GPU Comparison

Select up to 2 GPUs to analyze their pricing, performance, and specifications side-by-side.

Quick Verdict

The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is dramatically faster than the Radeon RX Vega 56, leading by roughly 50% in our performance index. It is also the stronger value pick here, so it's the easy recommendation if your budget allows.

Maximum Capacity Reached. Remove a model to add another. (2/2)

VS
NVIDIA
GeForce RTX 3060 12GB
Price
€387
Performance
18%
VRAM
12 GB GDDR6
Key Specs Advantage
+21% Boost Clock (1,777 MHz vs 1,471 MHz)
Price
€790
Performance
12%
VRAM
8 GB HBM2
Key Specs Advantage
+967% Memory Bus (2048-bit vs 192-bit)
+14% Bandwidth (409.6 GB/s vs 360 GB/s)

GeForce RTX 3060 12GB vs Radeon RX Vega 56: In-Depth Breakdown

Performance: GeForce RTX 3060 12GB vs Radeon RX Vega 56

The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is dramatically faster, around 50% ahead of the Radeon RX Vega 56. That gap is enough to move it up a tier: the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is comfortable at 1080p, while the Radeon RX Vega 56 is better matched to entry-level 1080p.

Price & Value

Right now the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB starts at $387 EUR against $790 EUR for the Radeon RX Vega 56. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB wins on performance-per-dollar by about 206%. The Radeon RX Vega 56 still sits about $391 EUR above its $399 EUR MSRP.

Power & Efficiency

The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB draws just 170W versus 210W for the Radeon RX Vega 56, and it also delivers more performance per watt — so it runs cooler and quieter and needs less PSU headroom. Its more modern Ampere architecture on a Samsung 8nm process is part of why it does more with each watt.

VRAM & Future-Proofing

With 12GB against 8GB, the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB has more headroom for 4K textures and memory-hungry creative/AI tasks where the Radeon RX Vega 56's 8GB can fall short.

Generation & Longevity

The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is roughly 4 years newer than the Radeon RX Vega 56 (Ampere vs GCN 5.0 (Vega)), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.

Features & Ecosystem

Beyond raw numbers, the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB brings NVIDIA DLSS upscaling/frame generation and stronger ray tracing, while the Radeon RX Vega 56 offers AMD FSR upscaling and strong rasterization value. If you lean on upscaling or ray tracing, that ecosystem difference can matter as much as the frame-rate gap.

Which should you buy: GeForce RTX 3060 12GB or Radeon RX Vega 56?

The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is the all-round winner here — it's faster and the better value, so buy it if it fits your budget. Only consider the Radeon RX Vega 56 if you find it at a steep discount.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB better than the Radeon RX Vega 56?

The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is dramatically faster, roughly 50% ahead. If your budget allows, it's the stronger pick.

Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB or the Radeon RX Vega 56?

Neither is a dedicated 4K card; both are best at 1080p. For 4K you'd want a faster GPU, or lean on upscaling.

Is the Radeon RX Vega 56 worth the extra $403 EUR over the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB?

Only if you need the extra performance or features; on pure value the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB comes out ahead.

Does the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB have enough VRAM advantage to matter?

Its 12GB (vs 8GB) gives real headroom for 4K, heavy texture mods, and creative/AI work. At 1080p the gap matters less.

Technical Specifications Comparison

Architecture & Cores

SpecificationGeForce RTX 3060 12GBRadeon RX Vega 56
ArchitectureAmpereGCN 5.0 (Vega)
Process NodeSamsung 8nmGloFo 14nm
CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / Stream Processors)3,5843,584
Ray Tracing Cores28
Tensor / AI Cores112

Clock Speeds

SpecificationGeForce RTX 3060 12GBRadeon RX Vega 56
Base Clock1,320 MHz1,156 MHz
Boost Clock1,777 MHz1,471 MHz

Memory

SpecificationGeForce RTX 3060 12GBRadeon RX Vega 56
VRAM Capacity12 GB8 GB
Memory TypeGDDR6HBM2
Memory Bus192-bit2048-bit
Memory Speed15 Gbps1.6 Gbps
Bandwidth360 GB/s409.6 GB/s

Connectivity & Power

SpecificationGeForce RTX 3060 12GBRadeon RX Vega 56
InterfacePCIe 4.0 x16PCIe 3.0 x16
TDP170 W210 W
Power Connectors1x 8-pin2x 8-pin
ReleasedFeb 2021Aug 2017