Is it time to replace the GeForce RTX 3060?
The GeForce RTX 3060 came out in 2021, so it is 5 years old and still plays most games on reduced settings. On our scale it scores 24 with 12 GB of memory, which puts it in C tier.
Home / Upgrade advisor / GeForce RTX 3060
Best upgrade from the GeForce RTX 3060
Cards that are clearly faster, ranked by speed gained per dollar.
Best upgrades from the GeForce RTX 3060
| Card | Faster by | Launch price |
|---|---|---|
| Radeon RX 9070 XT | +179% | $599 |
| Radeon RX 9070 | +150% | $549 |
| GeForce RTX 5070 | +121% | $549 |
| Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB | +83% | $349 |
| Radeon RX 9060 XT 8GB | +79% | $299 |
Cards at least 25% faster with a launch price of $600 or less, best speed gain per dollar first. Change the budget above for other ranges.
What the best upgrades look like
In our list, the strongest option under $600 is the Radeon RX 9060 XT 8GB, about 79% faster than the GeForce RTX 3060, with a launch price of $299. The cheapest of the five is the Radeon RX 9070 XT at 2.8 times as fast and $599. The table ranks them by speed gained per dollar, so the best value is not always the fastest card.
Memory is part of the answer: the GeForce RTX 3060 has 12 GB and the picks have 8 to 16 GB. Power is the other: they are rated 150 to 304 W against 170 W for the GeForce RTX 3060.
The picks one by one
Radeon RX 9070 XT: about 2.8 times as fast, 16 GB, 304 W, $599 at launch. Radeon RX 9070: about 2.5 times as fast, 16 GB, 220 W, $549 at launch. GeForce RTX 5070: about 2.2 times as fast, 12 GB, 250 W, $549 at launch. Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB: about 83% faster, 16 GB, 160 W, $349 at launch. Radeon RX 9060 XT 8GB: about 79% faster, 8 GB, 150 W, $299 at launch.
Questions
What is a good upgrade from a GeForce RTX 3060?
In our list, the Radeon RX 9070 XT is about 179% faster for $599 at launch.
How much faster is the best pick than the GeForce RTX 3060?
The Radeon RX 9060 XT 8GB is about 79% faster, and the cheapest option, the Radeon RX 9070 XT, is 2.8 times as fast.