Arc A580 vs GeForce RTX 3060 8GB
Neither the Arc A580 nor the GeForce RTX 3060 8GB pulls ahead in performance; treat them as equals on speed. It also comes out ahead on value, making it the straightforward pick if the price fits your budget.
Maximum Capacity Reached. Remove a model to add another. (2/2)
Arc A580 vs GeForce RTX 3060 8GB: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: Arc A580 vs GeForce RTX 3060 8GB
The Arc A580 and GeForce RTX 3060 8GB post nearly the same score in our performance index, so neither holds a meaningful raw-speed advantage. Both are best suited to 1080p gaming.
Price & Value
On price, expect to pay $165 USD for the Arc A580 versus $190 USD for the GeForce RTX 3060 8GB. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the Arc A580 wins on performance-per-dollar by about 15%. The GeForce RTX 3060 8GB is trading below its $329 USD MSRP — a genuine deal.
Generation & Longevity
The Arc A580 is roughly 2 years newer than the GeForce RTX 3060 8GB (Alchemist vs Ampere), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Features & Ecosystem
Beyond raw numbers, the Arc A580 brings Intel XeSS upscaling and AV1 encoding, while the GeForce RTX 3060 8GB 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 A580 or GeForce RTX 3060 8GB?
The Arc A580 is the all-round winner here — it's faster and the better value, so buy it if it fits your budget. Only consider the GeForce RTX 3060 8GB if you find it at a steep discount.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Arc A580 better than the GeForce RTX 3060 8GB?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the Arc A580 or the GeForce RTX 3060 8GB?
Is the GeForce RTX 3060 8GB worth the extra $25 USD over the Arc A580?
Which should you buy: Arc A580 or GeForce RTX 3060 8GB?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | Arc A580 | GeForce RTX 3060 8GB |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Alchemist | Ampere |
| Process Node | TSMC N6 | Samsung 8nm |
| CUDA Cores (Shading Units / CUDA Cores) | 3,072 | 3,584✓ |
| Ray Tracing Cores | 24 | 28✓ |
| Tensor / AI Cores | 384✓ | 112 |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | Arc A580 | GeForce RTX 3060 8GB |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,700 MHz✓ | 1,320 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 2,000 MHz✓ | 1,777 MHz |
Memory
| Specification | Arc A580 | GeForce RTX 3060 8GB |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | 256-bit✓ | 128-bit |
| Memory Speed | 16 Gbps✓ | 15 Gbps |
| Bandwidth | 512 GB/s✓ | 240 GB/s |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | Arc A580 | GeForce RTX 3060 8GB |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 |
| TDP | 175 W | 170 W✓ |
| Power Connectors | 2x 8-pin | 1x 8-pin |
| Released | Oct 2023 | Feb 2021 |
Related Reading
Intel Arc A580: The Reality of Budget Gaming in 2026
Between aggressive price cuts and the arrival of the Battlemage generation, is the Arc A580 still a realistic choice for 1080p gaming?
Intel Arc Alchemist in 2026: Is a Used A580, A750 or A770 Still Worth Buying?
Every Arc Alchemist card is discontinued, and Battlemage replaced them. So what does a used A580, A750 or A770 still buy you — and at what price does it beat a new Arc B580? An honest retrospective on Intel's first discrete GPUs.