NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Graphics Card 12 GB

The GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB is a performance-segment graphics card by NVIDIA, launched on January 12th, 2021. Built on the 8 nm process, and based on the GA106 graphics processor, in its GA106-300-A1 variant, the card supports DirectX 12 Ultimate. This ensures that all modern games will run on GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB. Additionally, the DirectX 12 Ultimate capability guarantees support for hardware-raytracing, variable-rate shading and more, in upcoming video games. The GA106 graphics processor is an average sized chip with a die area of 276 mm² and 12,000 million transistors. Unlike the fully unlocked GeForce RTX 3060 3840SP, which uses the same GPU but has all 3840 shaders enabled, NVIDIA has disabled some shading units on the GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB to reach the product’s target shader count. It features 3584 shading units, 112 texture mapping units, and 48 ROPs. Also included are 112 tensor cores which help improve the speed of machine learning applications. The card also has 28 raytracing acceleration cores. NVIDIA has paired 12 GB GDDR6 memory with the GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB, which are connected using a 192-bit memory interface. The GPU is operating at a frequency of 1320 MHz, which can be boosted up to 1777 MHz, memory is running at 1875 MHz (15 Gbps effective).

Being a dual-slot card, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB draws power from 1x 12-pin power connector, with power draw rated at 170 W maximum. Display outputs include: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB is connected to the rest of the system using a PCI-Express 4.0 x16 interface. The card measures 242 mm in length, 112 mm in width, and features a dual-slot cooling solution. Its price at launch was 329 US Dollars.

Key Features:

1. Ampere Architecture

1. CUDA Cores
   • The RTX 3060 has 3,584 CUDA cores (exact count may vary slightly by revision), delivering parallel computing capabilities for both gaming and content creation tasks.
2. Second-Generation RT Cores
   • Provides 2x faster ray tracing throughput over the previous generation, enabling realistic lighting, shadows, and reflections in supported titles.
3. Third-Generation Tensor Cores
   • Improves AI operations, powering features like DLSS for higher frame rates and better image fidelity, and accelerating AI-driven tasks in creative workflows.

2. 12GB GDDR6 Memory

• High-Capacity VRAM
  • With 12GB of GDDR6, the RTX 3060 ensures smooth performance when handling large textures, complex scenes, or moderate content creation projects.
• 192-bit Memory Interface
  • Offers ample memory bandwidth to handle modern gaming engines and GPU-accelerated applications efficiently.

3. Real-Time Ray Tracing

• Ray-Traced Visuals
  • Hardware-accelerated ray tracing brings cinematic-quality effects to gaming and professional rendering, delivering photorealistic reflections, shadows, and global illumination.
• Hybrid Rendering
  • Seamlessly combines rasterization and ray tracing for optimized performance and visual quality in titles that support real-time RT.

4. Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS)

• AI-Upscaling
  • Leverages Tensor Cores to upscale from a lower internal resolution, significantly boosting frame rates while preserving detail and sharpness.
• Optimized for 1080p & 1440p
  • DLSS allows comfortable gaming at higher detail settings or higher resolutions with minimal performance impact.

5. Efficient Power and Cooling

• TDP of ~170W
  • The RTX 3060 draws moderate power, making it suitable for a broad range of desktop builds (a quality 550W–600W PSU often recommended).
• Custom Cooling Solutions
  • Manufacturer partner cards may feature dual or triple-fan coolers and optimized heatsinks, keeping thermals in check under gaming or creative workloads.

6. Connectivity & Display Support

• HDMI 2.1
  • Supports 4K at 120Hz and 8K at 60Hz for advanced displays, delivering smooth visuals for gaming and media consumption.
• DisplayPort 1.4a
  • Usually includes three DisplayPort outputs for multi-monitor setups and high-refresh gaming.
• NVIDIA G-SYNC
  • Reduces screen tearing and input lag when paired with a G-SYNC-compatible monitor, ensuring fluid, responsive gameplay.

7. NVIDIA Studio Drivers

• Content Creation Optimization
  • Dedicated Studio drivers streamline performance in creative software such as Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Blender, and more, enhancing productivity and stability.
• AI-Assisted Tools
  • Harness Tensor Cores for AI-based features like background removal, style transfer, and automatic denoising in supported applications.

Applications:

1. Gaming

• 1080p High Settings
  • Ideal for maxing out game detail at 1080p, hitting high frame rates for competitive gaming titles and immersive AAA experiences.
• 1440p Gaming
  • Provides a stable performance at 1440p resolution with medium-high detail settings, especially when paired with DLSS for additional fps.
• Virtual Reality
  • Offers enough GPU horsepower to handle VR applications with low latency and high detail levels.

2. Content Creation

• Video Editing
  • Accelerates 4K video editing, color grading, and encoding in applications like Adobe Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve.
• 3D Rendering & Animation
  • Improves rendering times in tools such as Blender, 3ds Max, or Maya, leveraging CUDA cores for faster results.
• Streaming
  • The dedicated NVENC encoder allows efficient live streaming on Twitch or YouTube with minimal performance loss.

3. AI & Data Science

• Deep Learning
  • Tensor Cores facilitate faster training or inference for smaller to medium-sized neural networks, enabling experimentation in machine learning workloads.
• Data Visualization
  • GPU-accelerated libraries handle large data sets in real-time, improving analytics and scientific research.

4. Everyday Productivity

• Multi-Monitor Workflows
  • Support for multiple displays improves multitasking for office tasks, media consumption, or web development.
• Light HPC Tasks
  • Handles moderate HPC or scientific tasks that benefit from GPU acceleration, though it’s not a dedicated HPC card.

Why Choose the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB?

1. High-Capacity VRAM

1. • 12GB of GDDR6 memory offers abundant headroom for games with large texture packs, 3D modeling, or moderate AI workloads.

2. Ampere Architecture Advantages

1. • Access to second-gen RT Cores and third-gen Tensor Cores for advanced ray tracing, DLSS, and AI-based functionalities.

3. Competitive Price-to-Performance

1. • Positioned as a mid-range GPU, it delivers strong performance for 1080p/1440p gaming and creative tasks without the higher cost of flagship models.

4. Ease of Integration

1. • Typically consumes around 170W TDP, making it suitable for most modern PC builds, requiring only a modest PSU upgrade if needed.

5. Versatile Usage

1. • Balances gaming prowess with robust GPU-accelerated productivity, appealing to both avid gamers and part-time creators.