nvidiaRTX 30

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060

Entry Level GPU • Best for 1080pAmpere Architecture • 12GB GDDR6

Value Score
38.4
Rating
Fair Value
Current Prices
Amazon (New)
$250
Buy →
MSRP$250
ReleasedJan 2021

Gaming Benchmarks

1080p Gaming88
1440p Gaming64
4K Gaming40
Ray Tracing38
Productivity61

Specifications

ArchitectureAmpere
GPU ChipGA106
VRAM12GB GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth360 GB/s
Shaders / CUDA Cores3,584
Boost Clock1777 MHz
TDP / Power Draw170W
Ray TracingYes
Release Year2021

3DMark Scores

Steel Nomad1,965
AI / Pro Score199.1

Recommended PSU for GeForce RTX 3060

450W
Minimum recommended PSU wattage
Based on 170W GPU TDP + system overhead

Is the GeForce RTX 3060 Worth It in 2026?

At $250, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 scores 38/100 on our Value Scale. There may be better options in this price range offering more performance per dollar.

You'll need at least a 450W PSU to run this card reliably (170W TDP).

As a budget option under $300, GeForce RTX 3060 is great for 1080p gaming and light creative work.

Alternatives to consider: GeForce RTX 5050 ($249, Value: 93/100), Radeon RX 7650 GRE ($279, Value: 88/100)

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Overview

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 is a entry level graphics card built on NVIDIA's Ampere architecture. With 12GB of GDDR6 memory, it targets 1080p gaming.

At its current best price of $250, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 earns a Value Score of 38/100 — rated as "Fair Value". Its 170W TDP makes it efficient and suitable for most builds.