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RTX 3060 12GB vs RTX 3060 Ti: Gaming Performance & Bottleneck (2026)

Expect a small but real lead for the RTX 3060 Ti: 54 FPS at 1440p High against 45 for the RTX 3060 12GB with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D, a 19% gap that narrows to 9% at 4K. Newer isn't faster here: the RTX 3060 Ti came out 1 year before the RTX 3060 12GB and still leads in raster performance. The order holds at 1080p (29% apart), so the RTX 3060 Ti is the quicker card at every resolution. With ray tracing on at 1440p they manage 25 and 27 FPS respectively, so plan on DLSS, FSR or XeSS upscaling. In esports games like CS2 or Valorant at 1080p they reach 206 and 265 FPS, enough for a 144 Hz monitor. The RTX 3060 12GB also has more memory (12 GB vs 8 GB), and 8 GB is already tight at 1440p High in new games. To stay under a 10% CPU bottleneck at 1440p, both need only a Ryzen 5 3600-class CPU.

Relative performance

Faster card = 100%. Average FPS at High settings with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D.

1440p, AAA games

RTX 3060 12GB84%
RTX 3060 Ti100%

45 vs 54 FPS · RTX 3060 Ti +19%

4K, AAA games

RTX 3060 12GB92%
RTX 3060 Ti100%

27 vs 30 FPS · RTX 3060 Ti +9%

1440p, ray tracing

RTX 3060 12GB92%
RTX 3060 Ti100%

25 vs 27 FPS · RTX 3060 Ti +9%

FPS with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Average FPS in AAA games, no upscaling. A fast CPU, so the graphics card sets the pace.

SettingRTX 3060 12GBRTX 3060 TiLead
1080p High64833060 Ti +29%
1440p High45543060 Ti +19%
4K High27303060 Ti +9%
1440p ray tracing25273060 Ti +9%

Specifications

Raster index: RTX 4090 = 100.

SpecRTX 3060 12GBRTX 3060 Ti
VRAM12 GB8 GB
Ray tracingYes, 95% efficiencyYes, 95% efficiency
Released20212020
Raster index2836

Which CPU do you need?

Slowest common CPU that keeps each card under a 10% bottleneck at 1440p High.

Graphics cardSlowest CPUFPS
RTX 3060 12GBRyzen 5 3600 or faster45
RTX 3060 TiRyzen 5 3600 or faster53

Which should you buy?

Buy the RTX 3060 Ti if you want the faster card: it's 9% ahead at 4K. The RTX 3060 12GB is the better buy only if it costs at least 19% less, the gap at 1440p, because then it delivers more frames per dollar. Already own the RTX 3060 12GB? The RTX 3060 Ti is only 19% faster at 1440p and is older hardware, so switching is rarely worth it.

Buy the RTX 3060 12GB if…

  • you play at 4K or use high-resolution texture packs: 12 GB of VRAM vs 8 GB.
  • you want the newer card (2021) with the longer driver and feature support ahead of it.
  • it costs at least 19% less than the RTX 3060 Ti, which makes it the better value per frame.

Buy the RTX 3060 Ti if…

  • you want the most FPS: it's 9% faster at 4K and 19% at 1440p.
  • you play with ray tracing: 27 vs 25 FPS at 1440p.

Check your build

These numbers use a Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate the graphics card. Your own CPU, resolution and settings change the result, so run your exact parts through the calculator.

Check Ryzen 5 3600 + RTX 3060 12GB Check Ryzen 5 3600 + RTX 3060 Ti

Popular builds with these cards

Ryzen 5 7600 + RTX 3060 12GB1440p · GPU-limited 67% · ≈45 FPSCore i5-13400F + RTX 3060 12GB1440p · GPU-limited 64% · ≈45 FPSCore i5-12400F + RTX 3060 12GB1440p · GPU-limited 62% · ≈45 FPSRyzen 5 7600 + RTX 3060 Ti1440p · GPU-limited 61% · ≈54 FPSCore i5-13400F + RTX 3060 Ti1440p · GPU-limited 58% · ≈54 FPSCore i5-12400F + RTX 3060 Ti1440p · GPU-limited 55% · ≈54 FPS

RTX 3060 12GB vs RTX 3060 Ti: quick answers

Is the RTX 3060 12GB faster than the RTX 3060 Ti?

No. The RTX 3060 Ti is about 9% faster at 4K and 19% faster at 1440p in AAA games at High settings. With ray tracing on at 1440p the RTX 3060 12GB gets about 25 FPS and the RTX 3060 Ti 27 FPS.

How many FPS do the RTX 3060 12GB and RTX 3060 Ti get?

With a Ryzen 7 9800X3D at High settings in AAA games, the RTX 3060 12GB averages about 64 FPS at 1080p, 45 at 1440p and 27 at 4K. The RTX 3060 Ti averages 83, 54 and 30 FPS. DLSS, FSR or XeSS upscaling adds roughly 40% where the graphics card is the limit.

What CPU do I need for the RTX 3060 12GB or RTX 3060 Ti?

To keep the CPU bottleneck under 10% at 1440p, the RTX 3060 12GB needs a Ryzen 5 3600 or faster and the RTX 3060 Ti needs a Ryzen 5 3600 or faster. At 1080p you need a faster CPU for the same result, and at 4K a slower one is fine. A slower CPU narrows the gap between the RTX 3060 Ti and the RTX 3060 12GB.