NVIDIA
GeForce RTX 3060 12GB
Ampere · 12 GB GDDR6 · 170 W
76
/ 100
From $329
VS
GeForce RTX 3080 12GB wins by 9
NVIDIA
GeForce RTX 3080 12GB
Ampere · 12 GB GDDR6X · 350 W
85
/ 100
From $799
Specdex verdict
GeForce RTX 3080 12GB takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, GeForce RTX 3060 12GB lands at 76 and GeForce RTX 3080 12GB at 85. That puts GeForce RTX 3080 12GB ahead by 9 points — a decisive margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick GeForce RTX 3060 12GB if…
- ✓NVIDIA driver stack
- ✓DLSS support on RTX
- ✓Strong resale value
Pick GeForce RTX 3080 12GB if…
- ✓NVIDIA driver stack
- ✓DLSS support on RTX
- ✓Strong resale value
GeForce RTX 3060 12GB 76
vs 85 GeForce RTX 3080 12GB
Score breakdown
GeForce RTX 3060 12GB
76 raster 76
rt 71
ai 73
efficiency 72
GeForce RTX 3080 12GB
85 raster 85
rt 80
ai 82
efficiency 73
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB | GeForce RTX 3080 12GB |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Ampere | Ampere |
| VRAM | 12 GB GDDR6 | 12 GB GDDR6X |
| TBP | 170 W | 350 W |
| Release year | 2021 | 2022 |
GeForce RTX 3060 12GB
Pros
- +NVIDIA driver stack
- +DLSS support on RTX
- +Strong resale value
Cons
- −Power draw scales with tier
- −Gen-over-gen price creep
- −VRAM gated per tier
GeForce RTX 3080 12GB
Pros
- +NVIDIA driver stack
- +DLSS support on RTX
- +Strong resale value
Cons
- −Power draw scales with tier
- −Gen-over-gen price creep
- −VRAM gated per tier
FAQ: GeForce RTX 3060 12GB vs GeForce RTX 3080 12GB
Which is better, GeForce RTX 3060 12GB or GeForce RTX 3080 12GB? +
GeForce RTX 3080 12GB scores 85 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 9. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is GeForce RTX 3060 12GB worth the price? +
At $329, GeForce RTX 3060 12GB delivers a Specdex score of 76 — strongest in raster.
Is GeForce RTX 3080 12GB worth the price? +
At $799, GeForce RTX 3080 12GB delivers a Specdex score of 85 — strongest in raster.
Does GeForce RTX 3060 12GB or GeForce RTX 3080 12GB last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.