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

✅+67.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $1,551 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $1,880 MSRP).
✅Delivers 856.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 5.4 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $1,880 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 8 GB).

Trade-offs

❌142.9% higher power demand at 170W vs 70W.
❌44% longer card at 242mm vs 168mm.

Tesla T4

2018

Why buy it

✅Draws 70W instead of 170W, a 100W reduction.
✅Measures 168mm instead of 242mm, a 74mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,153 vs 16,995).
❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 8 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
❌
471.4% HIGHER MSRP
$1,880 MSRPvs$329 MSRP

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Tesla T4

2018

Why buy it

✅+67.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $1,551 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $1,880 MSRP).
✅Delivers 856.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 5.4 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $1,880 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 8 GB).

Why buy it

✅Draws 70W instead of 170W, a 100W reduction.
✅Measures 168mm instead of 242mm, a 74mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌142.9% higher power demand at 170W vs 70W.
❌44% longer card at 242mm vs 168mm.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (10,153 vs 16,995).
❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 8 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
❌
471.4% HIGHER MSRP
$1,880 MSRPvs$329 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 better than Tesla T4?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 16,995 vs 10,153 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Tesla T4 is a 2018 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 2018, 67.4% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 8 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. 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 $1,551 cheaper on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $1,880 MSRP, and you are getting 67.4% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 856.5%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is Tesla T4 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Tesla T4 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 $1,880 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 T4 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla T4
1080p
low	149 FPS	165 FPS
medium	131 FPS	144 FPS
high	118 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	75 FPS
1440p
low	126 FPS	132 FPS
medium	104 FPS	110 FPS
high	92 FPS	85 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	54 FPS
4K
low	67 FPS	51 FPS
medium	58 FPS	44 FPS
high	39 FPS	32 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	27 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Tesla T4

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla T4
1080p
low	354 FPS	180 FPS
medium	310 FPS	143 FPS
high	249 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	103 FPS
1440p
low	222 FPS	135 FPS
medium	196 FPS	105 FPS
high	160 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	75 FPS
4K
low	110 FPS	79 FPS
medium	94 FPS	63 FPS
high	77 FPS	52 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	39 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Tesla T4

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla T4
1080p
low	765 FPS	457 FPS
medium	612 FPS	366 FPS
high	510 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	228 FPS
1440p
low	535 FPS	343 FPS
medium	432 FPS	274 FPS
high	366 FPS	228 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	171 FPS
4K
low	367 FPS	228 FPS
medium	298 FPS	183 FPS
high	221 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	114 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Tesla T4

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla T4
1080p
low	523 FPS	307 FPS
medium	452 FPS	265 FPS
high	383 FPS	220 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	173 FPS
1440p
low	428 FPS	226 FPS
medium	371 FPS	202 FPS
high	298 FPS	163 FPS
ultra	245 FPS	125 FPS
4K
low	279 FPS	132 FPS
medium	259 FPS	112 FPS
high	225 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	186 FPS	67 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Tesla T4

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and Tesla T4

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 T4

The Tesla T4 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 13 2018. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 585 MHz to 1590 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 70W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 40 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,153 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Tesla T4's 10,153 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 67.4%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Tesla T4 uses Turing, both on 8 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 2,560 (Tesla T4). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 8.141 TFLOPS (Tesla T4). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1590 MHz. Ray tracing: 28 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 40 (Tesla T4) with 112 Tensor cores vs 320.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla T4
G3D Mark Score	16,995+67%	10,153
Architecture	Ampere	Turing
Process Node	8 nm	12 nm
Shading Units	3584+40%	2560
Compute (TFLOPS)	12.74 TFLOPS+56%	8.141 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1777 MHz+12%	1590 MHz
ROPs	48	64+33%
TMUs	112	160+43%
L1 Cache	3.5 MB+40%	2.5 MB
L2 Cache	3 MB	4 MB+33%
Ray Tracing Cores	28	40+43%
Tensor Cores	112	320+186%

✨

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 T4 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla T4
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 T4 has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 4 MB (Tesla T4) — the Tesla T4 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla T4
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+50%	8 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
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 Ultimate (Tesla T4). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 0.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla T4
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.3	1.4+8%
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	0

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs NVENC (Turing) (Tesla T4). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs NVDEC (Turing). Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,MPEG-2,VC-1,VP8,VP9 (Tesla T4).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla T4
Encoder	NVENC 7th Gen	NVENC (Turing)
Decoder	NVDEC 5th Gen	NVDEC (Turing)
Codecs	AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9	H.264,H.265/HEVC,MPEG-2,VC-1,VP8,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Tesla T4's 70W — a 83.3% difference. The Tesla T4 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 500W (Tesla T4). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 242mm vs 168mm, occupying 2 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 76°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Tesla T4
TDP	170W	70W-59%
Recommended PSU	550W	500W-9%
Power Connector	8-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	242mm	168mm
Height	112mm	69mm
Slots	2	1-50%
Temp (Load)	75-1%	76°C
Perf/Watt	100.0	145.0+45%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329 MSRP, while the Tesla T4 launched at $1880. The GeForce RTX 3060 costs 82.5% less ($1551 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 5.4 (Tesla T4) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 857.4% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2018).