Guide
RTX 3060 Ti vs RTX 3060 — Which to choose in 2026?
The RTX 3060 Ti (180–230 € (occasion)) and the RTX 3060 (150–200 € (occasion)) are two of the most popular GPUs in their price range. This comparison covers 1080p and 1440p performance, power draw, price, and helps you decide which card fits your build best.
Side-by-side specifications
| Specification | RTX 3060 Ti | RTX 3060 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM | 8 GB | 12 GB |
| TDP (reference) | ~200 W | ~170 W |
| Architecture | Ampere (GA104) | Ampere (GA106) |
| Release year | 2020 | 2021 |
| Typical price (2026) | 180–230 € (occasion) | 150–200 € (occasion) |
Indicative benchmarks (avg FPS, raster)
Rounded in-game averages (no DLSS Frame Generation). Useful to compare 1080p vs 1440p feel.
FPS (higher is better)
Cyberpunk 2077
1080p
1440p
Fortnite
1080p
1440p
Hogwarts Legacy
1080p
1440p
Call of Duty (Warzone)
1080p
1440p
Red Dead Redemption 2
1080p
1440p
Which GPU for your use case?
- Casual / single-playerBoth GPUs stay very playable at 1080p. The RTX 3060 Ti has more headroom in recent AAA titles.
- 1080p competitive (high FPS)For competitive gaming both reach high FPS. The RTX 3060 Ti is slightly faster.
- 1440p / light creationAt 1440p the gap widens in favour of the RTX 3060 Ti. The RTX 3060 still makes sense for older titles or medium settings.
Bottom line
Pick the RTX 3060 Ti if buying new: better overall performance.
Choose the RTX 3060 if budget is tight — its 12 GB VRAM can be an advantage.
FPS varies with CPU, drivers, and scene. Use the PC4Games comparator for picks tied to your games.
RTX 3060 Ti or RTX 3060: quick summary
The RTX 3060 Ti delivers better overall performance in our benchmarks. The RTX 3060 stays competitive, especially as a value option on the used market.
At 1080p: the RTX 3060 Ti has more headroom in demanding titles. At 1440p: the gap widens — the RTX 3060 Ti is more comfortable targeting 60+ FPS at high/ultra settings.
Power draw and PSU compatibility
The RTX 3060 Ti has a TDP of 200W; the RTX 3060 draws 170W. Both cards have similar power requirements. A 650–750W PSU is recommended for most builds.
Price and value in 2026
In 2026, the RTX 3060 Ti sells for around 180–230 € (occasion) and the RTX 3060 for 150–200 € (occasion). The RTX 3060 Ti justifies its premium with higher performance, particularly at 1440p.
Example PCs on Amazon related to this guide
Three desktops then three laptops from the PC4Games catalog in a range that fits the topic — each link opens Amazon (affiliate).
Desktop PCs — top picks
Acer Nitro N20 — Intel Core i5-13420H, NVIDIA RTX 3050, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, compact tower, Windows 11 (IE)
RTX 3050 · i5-13420H · 16 GB RAM
CyberPowerPC Wyvern — AMD Ryzen 5 4500, NVIDIA RTX 3050, 16GB RAM, 500GB NVMe SSD, 650W PSU, WiFi, Windows 11 (IE)
RTX 3050 · Ryzen 5 4500 · 16 GB RAM
STGsivir — AMD Ryzen 5 5500, GeForce RTX 3050 6GB, 32GB DDR4, 1TB SSD, WiFi 6, Windows 11 Pro (IE)
RTX 3050 · Ryzen 5 5500 · 32 GB RAM
Gaming laptops
Medion Erazer Crawler E30 15.6" — Intel Core i5-12450H, NVIDIA RTX 3050, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, 144Hz FHD, Windows 11…
RTX 3050 · i5-12450H · 8 GB RAM
ASUS Vivobook 15 OLED E1504FA — AMD Ryzen 5 7520U, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, 15.6" FHD OLED, Windows 11 (IE)
Radeon Graphics · Ryzen 5 7520U · 8 GB RAM
HP 15.6" — AMD Ryzen 7 (7000 series), 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, FHD, Windows 11 Home, fast charge (IE)
Radeon 680M · Ryzen 7 7735U · 16 GB RAM
Amazon Associates: PC4Games may earn a commission on qualifying purchases. Price and availability on Amazon.
PC4Games
Take action with the comparator: pick your games, budget, then compare PCs.
Other useful guides
- How to choose a gaming PC in 2026
- Desktop vs laptop for gaming
- Mistakes to avoid when buying a gaming PC
- Best gaming PC 2026: the budget-by-budget comparison
- Cheap gaming PC 2026: choosing right on a small budget
- 1440p gaming PC 2026: which configuration to choose?
- Gaming PC for streaming: recommended configuration 2026
- How much RAM for a gaming PC in 2026: 8, 16 or 32 GB?
