Nvidia Geforce RTX 3060
In this Nvidia Geforce RTX 3060 Graphics Review, we’ll cover the Specs Hardware and Performance, Design and Build Quality, and Raytracing and DLSS support. We’ll also discuss overclocking ability. Ultimately, our review will give you an idea of which graphics card is best for you. After reading our review, you should be ready to make an informed decision about your next graphics card purchase.
Design and Build Quality
The GeForce RTX 3060 features the second-generation Ampere architecture and enhanced Ray Tracing Cores. Its high-speed G6 memory delivers exceptional performance. Its triple DisplayPorts are arranged in a single row, maximizing cooling efficiency. And the new Mystic Light allows users to control the RGB lighting on compatible MSI devices. This is the perfect recipe for performance, efficiency, and design.
Unlike the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, the Founders Edition of the GPU is not a typical reference design. It follows the aesthetics and cooling performance of the previous generation while remaining true to the original specs. This model features a thick backplate and a grilled backplate, which may help improve its cooling performance. The GPU is located in a streamlined chassis that minimizes the presence of external cables and other components.
The RTX 3060 features 12GB of GDDR6 memory. This is more than enough for most games, but the RTX 3070 has up to 10GB of memory. The 192-bit memory bus is split into 32-bit chunks, each of which can access a 1GB or 2GB module. Regardless of the GPU model, the RTX 3060 is capable of performing a range of tasks that the GPU was intended for.
Specs Hardware And Performance
The GeForce RTX 3060 is an ultra-high-end graphics card from Nvidia. It features 12 GB of GDDR6 memory and a 192-bit memory interface. This GPU offers a maximum clock speed of 15000 MHz and a memory bandwidth of 360 GB/s. It also supports ray-tracing, Tensor cores, and ShadowPlay. It is compatible with other graphics cards and displays. The GeForce RTX 3060’s graphics cards come with a comprehensive driver suite that will enable you to fully utilize your graphics card.
The RTX 3060’s graphics memory is a 192-bit wide pipe, which is smaller than the 256-bit pipe used by the RTX 2060. That means it is more expensive than its predecessors, but it’s still a solid choice for gaming and video editing. Its new PCIe Resizable BAR technology enhances memory transfer speeds.
It is a great choice for those who use GPU Rendering applications because of its massive 12 GB GDDR6 memory. It proves to be beneficial in loading and working in complex environments or models, especially for those using blender, Unreal Engine e.t.c
Raytracing & DLSS
DLSS and Raytracing are two advanced AI techniques that NVidia is making available with its latest RTX graphics cards. While their performance will vary based on the GPU used and the game being played, both technologies help to boost the overall quality of the experience. DLSS, or Deep Learning Super Sampling, is the primary way to accelerate the frame rate and is also known as upscaling. It is a complex method that isn’t available on every card, and some models may be more capable of supporting it than others.
DLSS is an AI feature that can increase performance by up to 50% when compared to FSR. It makes use of advanced upscaling and anti-aliasing to improve game performance and reduce bandwidth consumption. Although Nvidia’s GPUs are better at DLSS, most AMD RDNA 2 GPUs are capable of handling ray tracing.
Overclocking Ability
If you’re interested in improving the performance of your PC, you might want to consider upgrading your graphics card. While the 3060 and RTX 3070 use GDDR6 memory, older models use GDDR6X. This makes overclocking easier. Even older graphics cards can reach high clock rates, but you must be patient. It’s possible to overclock your RTX 3060 card to 63 MH/s.
When overclocking your graphics card, you need to ensure low temperatures. You should minimize heat sources in the PC and install good ventilation and airflow. The GPU needs to expel heat generated by its components. If you are not able to install MSI GAMING software, you can manually overclock the card. The MSI Afterburner software offers advanced features that will allow you to tweak the settings on your graphics card.
To improve your graphics card’s overclocking ability, try to check your benchmark scores before overclocking. It may show a higher score if your GPU has a low load but a lower frame rate when overclocked. If you can’t find a good benchmark score, the NVIDIA Boost utility can help. You can also try installing an Nvidia Geforce Rtx 3060 graphics card driver to enable overclocking.
