How the GeForce RTX 3060 performs at 1080p, 1440p and 4K
At 1080p the GeForce RTX 3060 averages about 75 fps on High across the 14 games people check most. Most games hold 60 fps with room to spare.
At 1440p the typical result drops to 58 fps. 1440p is playable, but expect to lower settings or use upscaling in newer games. At 4K it is about 33 fps. 4K is not what this card is for.
The heaviest game we checked is Black Myth: Wukong, at 43 fps on High at 1080p. The lightest is VALORANT, which the card handles at 300+ fps. If your own games are somewhere in between, the table above shows where.
Memory and power
12 GB of video memory is comfortable for 1440p and gives you room for the next few years of releases.
The GeForce RTX 3060 is rated at 170 W. With a mid-range processor, plan on a 550 W power supply (450 W is the minimum). That is low enough for small cases and basic power supplies, which is part of the appeal.
Where it sits
Released in 2021, the GeForce RTX 3060 is a few years old but still capable. The next card up in our list is the Radeon RX 6600 XT, about 4% faster (launch price $379). The next card down is the GeForce RTX 2070, about 4% slower.
It launched at $329, which works out to 7.3 points of performance per $100. Prices on the used and discount market are different, so treat this as a way to compare cards, not as today's price.
Which processor to pair it with, and who it suits
To keep a processor from holding it back at 1080p, you want something like a Ryzen 3 3200G, and at 1440p a Ryzen 3 1200 or similar. Slower processors will still work, but you give up some of the card's speed. The best CPU list for this card shows the options for all three resolutions.
The GeForce RTX 3060 is a 1080p card. It plays almost everything at High, and a few heavy games need Medium. It is a sensible choice for a 1080p monitor at 60 or 144 Hz.