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RTX 4060 vs RTX 3060 12GB: Gaming Performance & Bottleneck (2026)

The RTX 4060 and RTX 3060 12GB are effectively tied: at 1440p High they average 49 and 45 FPS in AAA games with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D, and at 4K the gap is just 0%. At 1080p they're 18% apart too. With ray tracing on at 1440p they manage 26 and 25 FPS respectively, so plan on DLSS, FSR or XeSS upscaling. In esports games like CS2 or Valorant at 1080p they reach 243 and 206 FPS, enough for a 144 Hz monitor. At 4K the RTX 3060 12GB manages 27 FPS native, and DLSS Quality lifts that to about 38. 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. With frame rates this close, price and the features you value should decide, not benchmarks. 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 4060100%
RTX 3060 12GB92%

49 vs 45 FPS · RTX 4060 +9%

4K, AAA games

RTX 4060100%
RTX 3060 12GB100%

27 vs 27 FPS · level

1440p, ray tracing

RTX 4060100%
RTX 3060 12GB95%

26 vs 25 FPS · RTX 4060 +5%

FPS with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D

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

SettingRTX 4060RTX 3060 12GBLead
1080p High76644060 +18%
1440p High49454060 +9%
4K High2727Level
1440p ray tracing26254060 +5%

Specifications

Raster index: RTX 4090 = 100.

SpecRTX 4060RTX 3060 12GB
VRAM8 GB12 GB
Ray tracingYes, full speedYes, 95% efficiency
Released20232021
Raster index3328

Which CPU do you need?

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

Graphics cardSlowest CPUFPS
RTX 4060Ryzen 5 3600 or faster49
RTX 3060 12GBRyzen 5 3600 or faster45

Which should you buy?

On raster performance this is a coin toss, so buy whichever is cheaper where you shop. If you play with ray tracing, the RTX 4060 is the safer pick (5% faster with RT at 1440p). At the same price, take the RTX 3060 12GB for its extra VRAM.

Buy the RTX 4060 if…

  • you play with ray tracing: 26 vs 25 FPS at 1440p.
  • you want the newer card (2023) with the longer driver and feature support ahead of it.

Buy the RTX 3060 12GB if…

  • you play at 4K or use high-resolution texture packs: 12 GB of VRAM vs 8 GB.
  • it costs at least 9% less than the RTX 4060, which makes it the better value per frame.

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 4060 Check Ryzen 5 3600 + RTX 3060 12GB

Popular builds with these cards

Ryzen 5 7600 + RTX 40601440p · GPU-limited 64% · ≈49 FPSCore i5-13400F + RTX 40601440p · GPU-limited 61% · ≈49 FPSCore i5-12400F + RTX 40601440p · GPU-limited 59% · ≈49 FPSRyzen 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 FPS

RTX 4060 vs RTX 3060 12GB: quick answers

Is the RTX 4060 faster than the RTX 3060 12GB?

They're within 0% of each other at 4K and 9% at 1440p, so in practice they perform the same. With ray tracing on at 1440p the RTX 4060 gets about 26 FPS and the RTX 3060 12GB 25 FPS.

How many FPS do the RTX 4060 and RTX 3060 12GB get?

With a Ryzen 7 9800X3D at High settings in AAA games, the RTX 4060 averages about 76 FPS at 1080p, 49 at 1440p and 27 at 4K. The RTX 3060 12GB averages 64, 45 and 27 FPS. DLSS, FSR or XeSS upscaling adds roughly 40% where the graphics card is the limit.

What CPU do I need for the RTX 4060 or RTX 3060 12GB?

To keep the CPU bottleneck under 10% at 1440p, the RTX 4060 needs a Ryzen 5 3600 or faster and the RTX 3060 12GB 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.