RTX 3060 vs RTX 4060: Which Should You Buy?
Head-to-head on performance, VRAM, power and value for 2026.
Quick Summary · TL;DR
On our relative performance index the RTX 4060 leads the RTX 3060 by about 20% — a large gap. The RTX 3060 has more VRAM (12GB vs 8GB), which helps at high resolutions and in VRAM-hungry titles.
| RTX 3060 | RTX 4060 | |
|---|---|---|
| Performance index | 30/100 | 36/100 |
| VRAM | 12GB | 8GB |
| Board power (TBP) | 170W | 115W |
| Maker PSU guidance | 550W | 550W |
| Our starting PSU class | 550W | 550W |
| Power connector | 8-pin PCIe | 8-pin PCIe |
| Generation | RTX 30 | RTX 40 |
Relative gaming index — an estimate of typical performance. Real-world gaps vary by game, resolution and settings.
Which should you buy?
Buy the RTX 4060 if you want the higher frame rate and can find it at a fair price. Choose the RTX 3060 if it is clearly cheaper and its 8GB+ of VRAM and features cover your target resolution. Both are from a similar lineage, so price is the main deciding factor.
Power planning: RTX 3060 PSU · RTX 4060 PSU.
RTX 3060 vs RTX 4060 at each resolution
| Resolution | RTX 3060 | RTX 4060 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | Great (10 short of Excellent) | Great (4 short of Excellent) |
| 1440p | Not ideal (8 short of Playable) | Not ideal (2 short of Playable) |
| 4K | Not ideal (20 short of Playable) | Not ideal (14 short of Playable) |
On our rating lines the RTX 3060 (30) and RTX 4060 (36) land on the same verdict at every resolution, so the 6-point index gap does not move either card into a different class. Memory, power and the price you can find decide it. The RTX 3060 also carries 4GB more memory (12GB vs 8GB).
Power, PSU and efficiency
Reference board power is 170W for the RTX 3060 and 115W for the RTX 4060, a 55W difference. Per 100W that works out to 17.6 index points for the RTX 3060 and 31.3 for the RTX 4060, so the RTX 4060 does more per watt. Both makers list the same 550W supply. Full sizing: RTX 3060 PSU · RTX 4060 PSU.
Ratings use the same index lines as our GPU resolution pages; the index is an editorial tier summary, not a benchmark. PSU figures are the makers’ reference guidance reviewed 12 September 2026.
Sources & verification
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series specifications
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series specifications
- SpecsCalc calculation methodology and limitations
Relative indices summarize broad gaming tiers and are not a substitute for game-by-game benchmark averages. Price and driver updates can change the buying recommendation. Last reviewed September 19, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is the RTX 3060 better than the RTX 4060?
On our relative index the RTX 4060 is about 20% ahead of the RTX 3060. The RTX 3060 has more VRAM (12GB vs 8GB), which helps at high resolutions and in VRAM-hungry titles. The smaller the gap, the more other factors like price, VRAM and features should decide it.
Which is better value, the RTX 3060 or the RTX 4060?
Value depends on the price you can find each at. The slower card is usually the smart buy if it is meaningfully cheaper, unless you need the extra VRAM or features of the faster one.
Do the RTX 3060 and RTX 4060 need different power supplies?
The RTX 3060's maker lists a 550W supply and the RTX 4060's lists 550W; our starting classes are 550W and 550W. On the makers’ own guidance, a supply that suits one suits the other. The RTX 4060 can also take a PCIe Gen 5 (12V-2x6) cable; see the connector guide.
Make sure your CPU can keep up with either card using the Bottleneck Estimator, or compare more cards in the GPU comparison hub.