Thermals
The thermals of an Nvidia Geforce Rtx 3060 graphics card depend on ambient room temperatures. The GPU needs to transfer heat away from the graphics card into a cooler environment, and the higher the ambient temperature, the more difficult it is. The thermal protection mechanism on modern graphics cards reduces the performance of the GPU when the internal temperature spikes, and in some cases, this may even force the system to shut down.
Gigabyte’s RTX 3060 Gaming OC has three front fans, and it performs well when it comes to thermals. Temperatures on the GPU rarely rise above 62 degrees, and the fans spin at 1250 RPM. The gaming X Trio from Gigabyte is a popular design and you can find one on AMD graphics cards as well.
ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3060 advanced thermal design is optimized for NVIDIA’s dynamic Ampere architecture. This card features a trio of Axial-tech fans with a full-height barrier ring. This ring enables increased static pressure, while the two half-height fans deliver better airflow. The center fan is revolving in reverse, and both fans rotate simultaneously for enhanced airflow and lateral dispersion.
Power Consumption
The GeForce RTX 3060 uses a higher amount of power than the GeForce RTX 2060 Graphics. It uses about 200 W while gaming and is 15W more than the RTX 2060 Super. But it is still an energy-efficient Ampere graphics card, besides this, you get about 10 fps more on average on
To measure the power consumption of your graphics card, you can use the GPU-z tool. It relies on the graphics card to read data and report on power consumption. The number reported by GPU-z may not be accurate because some cards report only the GPU core usage and not the memory. However, the data from the PCAT can be stored on your secondary monitoring system. Using this tool, you can see if the power consumption of your graphics card is too high or too low.
Besides the graphics card itself, you also need a power supply capable of supporting the RTX 3060. An external power supply that has a high conversion efficiency can lower the amount of electricity used during conversion. You can also save money on electricity bills by purchasing a power supply with more conversion efficiency than a 400W one. There are many other factors that should be considered when choosing a power supply.
Price and Availability
The Nvidia Geforce RTX 3060 launched at $399 but is currently out of stock everywhere. Even on eBay and StockX, the graphics card is not available in stock. Hence, if you’re looking to buy one of these cards, you should know the availability and price first. You should also know the Founders Edition pricing, as this will probably cost you more.
The price of the RTX 3060 is approximately $480 USD for the Palit variant, which is the factory overclocked version. The latter will have three fans. You can find the most listings of this card at B&H, Newegg, and Best Buy. If you’re looking for a low price, try to find one at eBay or StockX.
The Nvidia Geforce RTX 3060 graphics card will be available in February 2021. Availability and price have been a hot topic for PC gamers, so it’s important to make sure you check out what’s out there before you buy. The EVGA RTX 3060 XC Black Gaming was provided by Nvidia for testing. The PC used for the review was powered by an Intel Core i5-7500 CPU and 16 GB of RAM. The PC’s hard drive was a 2 TB 7200-rpm drive.
Summary
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 is a $329 graphics card that brings the next generation of Ampere GPU architecture to the mainstream market. Although the new card has some minor limitations, it still delivers outstanding performance, especially for gamers who want to be ahead of the competition. We’ve broken down the pros and cons of the new GPU and what you need to know to decide which one to buy.
This dual-slot card draws power from a single 12-pin power connector. The card can support up to 170W and is equipped with three DisplayPort 1.4a ports. It connects to the system via PCI-Express 4.0 x16 interface. It measures 242mm in length and 112mm in width. Its dual-slot cooling solution helps keep it running cool even under the most demanding gaming conditions.
DLSS (Dynamic Light Shading System) is an important feature for gamers looking to push the limits of their gaming experience. Implemented across dozens of games, DLSS preserves native signals in high-resolution video formats and helps balance smudgy moments with crisp details. DLSS is superior to built-in temporal anti-aliasing (TAA), which often results in ghosting artifacts.