 8GB) vs 38 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) with 112 Tensor cores vs 152.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 8GB	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
G3D Mark Score	15,208	20,312+34%
Architecture	Ampere	Ampere
Process Node	8 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	3584	4864+36%
Compute (TFLOPS)	12.74 TFLOPS	16.2 TFLOPS+27%
Boost Clock	1777 MHz+7%	1665 MHz
ROPs	48	80+67%
TMUs	112	152+36%
L1 Cache	3.5 MB	4.8 MB+37%
L2 Cache	3 MB	4 MB+33%
Ray Tracing Cores	28	38+36%
Tensor Cores	112	152+36%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 8GB	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards feature 8 GB of GDDR6. Memory bandwidth: 240 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060 8GB) vs 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) — a 86.7% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti. Bus width: 128-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 8GB) vs 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 8GB	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
VRAM Capacity	8 GB	8 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	240 GB/s	448 GB/s+87%
Bus Width	128-bit	256-bit+100%
L2 Cache	3 MB	4 MB+33%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060 8GB) vs 12 Ultimate (12_2) (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 8GB	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12 Ultimate (12_2)
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3060 8GB) vs NVENC (Ampere) (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs NVDEC (Ampere). Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce RTX 3060 8GB) vs H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 8GB	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
Encoder	NVENC 7th gen	NVENC (Ampere)
Decoder	NVDEC 5th gen	NVDEC (Ampere)
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 8GB draws 170W versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti's 200W — a 16.2% difference. The GeForce RTX 3060 8GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060 8GB) vs 600W (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 242mm vs 242mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 75.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 8GB	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
TDP	170W-15%	200W
Recommended PSU	550W-8%	600W
Power Connector	8-pin	8-pin
Length	242mm	242mm
Height	112mm	112mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75°C	75
Perf/Watt	89.5	101.6+14%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 8GB launched at $329 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti launched at $399. The GeForce RTX 3060 8GB costs 17.5% less ($70 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 46.2 (GeForce RTX 3060 8GB) vs 50.9 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti offers 10.2% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 8GB is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2020).