GPU Comparison
Select up to 2 GPUs to analyze their pricing, performance, and specifications side-by-side.
On raw speed the GeForce RTX 4090 comes out dramatically faster — about 350% ahead of the GeForce RTX 3060 8GB. But the GeForce RTX 3060 8GB is the better value, undercutting it by $3,011 EUR for the performance you get.
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GeForce RTX 4090 vs GeForce RTX 3060 8GB: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce RTX 4090 vs GeForce RTX 3060 8GB
The GeForce RTX 4090 is dramatically faster, around 350% ahead of the GeForce RTX 3060 8GB. That gap is enough to move it up a tier: the GeForce RTX 4090 is comfortable at 4K and high-refresh 1440p, while the GeForce RTX 3060 8GB is better matched to 1080p. The GeForce RTX 4090 packs 16,384 CUDA cores versus 3,584 on the GeForce RTX 3060 8GB.
Price & Value
The GeForce RTX 3060 8GB currently lists from $479 EUR, $3,011 EUR less than the GeForce RTX 4090 at $3,490 EUR. Despite being slower, the GeForce RTX 3060 8GB offers the better performance-per-dollar (~62% better value), so budget-focused buyers should weigh it carefully. The GeForce RTX 3060 8GB still sits about $150 EUR above its $329 EUR MSRP. The GeForce RTX 4090 still sits about $1,891 EUR above its $1,599 EUR MSRP.
Power & Efficiency
On power, the GeForce RTX 3060 8GB is the gentler choice at 170W versus 450W. The GeForce RTX 4090 is more efficient per watt because it's faster, but its higher 450W draw means more heat and a bigger PSU. 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 carries 24GB versus 8GB on the GeForce RTX 3060 8GB. The extra 16GB helps at 4K, with high-resolution texture packs, and for content-creation or local-AI workloads that exhaust smaller buffers. The GeForce RTX 4090's memory is also faster — 1,008 GB/s versus 240 GB/s (384-bit vs 128-bit bus) — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.
Which should you buy: GeForce RTX 3060 8GB or GeForce RTX 4090?
Choose the GeForce RTX 4090 if you want the most performance and can absorb the higher price. If you're optimizing for value, the GeForce RTX 3060 8GB stretches your money further for only slightly lower performance.