NVIDIA

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060

Expert rating7.5 / 10

Architecture:: Ampere (GA106)
CUDA Cores:: 3584
Memory:: 12GB GDDR6
TDP:: 170W
Launch Price:: $329

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Manufacturer: NVIDIA Last updated: September 11, 2026

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Review

The RTX 3060 remains one of the most widely-owned GPUs in Steam's hardware survey years after launch, thanks to a generous 12GB VRAM allocation that outlasted several pricier cards from the same generation.

NVIDIA gave the RTX 3060 12GB of memory, more than the RTX 3060 Ti's 8GB, a decision that has aged unusually well as VRAM requirements crept upward across the following years.

More VRAM Than Its Own Bigger Sibling

NVIDIA gave the RTX 3060 12GB of memory, more than the RTX 3060 Ti's 8GB, a decision that has aged unusually well as VRAM requirements crept upward across the following years.

A Long-Running Steam Survey Fixture

The RTX 3060's combination of price, availability, and VRAM headroom made it a default recommendation for years, and its continued presence in hardware surveys keeps it a constant reference point in GPU comparison searches.

Comparison to Alternatives

Against the RTX 3060 Ti covered in this batch, the base 3060 trades raw performance for more VRAM at a lower price. Against the newer RTX 4060 already on this site, the 3060 gives up efficiency and DLSS 3 support but often costs less on the secondary market.

Our verdict

Reviewed by Burooj Alam. Rated by us, not by users.

Expert rating7.5 / 10

A 12GB frame buffer at a budget price has kept this card relevant far longer than most of its generation.

Best for

Budget builds that want more VRAM than most cards at this price point offer.

Not for

Buyers chasing the best raw performance-per-dollar in the current generation.

Specifications

What these specs mean

Identity and type

Product Type	Desktop Add-In Card
Series	GeForce RTX 30

Performance

VRAM	12 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6
Boost Clock	1777 MHz
Ray Tracing Support	Yes

Physical & Power

TDP	170 W

Silicon

Architecture	Ampere (GA106)
Process Node	Samsung 8N
Shader Units	3584

Ray tracing and AI

RT Cores	28
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 4

Clocks

Base Clock	1320 MHz

Memory

Memory Bus Width	192 bit
Memory Bandwidth	360 GB/s

Power

Power Connector	1x 8-pin

Host interface

PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0

Market and workstation

MSRP	329 USD
Launch Date	February 2021

FAQs

What are the key specifications of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 (Graphics Card/Ampere GA106/3584 CUDA Cores/12GB GDDR6/Steam Survey Favorite)?

Key specs for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060: VRAM 12 GB, Memory Bandwidth 360 GB/s, Boost Clock 1777 MHz, TDP 170 W, Architecture Ampere (GA106), Product Type Desktop Add-In Card.

Who is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 (Graphics Card/Ampere GA106/3584 CUDA Cores/12GB GDDR6/Steam Survey Favorite) best suited to?

Best suited to: Budget builds that want more VRAM than most cards at this price point offer.

What are the drawbacks of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 (Graphics Card/Ampere GA106/3584 CUDA Cores/12GB GDDR6/Steam Survey Favorite)?

Not the best fit for: Buyers chasing the best raw performance-per-dollar in the current generation.