Arc B580 vs GeForce RTX 3060 12GB
Performance-wise the Arc B580 is out front, significantly faster, roughly 22% up on the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB. Value tips toward the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB, though: $345 EUR cheaper for what you get.
Maximum Capacity Reached. Remove a model to add another. (2/2)
Arc B580 vs GeForce RTX 3060 12GB: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: Arc B580 vs GeForce RTX 3060 12GB
The Arc B580 is significantly faster, around 22% ahead of the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to 1080p.
Price & Value
Right now the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB starts at $23 EUR against $368 EUR for the Arc B580. Despite being slower, the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB offers the better performance-per-dollar (~1234% better value), so budget-focused buyers should weigh it carefully. The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is trading below its $329 EUR MSRP — a genuine deal. The Arc B580 still sits about $120 EUR above its $248 EUR MSRP.
Power & Efficiency
The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is the lighter draw at 170W against the Arc B580's 190W, making it the easier card to power and cool. The Arc B580 draws more in absolute terms but squeezes out more performance per watt, so budget for a beefier PSU if you go that route. Its more modern Battlemage architecture on a TSMC N5 process is part of why it does more with each watt.
Generation & Longevity
The Arc B580 is roughly 3 years newer than the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB (Battlemage vs Ampere), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Features & Ecosystem
Beyond raw numbers, the Arc B580 brings Intel XeSS upscaling and AV1 encoding, while the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB offers NVIDIA DLSS upscaling/frame generation and stronger ray tracing. If you lean on upscaling or ray tracing, that ecosystem difference can matter as much as the frame-rate gap.
Which should you buy: Arc B580 or GeForce RTX 3060 12GB?
Choose the Arc B580 if you want the most performance and can absorb the higher price. If you're optimizing for value, the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB stretches your money further for only slightly lower performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Arc B580 better than the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the Arc B580 or the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB?
Is the Arc B580 worth the extra $345 EUR over the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB?
Which should you buy: Arc B580 or GeForce RTX 3060 12GB?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | Arc B580 | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Battlemage | Ampere |
| Process Node | TSMC N5 | Samsung 8nm |
| CUDA Cores (Shading Units / CUDA Cores) | 2,560 | 3,584✓ |
| Ray Tracing Cores | 20 | 28✓ |
| Tensor / AI Cores | 160✓ | 112 |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | Arc B580 | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 2,670 MHz✓ | 1,320 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 2,850 MHz✓ | 1,777 MHz |
Memory
| Specification | Arc B580 | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 12 GB | 12 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | 192-bit | 192-bit |
| Memory Speed | 19 Gbps✓ | 15 Gbps |
| Bandwidth | 456 GB/s✓ | 360 GB/s |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | Arc B580 | GeForce RTX 3060 12GB |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 x8 | PCIe 4.0 x16 |
| TDP | 190 W | 170 W✓ |
| Power Connectors | 1x 8-pin | 1x 8-pin |
| Released | Dec 2024 | Feb 2021 |
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