GPU Comparison
Select up to 2 GPUs to analyze their pricing, performance, and specifications side-by-side.
Market Value Leader
Only verified data for GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is available. Benchmarks for other models are currently being processed.
On raw speed the GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop comes out dramatically faster — about 122% ahead of the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is the cheaper option by $5,860 CAD.
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Comparable or lower specs
GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop vs GeForce RTX 3060 12GB: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop vs GeForce RTX 3060 12GB
The GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop is dramatically faster, around 122% ahead of the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB. That gap is enough to move it up a tier: the GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop is comfortable at 1440p, while the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is better matched to 1080p. The GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop packs 9,728 CUDA cores versus 3,584 on the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB.
Price & Value
The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB currently lists from $300 CAD, $5,860 CAD less than the GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop at $6,160 CAD. The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is trading below its $329 CAD MSRP — a genuine deal.
Power & Efficiency
At 150W against 170W, the GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop is both the lower-power and the more efficient card, making it the easier build to cool and power. Its more modern Ada Lovelace architecture on a TSMC 4N process is part of why it does more with each watt.
VRAM & Future-Proofing
The GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop carries 16GB versus 12GB on the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB. The extra 4GB helps at 4K, with high-resolution texture packs, and for content-creation or local-AI workloads that exhaust smaller buffers. The GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop's memory is also faster — 576 GB/s versus 360 GB/s (256-bit vs 192-bit bus) — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.
Generation & Longevity
The GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop is roughly 2 years newer than the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB (Ada Lovelace vs Ampere), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Which should you buy: GeForce RTX 3060 12GB or GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop?
The GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop is the faster card by about 122%. With live pricing limited for this pair, base your decision on the spec differences above — particularly VRAM and power draw — and check current stock before buying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop better than the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB or the GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop?
Is the GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop worth the extra $5,860 CAD over the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB?
Does the GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop have enough VRAM advantage to matter?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB | GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Ampere | Ada Lovelace |
| Process Node | Samsung 8nm | TSMC 4N |
| CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / CUDA Cores) | 3,584 | 9,728✓ |
| Ray Tracing Cores | 28 | 76✓ |
| Tensor / AI Cores | 112 | 304✓ |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB | GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,320 MHz | 1,455 MHz✓ |
| Boost Clock | 1,777 MHz | 2,040 MHz✓ |
Memory
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB | GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 12 GB | 16 GB✓ |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | 192-bit | 256-bit✓ |
| Memory Speed | 15 Gbps | 18 Gbps✓ |
| Bandwidth | 360 GB/s | 576 GB/s✓ |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB | GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 |
| TDP | 170 W | 150 W✓ |
| Power Connectors | 1x 8-pin | None |
| Released | Feb 2021 | Feb 2023 |
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