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 12GB

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $70 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).
✅105.9% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (280 vs 136).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 8 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4060 Ti across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 51.0 vs 56.8 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).
❌118.8% higher power demand at 350W vs 160W.

GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

2023

Why buy it

✅2.6% more average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 11.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 56.8 vs 51.0 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 160W instead of 350W, a 190W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (136 vs 280), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.

GeForce RTX 3060 12GB

2022

GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $70 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).
✅105.9% more Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation, which can increase overall FPS in supported games (280 vs 136).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 8 GB).

Why buy it

✅2.6% more average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 11.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 56.8 vs 51.0 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 160W instead of 350W, a 190W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4060 Ti across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 51.0 vs 56.8 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).
❌118.8% higher power demand at 350W vs 160W.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Fewer Tensor Cores for AI-powered features like DLSS and frame generation (136 vs 280), which can reduce FPS gains in supported games.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4060 Ti better than GeForce RTX 3060 12GB?

Yes. GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 2.6% more average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data and 35% higher PassMark G3D performance. It also comes from 2023 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 4060 Ti is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2022, 35.0% more raw performance headroom, better upscaling support with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) instead of DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) and better frame-generation support with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023) instead of DLSS Super Resolution, and a 5nm process instead of 8nm. 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 4060 Ti is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is about 21.3% more expensive on MSRP at $399 MSRP versus $329 MSRP, and you are getting 2.6% more estimated average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data and 35.0% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 11.3%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is GeForce RTX 3060 12GB still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 12GB 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 $329 MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 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 12GB Benchmark Check

GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 12GB	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
1080p
low	166 FPS	177 FPS
medium	151 FPS	162 FPS
high	133 FPS	142 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	124 FPS
1440p
low	139 FPS	143 FPS
medium	116 FPS	118 FPS
high	98 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	85 FPS	93 FPS
4K
low	80 FPS	93 FPS
medium	67 FPS	79 FPS
high	51 FPS	66 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	59 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 12GB Open GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 12GB	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
1080p
low	494 FPS	425 FPS
medium	425 FPS	359 FPS
high	360 FPS	292 FPS
ultra	323 FPS	237 FPS
1440p
low	372 FPS	270 FPS
medium	310 FPS	229 FPS
high	258 FPS	186 FPS
ultra	219 FPS	154 FPS
4K
low	193 FPS	117 FPS
medium	167 FPS	95 FPS
high	144 FPS	77 FPS
ultra	120 FPS	60 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 12GB Open GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 12GB	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
1080p
low	755 FPS	855 FPS
medium	604 FPS	693 FPS
high	503 FPS	609 FPS
ultra	377 FPS	510 FPS
1440p
low	566 FPS	660 FPS
medium	453 FPS	527 FPS
high	377 FPS	452 FPS
ultra	283 FPS	382 FPS
4K
low	377 FPS	447 FPS
medium	302 FPS	355 FPS
high	252 FPS	308 FPS
ultra	189 FPS	255 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 12GB Open GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 12GB	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
1080p
low	445 FPS	775 FPS
medium	396 FPS	639 FPS
high	330 FPS	558 FPS
ultra	288 FPS	492 FPS
1440p
low	366 FPS	613 FPS
medium	328 FPS	503 FPS
high	271 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	231 FPS	378 FPS
4K
low	237 FPS	375 FPS
medium	217 FPS	322 FPS
high	186 FPS	298 FPS
ultra	160 FPS	255 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 12GB Open GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 12GB and GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

GeForce RTX 3060 12GB

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.

GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 18 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 2310 MHz to 2535 MHz. It has 4352 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 160W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 34 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 22,651 points. Launch price was $399.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB scores 16,777 versus the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti's 22,651 — the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti leads by 35%. The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is built on Ampere while the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti uses Ada Lovelace, both on 8 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 8,960 (GeForce RTX 3060 12GB) vs 4,352 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti). Raw compute: 30.64 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 12GB) vs 22.06 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti). Boost clocks: 1710 MHz vs 2535 MHz. Ray tracing: 70 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3060 12GB) vs 34 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) with 280 Tensor cores vs 136.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 12GB	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
G3D Mark Score	16,777	22,651+35%
Architecture	Ampere	Ada Lovelace
Process Node	8 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	8960+106%	4352
Compute (TFLOPS)	30.64 TFLOPS+39%	22.06 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1710 MHz	2535 MHz+48%
ROPs	96+100%	48
TMUs	280+106%	136
L1 Cache	8.8 MB+105%	4.3 MB
L2 Cache	6 MB	32 MB+433%
Ray Tracing Cores	70+106%	34
Tensor Cores	280+106%	136

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 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 12GB lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is capped at DLSS 2 Super Resolution.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 12GB	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
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 12GB comes with 12 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 360 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060 12GB) vs 288 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) — a 25% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB. Bus width: 192-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 6 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 12GB) vs 32 MB (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) — the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 12GB	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+50%	8 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	360 GB/s+25%	288 GB/s
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit
L2 Cache	6 MB	32 MB+433%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060 12GB) vs 12.2 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 12GB	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12.2+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 12GB) vs 8th Gen NVENC (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3060 12GB) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 12GB	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
Encoder	NVENC 7th gen	8th Gen NVENC
Decoder	NVDEC 5th gen	5th Gen NVDEC
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB draws 350W versus the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti's 160W — a 74.5% difference. The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060 12GB) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 242mm vs 240mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 70°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 12GB	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
TDP	350W	160W-54%
Recommended PSU	550W	550W
Power Connector	8-pin	8-pin
Length	242mm	240mm
Height	112mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75°C	70°C-7%
Perf/Watt	47.9	141.6+196%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB launched at $329 MSRP, while the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti launched at $399. The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB costs 17.5% less ($70 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.0 (GeForce RTX 3060 12GB) vs 56.8 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) — the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti offers 11.4% better value. The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2022).