NVIDIA
GeForce RTX 4060Budget-friendly Ada Lovelace GPU with 8GB GDDR6 and DLSS 3. Excellent 1080p gaming performance with low power consumption.
NVIDIA
GeForce RTX 3090Ampere flagship with 24GB GDDR6X and 936 GB/s memory bandwidth. 10,496 CUDA cores, still relevant for memory-intensive AI and creative workloads at a fraction of its launch price.
How They Compare
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is priced at $299.99 in the GPUs category. It stands out with tdp, dlss, boost clock advantages over the competition. It's designed with gaming and budget in mind.
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 is priced at $749.99 in the GPUs category. It stands out with vram, cuda cores, memory bandwidth advantages over the competition.
Key Differences
What this means: Higher tdp indicates greater power draw and heat output. This directly impacts your power supply requirements, cooling solution choice, and electricity costs. Lower values generally mean a cooler, quieter, and more efficient build.
What this means: This dlss spec directly impacts features and capabilities for gpus. The product with the higher value here will have an advantage in scenarios where this specification is the limiting factor. Consider whether this specific spec matters for your workload - not every spec difference affects every use case equally.
What this means: More vram provides larger working space for the component, enabling it to handle bigger workloads without slowdowns. Running out of vram causes significant performance drops as the system falls back to slower storage.
What this means: Display outputs determine your multi-monitor capabilities and maximum supported resolutions and refresh rates. More outputs with newer standards (HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.1) unlock higher-fidelity display configurations without adapters.
What this means: The vram type determines physical and electrical compatibility with your other components. Different types are not interchangeable - always verify your motherboard, case, and power supply support the same type before purchasing.
What this means: This cuda cores spec directly impacts features and capabilities for gpus. The product with the higher value here will have an advantage in scenarios where this specification is the limiting factor. Consider whether this specific spec matters for your workload - not every spec difference affects every use case equally.
What this means: Higher boost clock means faster data processing and better real-world performance. Even small differences in clock speeds can translate to measurable FPS gains in CPU-bound games and faster completion times in productivity tasks.
What this means: Newer architecture typically delivers better performance per watt, new feature support, and improved efficiency. Architecture improvements often matter more than raw clock speed - a newer architecture at lower MHz can outperform an older one at higher MHz.
Spec Breakdown
Full Specification Comparison
14 specs| Specification | GeForce RTX 4060 | GeForce RTX 3090 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 115W | 350W |
| Dlss | DLSS 3 | DLSS 2 |
| VRAM | 8GB | 24GB |
| Outputs | 3x DP 1.4a, 1x HDMI 2.1a | 3x DP 1.4a, 1x HDMI 2.1 |
| VRAM Type | GDDR6 | GDDR6X |
| Cuda Cores | 3,072 | 10,496 |
| Boost Clock | 2,460 MHz | 1,695 MHz |
| Architecture | Ada Lovelace | Ampere |
| Memory Bandwidth | 272 GB/s | 936 GB/s |
| PSU Recommendation | 550W | 750W |
| Slots | - | 3 |
| Length | - | 336mm |
| Base Clock | - | 1,395 MHz |
| Pcie Interface | - | PCIe 4.0 x16 |
The Bottom Line
At $299.99, the GeForce RTX 4060 is the most affordable option. It takes the lead in tdp and dlss. Tagged as Budget Pick.
- Lower power draw at 115WW
- Better dlss (DLSS 3)
- Higher boost clock (2,460 MHz)
- Less vram (8GB)
- Fewer cuda cores (3,072)
- Lower memory bandwidth (272 GB/s)
- You want a cooler, more power-efficient build
- You want the stronger dlss
- Budget is your top priority
- You need more than 8GB of VRAM
- You need better cuda cores
At $749.99, the GeForce RTX 3090 is the premium option. It takes the lead in vram and cuda cores. Tagged as Best Value and Best Performance and Premium Pick.
- More vram (24GB)
- More cuda cores (10,496)
- Better memory bandwidth (936 GB/s)
- Better psu recommendation (750W)
- Higher power draw at 350WW
- Lower dlss (DLSS 2)
- Lower boost clock (1,695 MHz)
- You need 24GB of VRAM for high-res textures
- You want the stronger cuda cores
- You want the best bang for your buck
- You want lower power draw - 350WW is too high
- You need better dlss